White sands maternity session
When my client reached out to me to book her maternity session she mentioned that she wanted something epic with beautiful scenery. So being from West Texas I did some research on possible locations and we decided that Ruidoso would be perfect for her, but after seeing a session I did in White Sands she knew this would be the perfect location for her maternity session! The views are breathtaking at White Sands National Park. The drive to the park is somewhat deceiving and doesn’t seem like much is out there. Once you are past the gate though the dunes build and becoming larger and before you know it you are surrounded by glistening, white sands as far as the eye can see! I spent quite a bit of time researching this location and where we should go and discovered enough to know that you have to walk out into the dunes quite a bit if you want the untouched sand without any footprints. The hike out past all the busy visitors isn’t too bad. I think we walked about for about 15-20 min and found some beautiful spots to use. If you plan on shooting a session there I highly recommend wearing backpacks with your gear or dresses. Some the sand can be hard to walk through and you will need your hands. There are bathrooms located in many areas throughout the park so just make sure your client uses the restroom before your hike. We didn’t encounter any wind but I know from experience that wind can hurt if its blowing sand…Dress in layers! The sand can very very hot in the summer but get very cold other times of the year. I wore some heavy duty hiking sandals that held up pretty well during the walk but my client didn’t wear any shoes. By the time we were done shooting her feet were freezing and we put some thick socks on her. Was it all worth it? Absolutely! We may have been tired at the end but the views we captured were perfect!
Its important to plan ahead and be prepared when you travel to a new place that you have never been. I always check roads conditions, weather and National and State park websites for closures. Sometimes parks close for maintenance or other issues. Here is a link to the White Sands National Park website with info. They are located next to an airfare base and they test missiles in white sands. Occasionally the park will close for testing so check ahead of time if you aren’t sure!
https://www.nps.gov/whsa/index.htm
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