Before the Sands Turn White

Earth-toned desert scrub gradually gives way to pale gypsum dunes beneath the clear blue sky of White Sands National Park. This quiet New Mexico landscape reveals the edge of the great dune field, where hardy vegetation clings to the shifting boundary between the Chihuahuan Desert and brilliant waves of white sand. #WhiteSands #WhiteSandsNationalPark #NewMexico #GypsumDunes #DesertScrub #ChihuahuanDesert #DesertLandscape #DuneField #NaturePhotography #LandscapePhotography #NationalParks #Southwest #EngelPhotography

Photographer James Engel

Date & Time Saturday, March 28th, 2026 at 8:40 AM America/Denver

Focal Length 55mm

Shutter Speed 1/160 sec

Aperture ƒ/11

ISO 64

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

Keywords Desert Landscape, Landscapes & Nature, National Park, Panorama, Plant, Scenic Vista

Camera Nikon D850

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

Approximate Map Location

Latitude: 32.795551
Longitude: -106.212341
Altitude: 1,189.0 meters / 3,900.9 feet