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The Trek
1st PlaceThe Trek
Cutter


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Gold (Advanced Editing IV)
Camera: Nikon D70
Lens: Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM for Nikon
Location: Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado
Date: Jul 21, 2006
Galleries: Nature, Action
Date Uploaded: Jul 22, 2006

Best score for me by far...And an image I adore too. Rare combo.

This was in the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Southern Colorado. I had never been there before. There was a 50+ mph wind blowing (a constant there, not at that level I believe though..and one of the reasons why there are dunes to begin with) which made the experience memorable, painful and difficult. Made it about half way up the highest dune which is just shy of 1000 ft above the flat level of the Dunes.

I didn't do much to this really. Upped the sat a bit, minor levels correction, the normal stuff. What you see is basically what I experienced, except for the wind showing itself on camera. Contrary to what many commentors believed, this is exactly the slant and pitch of the dunes. The model, my sister who is out visiting, was a good 100 feet away and the whole scene simply imposed its will. The ridge she was walking along probably fell 80 feet off to the left, which doesn't make itself obvious in photograph. This area truly is amazing and I will return.

Here is another photo from my experience:




Thanks for the votes, comments and favorites...

Statistics
Place: 1 out of 296
Avg (all users): 7.4739
Avg (commenters): 8.7073
Avg (participants): 7.4240
Avg (non-participants): 7.5465
Views since voting: 13769
Views during voting: 384
Votes: 211
Comments: 91
Favorites: 61 (view)


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AuthorThread
07/13/2010 06:16:48 AM
great shot! how did you do this?
12/23/2006 06:26:19 PM
What a wonderful shot. Congrats.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
08/04/2006 06:44:24 AM
I've been there. I must say you really captured the esssence of the area!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
08/04/2006 06:43:25 AM
I'm very late, with the heat and all, "doing my rounds" on the challenge winners. Still, congratulations on a very fine image with a creative take on the cocnept "gold".
  Photographer found comment helpful.
08/04/2006 02:47:18 AM
you should probably look into getting a 4'x5' of this for your living room...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
08/03/2006 02:15:56 AM
Well done, you deserved it;)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
08/02/2006 06:24:40 PM
Congratulations, a wonderful image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
08/02/2006 01:29:31 PM
That picture give such a sense of steepness and altitude. I really feel as though I'm looking upwards. It's so difficult to capture that in a photograph.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
08/02/2006 12:07:05 PM
Fantastic shot. Congrats on your well deserved blue ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 10:43:58 PM
Just superb .....I wish I was there!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 03:54:41 PM
Beautiful shot! Well deserved Blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 01:42:31 PM
excellent image and well deserved ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 01:23:52 PM
Your submission and outtake are both fantastic. Congratulations!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 01:19:41 PM
Congratulations on your Blue ribbon
wonderful image
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 11:46:25 AM
Awesome photos! That second one would be PERFECT for a textures challenge.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 09:58:02 AM
Hey Beau, Congrats on another well deserved blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 09:41:40 AM
Another great shot! congrats. Did you 4 wheel through madina pass? That way is a lot of fun.

Message edited by author 2006-07-31 13:42:57.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 09:17:20 AM
Congrats. Awesome shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 09:14:22 AM
simply awesome
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 09:10:50 AM
nicely done, Beau. Well deserved :)

P
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 09:01:15 AM
Congratulations!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 07:37:37 AM
A wonderful image! I am jealous of where you live!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 07:20:15 AM
Congrats onthe blue. Definitely deserving of a ribbon. Beautiful shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 07:05:33 AM
awesome! fabulous! wonderful! amazing! splendid! beautiful!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 04:48:21 AM
Congrats on the blue, stunning!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 04:14:53 AM
Nice recreation of the popular Dream & Poster, Foot Prints. What a comforting thought to know that even through the periods of my life when "the wind is blowing more than 50 mph winds filled with sand in my face, the sun is beating down on me with unrelenting intensity, my body is weak, and my throat is parched," I have confidence that my Best Friend is carrying me!
I will bookmark this photo as truly one of my favorites! Thank you for a great photo!

Message edited by author 2006-07-31 12:15:33.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 04:12:59 AM
congrats! this is absolutely amazing. I was in awe when I first saw it. now i'm just jealous that you get to live near such a cool place!

Great job!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 03:35:32 AM
Hey Cutter, Congratulations on your well deserved "Blue" The dunes win two blues in a week, I best get over there and try. Great shot. Van
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 03:31:42 AM
I'm so pleased this won. Absolutely outstanding.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 02:47:36 AM
Amazing photograph.Many Congrats :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 01:26:27 AM
Beautiful shot..
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 12:39:14 AM
Congratulations. I'm assuming there was no scoreboard in the background there. :P
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/30/2006 10:13:43 PM
Fantastic shot! I need to head down to the dunes. All these ribbons from the dunes has inspired me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/30/2006 09:48:15 PM
Very nice shot. Congrats on your blue.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/30/2006 09:21:20 PM
Announcing the winner! How can this not walk away with the Blue? Striking image and what impressive color tonal values. Congratulations on your Honors!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/30/2006 09:20:57 PM
you're getting good! congrats
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/30/2006 09:08:51 PM
Great to see this one got the blue ribbon, it was my favorite. Congratulations!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/30/2006 09:08:27 PM
WOW. Sorry I skipped voting this challenge, you would have had another ten. Congrats on the well deserved win and new high score. Adding this to my favorites.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/30/2006 08:31:31 PM
Excellent work! Congrats on another ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/30/2006 08:27:01 PM
You continue to disgust me with your success, my friend. ;)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/30/2006 08:25:55 PM
congrats on the blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/30/2006 08:25:05 PM
WOW... awesome masterpiece !!!

congrats
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/30/2006 08:24:30 PM
fantastic capture taken at just the right time of day. congratulations on your ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/30/2006 08:19:23 PM
Originally posted by boomtap:

Representing Colorado well! Way to Go!

