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Sand & Grass

Posted by
Ian Bramham (Manchester, United Kingdom) on 25 September 2009 in Landscape & Rural and Portfolio.

Marram grass growing in the coastal sand dunes of NW England.

This is the latest in a mini series of photos from the coastal area of NW England where I was born and spent most of my adult life.

I really liked the contrast in this scene between the light softness of the sand and the dark, hard spikiness of the marram grass. Also, I liked the delicate shadows in the 4 hollows in the sand (I'm aware that some of you may see them as raised mounds!) which I thought added something extra to the photo.

NIKON D40 1/160 second F/11.0 ISO 200 15 mm (35mm equiv.)

Like what you see here and are interested in photographic composition?.....the blog section of my website now has a complete set of 5 articles covering my personal approach to the subject: Ian Bramham Photography - Blog

For purchasing high quality archival prints of any of these photos you can send me an email by clicking here or by going to my website Ian Bramham - Fine Art Photography where prices are listed in the gallery sections under each individual photo.

Paco Díaz from Palma de Mallorca, Spain

I like very much this compostion and agree with your words about the photo.
The sand has a great quality of detail and light, I like it very much.
Congratulations for this shot.

25 Sep 2009 7:05am

@Paco Díaz: Thanks Paco!

Francine from Buire le sec, France

Just congratutulations, it's the picture I wanted to take......one day, I hope......

25 Sep 2009 8:51am

@Francine: Thanks Francine!

Paolo from Udine, Italy

although it's a little bit grainy I like it very much, in particular the tonal range. these days I'm studying about weston and adams: this phot has the same taste of some of their best wilderness shots.

25 Sep 2009 9:37am

Polydactyle from Montreal, Canada

Again, great compo, b/w, contrast.

25 Sep 2009 11:23am

john4jack from Corvallis, Oregon, United States

Terrific composition. Superb tones and detail.

25 Sep 2009 2:11pm

Mags from Paris, France

Very nice picture, well done!

25 Sep 2009 3:37pm

Onlymehdi from Wayne, United States

simple and great

25 Sep 2009 4:54pm

Daryl Johnson from Farnham, United Kingdom

Yes good illusion with the hollows!

25 Sep 2009 8:09pm

Viewfinder from Bradenton, FL, United States

I like this one a lot; has a resemblance to parts of coastal Florida. It's interesting that the hollows do look like raised mounds to me. Is that a function of the different ways people see things, or an optical illusion, or what?

25 Sep 2009 8:18pm

@Viewfinder: It's just a straightforward optical illusion I think Glenn.....I only saw them as the hollows that I photographed until John Leech told me that he saw them as mounds rather than hollows.....now I can see them either way if I concentrate hard enough.

Anne from White Rock, Canada

Is this up the Coast from Blackpool - like Lytham St. Anne's or somewhere around there? I remember those dunes well with their tufts of grass at the tops. A really great composition of what could look quite ordinary when viewing more than the one! The ripples in the sand lead the eye perfectly! :-)

25 Sep 2009 11:07pm

akarui from Kagoshima, Japan

Beautiful BW picture and design on the sand. I like it very much.

25 Sep 2009 11:48pm

Pavan Kaul from Mumbai, India

I would gladly trade my D 700 for your D 40, if it would help me take pictures such as this! But I doubt that would help:) Just love your work Ian!

26 Sep 2009 3:03am

Ian Smith from London, United Kingdom

It's true, I first thought of them as raised mounds!? Maybe there's something psychological going on here??? Do we (I) always assume light comes from right to left?
An excellent capture, and I love the sharpness of focus and tonality of the light and shadow.

26 Sep 2009 8:15am

Fabienne from Quelque part ou ailleurs, France

Superb !

26 Sep 2009 9:06am

Magda from Vancouver, Canada

Gorgeous mono!

27 Sep 2009 4:53am

Bill Brown from California, United States

Simply beautiful!

27 Sep 2009 3:44pm

Pavan Kaul from Mumbai, India

Sure is Ian, but not as much as you do:) Thank you!

27 Sep 2009 4:58pm

hugo poon from hong kong, Hong Kong

Oh Ian, the forms are just wonderful... the interactions between them and that between the textures are such an appeal!

28 Sep 2009 12:11am

Didier DE ZAN from somewhere, France

Very beautiful BW

28 Sep 2009 4:52am

MadScientist from Düsseldorf, Germany

Quite an amazing shot and filled with contrasts at different levels.

28 Sep 2009 9:44am

bluechameleon from Vancouver, Canada

Wonderful composition and detail. Love the black and white tones!

29 Sep 2009 3:20am

NIKON D40
1/160 second
F/11.0
ISO 200
15 mm (35mm equiv.)