Great Sand Dunes National Park Fashion Shoot | Goal #51 (v. 2.0)
I’ve mentioned before how much I love traveling, so when there are opportunities to visit awesome locations I jump at the chance. Bonus if there are opportunities to shoot too. I put visiting Great Sand Dunes National Park on my 101 Goals in 1001 Days list because its been haunting me ever since I saw it from the distance on our drive to Mesa Verde in 2013. If you’ve never heard of the Great Sand Dunes, look it up. Its incredible. And the craziest thing is, there is no ocean around for over a thousand miles. The dunes are literally this huge sand field in between two mountain ranges. Totally unexpected and another checkbox on the “reasons Colorado is amazing” list.
When I started thinking about visiting the dunes, I had two shoot ideas pop into my head immediately. One was a wedding shoot and one was a creative shoot. I’m waiting to share the wedding shoot for now, but I’m excited to showcase my vision for the creative shoot.
The vision basically started with a wardrobe–I vibrant red, historical costume, of the era of Marie Antoinette. This costume was all I could think about for weeks. I had to find it! I scoured the internet, I searched local costume shops, until I finally came across Hale Theater Archival Costumes in Utah. They had just what I needed and they would ship a single costume to Colorado! Hooray!
We enlisted the help of April (@apriljoy08) for hair and make-up and Deziree, a photographer who runs Deziree’s Photography volunteered to be my 2nd shooter for the wedding shoot and my model for the creative shoot.
Fortunately the weather was fantastic for the wedding shoot, but unfortunately the storms rolled in for the creative shoot the next day. My visions of shooting for a good solid two hours at the dunes on day 2 turned into about 30 minutes total of shooting, bordered by mad dashes into the car to warm up our hands and feet, gale force winds, and stinging rain. Deziree was a trooper throughout it all and while I didn’t get to shoot as much as I wanted, I did get to see out my creative vision of photographing a woman in a red historical costume at the Great Sand Dunes National Park.
Goal #51–check!
Oh my goodness! What a fun shoot! LOVE the pop of her red dress against the drama of that shore line…foggy beautiful shot. <3
thanks Elizabeth–that pop of red was clutch to the vision :)
Stop it, stop it right now! This is simply amazing! I can’t believe ALL those shots were taken in Colorado. Amazing work, girl! And beautiful modeling ;)
Thanks so much Taylor! It was a dream and the Sand Dunes are simply AMAZING!
Just looking at these makes me cold again! Brrr! But I love them all, thanks so much for taking me along on this trip and for making such beautiful photographs of me!
You were a trooper!! Thanks for braving the weather!
I love this and am so jealous that I didn’t get to come. Though probably for the best given the weather. Deziree looks amazing and I love her single purple curl. :-)
Yes, Rayna, I don’t think you would have been able to leave the car, it was so cold!
Jennie! That last shot is really something. Super intense and beautiful. Gorgeous set!!
Thanks Kyla! Sorry you couldn’t join us! Though I think I did see that abandoned white house that you and Annabelle found on your trip–if it had been warmer we totally would have stopped.
Jennie! These are lovely. I adore the ones of Dez in the trees!
Thanks Ashley! I totally didn’t expect to find trees at the Sand Dunes, but it goes to show how amazing that venue is :)
Simply Stunning!! Your vision for this shoot just pops off the page! I want to say the last pic was my favorite but I keep scrolling back through them all and can’t decide. You nailed it! You’re inspiring me to start a 101/1001 list!
Do it Kelly! The 101 Goals are fun and it feels so good to check things off :)