Many people are surprised learn there are giant sand dunes in Colorado (it’s true!). One can stand, with shoes undoubtedly filled with sand, atop one of these ever-shifting dunes and watch the morning sun light up the mountainous Collegiate Peaks to the west (or watch it set behind them if you’re a night owl like Anne).

While landscapes are constantly changing in ways big and small, at Great Dunes National Park the landscape completely shifts on the daily thanks partly to the steady wind. As a photographer, it’s both frustrating and delightful because you can’t really go back later to make the same shot “better”, yet you also get a brand new canvas to play with. 

In our more “stable” environments, simply watching how the shifting sun changes the light falling on the spaces around us can catalyze awe and wonder. Take a minute outside today to just sit and really observe the light and shadows, appreciating this moment—soon to be gone forever—amid our ever-changing world.

Find this and more from Great Sand Dunes National Park.