23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Steps in the Light

This photograph captures a quiet midday moment in White Sands National Park. The bright gypsum dunes stretch like gentle waves toward the distant mountains, glowing softly under the sun. A small group of hikers in their 40s or 50s walk steadily into the deeper desert, their footprints tracing patterns across the pale surface. The scene feels spacious and calm, showing how small yet steady human presence becomes against such an immense landscape.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 11.2025
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Alamogordo, New Mexico, United States of America
Camera: ILCE-6000
Copyright: © JUNLAN LU