This stretch of dunes lies between Silver Lake to the east and Lake Michigan to the west. I photographed it on a beautiful September day, when clouds gave the sky a sense of movement and drama. The rolling sand and distant horizon offered a simple, expansive composition.

The image is made from three photographs joined as a panorama. I used a red filter to emphasize the contrast between the clouds and blue sky, translating that difference into the bold tonal structure of this monochrome landscape. The result brings attention to the forms of the dunes and the changing patterns above them.

I’m drawn to places that ask us to slow down and look more closely. Here, there is no single focal point demanding attention; the eye can travel across the sand, rest on the horizon, and return to the clouds. For me, that is part of the pleasure of making a photograph—being present long enough to feel a scene as well as see it. I hope The Dunes brings a little of that stillness into your space.