ENTRY DESCRIPTION
I captured this image in White Sands National Park, NM in April, 2024 during the late afternoon. White Sands covers 145,762 acres of white sands dunes composed of gypsum crystals. It is the largest gypsum dunefield in the world with a depth of ~30 feet and dunes as tall as 60 feet. It is completely surrounded by White Sands Missile Range and is occasionally closed due to live-fire missile testing. The pure white gypsum crystals are highly reflective, making it almost blinding in the midday sun but also create amazing scenes at sunrise and sunset. The wind had blown hard overnight creating a sharp line at the top of the dune and the late afternoon sun provided a stark contrast on each side.

AUTHOR
Jim is a self-taught photographer who began exploring photography in 2007 as entertainment on weekends during long business trips to Europe and Asia. Jim ventured deeper into photography after retiring and continues to hone his craft on the local area's scenic vistas and through an active travel schedule. Jim’s priority is collecting images from around the world, intended to stir awareness and offer glimpses of elements in nature and distant cultures that are rapidly changing, and in some cases at risk of disappearing entirely.

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