Woohoo!!!!! WTG Cutter.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/30/2006 08:13:28 PM
Representing Colorado well! Way to Go!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/30/2006 08:10:15 PM
Congrats. This was my pick of the pack. glad it came out on top.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/30/2006 08:07:58 PM
Another ribbon for you Beau, excellent image...you deserved to ribbon
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
07/30/2006 07:12:08 PM
Great photo. Should do well I think. Nice work!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/30/2006 06:52:47 PM
Wow!!! Very sweet shot - I love the angle of the horizon - it makes the shot more interesting. nice work!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/30/2006 04:54:06 PM
I love this one, and have just bumped it up.....
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/30/2006 04:42:14 PM
Gorgeous photo. I don't think this could be anymore perfect. One of my two 10's.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/30/2006 04:31:00 PM
Very different from the rest yet very fitting. Well done on this hot entry. 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/30/2006 12:27:23 PM
I'm adding this to my favorites. Excellent compisition and color. The lighting adds a lot as well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/30/2006 09:11:45 AM
outstanding!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/29/2006 07:46:53 PM
I really like the angle and the line against the sky. The walker is placed very well, too. Going in my favorites!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/29/2006 03:20:54 PM
Most amazing shot. Great job! My favorite landscape photo from the challenge. Looks very much like an HDR or combined photo of different layers of contrast/brightness settings. I reckon this should place in the top10. Good luck!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/29/2006 02:28:36 PM
Nice composition and perspective. A top pick to ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/29/2006 04:26:40 AM
Great shot. Very nice colors between the sand and sky. Hope you didnt make your model walk on too much farther. The slanted horizon is great and the detail is sharp. Great job and bumping up. Back to bump up one more time - I gie you a 9 overall.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/28/2006 05:24:50 PM
I would hope this will ribbon. I love the colors, the perspective, everything, this is a new favorite of mine. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/28/2006 01:31:36 PM
Wow! Great shot and wonderful colors.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/28/2006 08:25:30 AM
Beautiful colors and subject. Great composition with the leading 'lines'
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/26/2006 11:24:35 PM
Great work with fabulous colour. The shadow on the left is perhaps a little distracting and I would like figure to be a bit clearer, but still one of my top picks for this challenge.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/26/2006 09:02:14 PM
Great job - love the leading lines in the sand, the texture, and the golden tones
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/26/2006 10:16:00 AM
Golden trace...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/25/2006 12:00:10 PM
Very emotive. Nice capture and idea!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/25/2006 09:29:26 AM
That rich blue sky and the golden sands make a perfect combination for this challenge. Great detail in those wind ripples. Very nice!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/25/2006 06:49:30 AM
This picture is perfect in every way. i feel a ribbon here! 10 from me!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/25/2006 05:19:57 AM
This will win.10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/25/2006 05:19:05 AM
A top pick for me in this challenge. The golden dunes is something I'm still looking forward to experiencing in person. You have done an amazing job of capturing their magnificent allure. A top pick for sure!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/24/2006 08:55:40 PM
Oh yeah. Amazingly shot. Great sky. Woah. 10.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/24/2006 04:43:14 PM
beautiful exposure!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/24/2006 03:23:38 PM
beautiful color and texture contrasts
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/24/2006 11:27:36 AM
Very beautiful... the grain at the bottom would have been best left out, in my opinion. Otherwise very striking, 7
07/24/2006 09:59:16 AM
beautiful!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/24/2006 09:19:38 AM
I like how all the lines lead to the guy walking in the desert. Great shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/24/2006 08:39:31 AM
very cool, nice contrast between the sand and sky!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/24/2006 08:09:24 AM
beautiful composition!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/24/2006 07:51:34 AM
Great photo!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/24/2006 06:54:56 AM
Just awesome. Added to favorites. I think this will end up in top 10.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/24/2006 04:29:05 AM
Wow, awesome photo! It looks so unreal. I just added it to my favorites.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/24/2006 04:06:30 AM
this is really stunning!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/24/2006 03:23:20 AM
Well, why did no one else thought of capturing golden sand in this challenge??!! This is certainly different and rates high on execution. The tilted horizon works well on this one. This will surely be in top 10. Goodluck. 9.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/24/2006 03:13:33 AM
Fantastic picture, well done. My favorite so far in this challenge (10)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/23/2006 11:38:57 PM
I am guessing a top 5 finish for this...wonderful colour and depth...sensational
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/23/2006 11:26:35 PM
awesome
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/23/2006 10:20:13 PM
Wow, very cool shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/23/2006 09:07:35 PM
I like the choice to level the clouds, rather than the sand. Great perspective.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/23/2006 08:33:25 PM
Holy Sh888t~~ this is perfect. The shadow, the color, the clarity. Should be on a high end book cover. Man. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/23/2006 08:32:40 PM
Great Job!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/23/2006 08:24:35 PM
a winner here! great shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/23/2006 08:23:27 PM
amazing ... The angle and colors are great although a little exagerated in color. PS: I hope that peson doesn't have your canteen :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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