I have always been an outdoorsy person, but the idea of visiting sand dunes during high winds was a bit nerve-racking. However, experiencing those intense conditions gave me a new perspective. For nearly a month, every moving part of my gear produced a "crunchy" noise due to sand particles getting into it. I still cannot figure out how sand managed to invade even the deepest zippered pockets. Additionally, aside from my fellow photographers, having no one else in the entire desert made me realize how enjoyable it is to shoot in these conditions when everyone else has left. There are certain lessons in life that can only be learned in a storm.