Branigan Cultural Center Statement 

A native New Mexican, when Emmitt Booher moved to Mesilla thirty years ago, he was drawn to the sublime and magical gypsum dunes found at White Sands National Monument (now a national park). He has been photographing the dune environments since then, but this series was captured over the course of the last five years.

Booher’s use of the word “portrait” and “observations” in the exhibit title is intentional, reflecting the belief of master portrait photographers that one cannot capture a true portrait of a person in one sitting, multiple images from different perspectives must be taken in the hopes of capturing the person’s essence. Booher believes the same is true for landscape photography. In the case of White Sands, its vastness can easily overwhelm the senses. By limiting the focus on specific elements, he attempts to develop a sense of place and to present the consistency of the ever-changing nature of the dunes.