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White and Shade


White and Shade
Photo Information
Copyright: Hakan Cakan (chakko) Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 43 W: 11 N: 14] (283)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-06-10
Categories: Nature
Camera: D40 Nikon, AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/1250 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Deserts, WHITE-LAND, our wonderful world [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-06-29 14:58
Viewed: 267
Points: 26
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The White Sands
White Sands is a census-designated place in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States.
The desert lies under the scorching sun of Tularosa Basin New Mexico, its white sands gleaming like freshly fallen snow. These powdery grains of sand are not composed of quartz, unlike most desert sands, but of soft, chalky gypsum, or calcium sulfate. Also, unlike other desert sands, they are cool to the touch, due to the high rate of evaporation of surface moisture and also to the fact that the sands reflect, rather than absorb, the sun's rays. It is the world's largest surface deposit of gypsum, the mineral from which plaster of Paris is made.

Gypsum is one of the most common mineral compounds found on Earth but is rarely seen on the surface, as it dissolves easily in water. The origins of this amazing 'desert' dates back to around 100 million years ago, during which it was covered by a shallow sea. As its waters gradually receded, saltwater lakes were left behind, which eventually evaporated in the sun. In addition to salt, gypsum was also laid down in thick deposits on the old seabed.

The Sacramento and San Andreas mountain ranges, with the Tularosa Basin between them, started taking shape 65 million years ago. Giant upheavals in the Earth's crust folded and crumpled the land and the gypsum deposits, thrusting them high into the air.

Constant rainfall and meltwater coming from the mountains caused the gypsum to leach out and concentrated solutions were washed down the mountainsides. The gypsum solution accumulated in Lake Lucero, the lowest part of the Tularosa Basin. Water in the lake does not have any means of escaping except by evaporation, which leaves behind thin layers of crystalised gypsum, or selenite. Weathering then reduces these crystals to fine, sandy grains. South-westerly winds carry the grains farther up the basin, and the grains pile in steep dunes that are often as high as 15 m (50ft). The winds carve more dunes and, at the same time, carry small amounts of the gypsum grains by distances of up to 9 m (30ft) a year.

This constant movement of the sands, added with their alkaline nature and the little amount of rainfall makes it difficult for plants to grow here.
angela926, puffy, WhiteKnight has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hajan,
Nice composition and use of light. Great note.
Wellington

Hi Hakan,

excellent simple composition, nice clear sky and patterns on sand making good perspective and DOF.
cheers
Adrian

Hi Hakan,
Excellent handling of light in this pictue. The low POV is perfect and creates an attractive picture in my opinion. Great posting my friend.
Hans

Hi Hakan,

I like the pov you have chosen on this shot. The repetitive patterns of the sand are so interesting. Looks like it goes forever!!

Lisa :D

Hello Hakan,
Very nice shot, excellent composition and pov, nice colors and light, good textures in the saqnd.
Angela

  • Great 
  • sincero (202)
  • [2008-06-29 16:01]

Excellent sand, i've been looking for a place to take picture of sand like this with not much of a success....maybe i should go to this place or somewhere in sahara :p
I also love the lighting btw

  • Great 
  • glint Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 575 W: 2 N: 384] (2573)
  • [2008-06-29 16:48]

hello Hakan,
a beautiful play of light , colour and texture.
Bev

Hi Haken..this is a beautiful shot...great light and details..nice work.

Roger

  • Great 
  • puffy Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2014 W: 136 N: 3063] (16571)
  • [2008-06-30 0:39]

Hello Hakan,

Excellent shot, great details and composition, I like how the shadow play out to creating those lines... nice composition and textures, well captured,


Have a nice day,

Cheers,
Sweety

:) ltr

A great photo - nice and sharp throughout the frame, great exposure and colour. Nice job.
David

Hello hanka,

This is just pure nature at its best, well composed and great colors bg pov well done and I would love to vit this site

TFS kyle
PT

  • Great 
  • Kli Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 169 W: 5 N: 142] (1247)
  • [2008-06-30 12:41]

Bonjour Hakan,
Une composition simple et agréable. De belles lignes sculptées par le vent. Félicitations.
Amicalement.

Pascalie.

Excellente composition. L'ensemble est digne d'une superbe carte postale, bravo !
Cordialement,
Antoine.

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