Nice Curves

by Michael Frye | Apr 24, 2015 | Composition | 24 comments

Peaks and curves

Claudia and I just finished a night photography workshop in Death Valley and the Trona Pinnacles with our good friend and assistant Robert Eckhardt. It was so much fun, with a great group of people in some wonderful places.

We made plenty of nighttime photographs of course, but we also got to spend two mornings in the Mesquite Flat dunes in Death Valley, once while scouting before the workshop, and the second time with the group. Both of these visits followed big wind storms the day before, and the dunes were pristine, with no footprints.

I love abstracts, so the dunes are just heaven, with a seemingly infinite supply of beautiful patterns, shapes, lines, and curves. Here’s a selection of photos from those two mornings. Virtually all of them were made with my 70-200mm zoom while I looked for patterns and simple designs.

I hope you enjoy these, and I’ll post some of the nighttime images soon.

— Michael Frye

Waves of sand

Curves

More curves

S-curve #1

S-curve #2

Zigzag

Ridgeline (this is the one photo made with a 50mm lens)

High-key dunes

Double curve

Patterns

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Michael Frye is a professional photographer specializing in landscapes and nature. He is the author or principal photographer of The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite, Yosemite Meditations, Yosemite Meditations for Women, Yosemite Meditations for Adventurers, and Digital Landscape Photography: In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams and the Great Masters. He has also written three eBooks: Light & Land: Landscapes in the Digital Darkroom, Exposure for Outdoor Photography, and Landscapes in Lightroom 5: The Essential Step-by-Step Guide. Michael has written numerous magazine articles on the art and technique of photography, and his images have been published in over thirty countries around the world. Michael has lived either in or near Yosemite National Park since 1983, currently residing just outside the park in Mariposa, California.

24 Comments

Donnie on April 24, 2015 at 6:44 am

A splendid set of images, with the luxury of no prints.
Reply
- Michael Frye on April 25, 2015 at 12:00 pm
  
  Thanks Donnie!
  Reply
Marlin Rogers on April 24, 2015 at 7:01 am

Magical compositions Michael. Thanks for the views, and I look forward to the night pics you promised as well.
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- Michael Frye on April 25, 2015 at 12:00 pm
  
  Thanks Marlin!
  Reply
Claire Gardiner on April 24, 2015 at 7:26 am

Stunning images! Need to put this place on my bucket list! 🙂 thanks for sharing your images with us!
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- Michael Frye on April 25, 2015 at 12:01 pm
  
  Thank you Claire! You should try to photograph sand dunes sometime – it’s a blast. There are dunes in many places in California, not just Death Valley.
  Reply
John Munno on April 24, 2015 at 9:16 am

Beautiful curves indeed Michael and awesome shots.
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- Michael Frye on April 25, 2015 at 12:04 pm
  
  Thanks John!
  Reply
JohnC on April 24, 2015 at 10:52 am

Beautiful Michael!
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- Michael Frye on April 25, 2015 at 12:04 pm
  
  Thank you John!
  Reply
G Dan Mitchell on April 24, 2015 at 1:02 pm

Nice stuff, Michael! 🙂

Dan
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- Michael Frye on April 25, 2015 at 12:05 pm
  
  Thanks very much Dan! I enjoyed seeing your prints at Stovepipe Wells.
  Reply
Ann on April 24, 2015 at 6:04 pm

Love Death Valley, especially at this time of the year. Great composition of all the dunes. To me, I see oceanic examples of ebb and flow. Thanks again for sharing.
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- Michael Frye on April 25, 2015 at 12:05 pm
  
  Thank you Ann, and yes, the dunes resemble waves sometimes.
  Reply
Aracelly Macozek on April 25, 2015 at 6:08 am

Michael: Your pictures are fantastic!. These are like paints. Pieces of art. Thank you for share them. Sincerely, Aracelly Macozek 🙂
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- Michael Frye on April 25, 2015 at 12:06 pm
  
  Thank you Aracelly!
  Reply
Vivienne on April 25, 2015 at 7:22 am

Gorgeous dunes, Michael! I find dune abstracts so seductive. I had a chance to visit in early March.

https://flic.kr/p/riSo4q
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- Michael Frye on April 25, 2015 at 12:07 pm
  
  Thanks Vivienne, and you found a great curve in your photo. Glad you got out there.
  Reply
Kristi Davis on April 26, 2015 at 6:02 pm

As usual, stunning photos, Michael! I had no idea you did a Death Valley workshop. It’s a place I’ve always wanted to see and make some photos. Great stuff!!
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- Michael Frye on April 28, 2015 at 7:46 pm
  
  Thank you Kristi! The Death Valley workshop was a first, and open only to nighttime workshop alumni.
  Reply
Debbie Sladen on September 23, 2016 at 3:26 am

Thanks,Michael! I love all of your work especially your abstracts with curves! I also love all your works from Yosemite .Thank
You for sharing all of your insight and tips! Debbie Sladen
Reply
- Michael Frye on September 23, 2016 at 10:57 am
  
  Thanks very much Debbie!
  Reply
Michael McCloskey on March 9, 2017 at 9:16 pm

Michael, I was there this afternoon, and hikers were everywhere. Your captures are beautiful and free from footprints. Did you hike way in?
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- Michael Frye on March 10, 2017 at 10:25 am
  
  Yes, if there hasn’t been a recent wind storm you often have to hike a bit to get away from the tracks.
  Reply