Mesquite Flat Dunes, Death Valley National Park, California Featured in Shutterbug magazine, "Patterns of Nature," this photograph is part of a large abstract study series from Death Valley National Park, California.

For his visit (July 2012), I opted to explore  one section of the vast Mesquite Flat Dunes,  as opposed to making various day trips across the enormous park.

This more "focused" approach allowed me to photograph the dune formations in "Golden Hour" morning and evening lighting conditions over a three day period.  

Honestly, some of the treks into the dunes were exhausting, due to unpredictable windstorms and the unrelentless heat (114 degrees, F). That said,  the whole approach proved to be even more exhilarating and productive than I had contemplated. The only question, now, is when can we return to the dunes for an extended stay? 

"Wind is the sculptor of these sand dunes in Death Valley. Marcus W. Reinkensmeyer made this photo at sunset with a Nikon D300 and a Nikkor AF-S 12-24mm lens and a B+W polarizer with the rig atop a Gitzo G1325 tripod. Exposure was f/14 at 1/20 sec."  Shutterbug.