Atop a Sea of White

Two visitors stand along the crest of a brilliant gypsum dune beneath the sweeping blue sky of White Sands National Park. Their small figures emphasize the immense scale of the landscape, while wind-carved ripples, scattered desert plants, and a trail of footprints reveal the beauty and movement of this extraordinary New Mexico wilderness. #WhiteSands #WhiteSandsNationalPark #NewMexico #GypsumDunes #DuneCrest #DesertHiking #Footprints #DesertPlants #BlueSky #LandscapePhotography #TravelPhotography #NationalParks #Southwest #EngelPhotography

Photographer James Engel

Date & Time Saturday, March 28th, 2026 at 8:21 AM America/Denver

Focal Length 24mm

Shutter Speed 1/200 sec

Aperture ƒ/11

ISO 64

Location North America, The United States of America, New Mexico, White Sands National Park

Keywords Desert Landscape, Hiking Trail, Landscapes & Nature, Minimalism, National Park, People, Photography Effects, Photography Genres, Photography Techniques, Plant, Scenic Vista, Texture, Johnnie Engel, Sam Engel

Camera Nikon D850

Lens NIKON 24-85mm F3.5-4.5G ED VR AF-S Nikkor Lens

Approximate Map Location

Latitude: 32.801888
Longitude: -106.25074
Altitude: 1,229.0 meters / 4,032.2 feet