The thrill of photographing a sandstorm

The sight of a mile-high wall of sand and dust racing across the landscape at rapid speed is an awesome and frightening spectacle. While sand or dust storms—also referred to as haboobs or simooms in different parts of the world—look terrifying, they are relatively harmless, which allows photographers to capture some amazing and surreal images, either from a distance or from within the heart of the storm itself.

As the tops of the dunes get caught up in gusts of winds, it speaks to the ephemerality of these geologic formations— though they seem earthen and solid, desert dune are forever in a state of flux.
Of course, vision in the heart of some sandstorms will be limited to a matter of metres but, equally, a fading or mild sandstorm can pervade the atmosphere with an eerie red or orange glow, making for fantastic photo opportunities.

Where, why, and when

Sandstorms usually occur in arid or semi-arid regions of the world, and are caused by the combination of drought and wind. A sandstorm can be associated with a gust front from a large thunderstorm, strong winds caused by local weather patterns and microclimate, or a large temperature differential between two regions. These winds pick up large amounts of dry soil, dust, and sand particles and transport them, by suspension, across the land.
Sandstorms can be colossal, reaching a few miles in height and carrying large volumes of suspended particles at speeds of up to 80mph (130kph)—although this will depend on the prevailing wind speed. Larger sandstorms appear as a towering wall or bank of dust rolling across the landscape.
Not all sandstorms are so dense that they completely obscure the sky—often they can simply serve as an interesting element to push the composition to the next level.
The term sandstorm is usually applied when the phenomenon occurs in deserts, such as the Sahara and the drylands around the Arabian peninsula (where they are known as simooms). The United States, Iran, Pakistan, India, and China are other regions of relatively frequent sandstorms. Storms in urban areas are often referred to as dust storms. Some theorists suggest that sandstorms are becoming more frequent as a result of climate change, poor irrigation, and intensive farming techniques, which loosens topsoil even further.
While sandstorms remain relatively unpredictable, some of the more technologically advanced countries, such as the US and China, are able to predict and forecast sandstorms to a fairly accurate degree using forecaster’s experience combined with satellite imagery to monitor air and dust movements. Some sandstorms can be forecast up to three days in advance, giving the photographer ample warning to prepare for a trip and scout out potential locations and shots.
If you can get to a high elevation, capturing the city engulfed in a sandstorm below can result in bizarre shots, strange because of the color, but also because life tends to go on in such places that are accustomed to these storms.

Adequate preparations

Before shooting any sandstorm, the photographer should take steps to protect their equipment from the damaging grains of dust and sand, which will not only obscure the sensor but also cause expensive damage to electrical (and mechanical) parts. Use a clear plastic bag, or even a rain cover, that completely encloses the camera and lens— apart from a hole at the front through which the lens glass can protrude—but also allows enough flexibility to easily change camera settings, control function menus, and view the LCD screen. This should prevent sand clogging up the camera’s sensitive electronics. Even for weather-sealed cameras, it is better to play it safe and use protective covering.
Shooting the leading wall of a large sandstorm can provide dramatic images, particularly if it can be composed in context with man-made or natural landmarks to provide perspective and scale. Where possible, seek a high vantage point, but anywhere in front of the storm is also fine.
If possible, a view slightly to the side of the advancing storm, that is looking along the leading edge of the sand cloud, will provide nice lead-in lines looking along the front wall of the storm into the distance.
Ferrying across this river in Ningxia Province, China, a sandstorm transforms the scene with a desaturated, sepia tone that both suits the antique subject and isolates it against a mysterious background.

Composition

Depending on the speed that the sandstorm is moving, the photographer should have ample time to capture a sequence of shots showing the advancing wall of sand. If there is an interesting focal point or landmark, before, during, and after shots can provide an engaging and compelling image sequence. Using a tripod will allow lower ISO settings and smaller apertures for maximising depth of field (start at around ISO 100–200 and f/11, check the histogram and adjust as necessary) and will help to remove camera shake from the resulting slower shutter speeds. Using a standard-to-telephoto zoom lens (around 70–200mm or 50–135mm) allows the photographer to shoot the advancing storm from a reasonable distance, highlighting its size, as well as offering a wide range of focal lengths to track the advancing storm as it bears down on the photographer without the need to change lenses.
Remember that the point of focus will change as the sandstorm gets closer. Furthermore, there may be large amounts of auxiliary dust and debris as the storm approaches, so switch the camera to manual focus as the autofocus may not be able to lock on to the swirling sand (for lack of contrast), and remember to refocus at intervals as the storm advances.

You will need:

• A weather-sealed DSLR
• A wide-angle to standard zoom lens OR standard prime lens
• A telephoto zoom (if shooting from a distance)
• A tripod
• Plastic zip-locked bags for camera with elastic hole for lens
• A lens cloth
• Lens cleaning liquid (to remove dust from lens)
• Appropriate clothing (including a scarf for mouth and face protection, and protective glasses for the eyes)

Stunning photography meets practical advice in Photographing the Elements by Gary Eastwood & Joseph Meehan. It’ll give you all the inspiration and the technical know-how to capture the environment in all its elements. Whether you’re planning a trip in search of exotic landscapes and extreme conditions to shoot, or you just want the make the most of a landscape closer to home, you’ll discover a wealth of ideas, tips on composition, and understand what gear you need and how to get the best possible shots in any weather conditions.

Photographing the Elements
Gary Eastwood & Joseph Meehan
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RRP for print edition: £17.99