New Mexico-based photographer Will Gard (@willg_photography) is drawn to document the vastness of the state’s landscapes. He recently captured this candid moment of his fiancé and dog and composited it with an image of the crescent moon. We connected with him to learn more about the image and made the composite using photos taken with a Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM zoom and a Sony 85mm f/1.8 prime. See what he had to say about the image below.

Photo by Will Gard. Sony Alpha 7 III. Foreground: Sony 85mm f/1.8 Sky: Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master. 1/1250-sec, f/3.5, ISO 640

Photographer Will Gard created this composite image using a combination of the Sony Alpha 7 III with the Sony 85mm f/1.8 and Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master lenses.

“My fiancé and I often take walks at White Sands National Park – we live about 30 minutes from there,” says Gard. “New Mexico is known for its sprawling skies. As a photographer I’m often drawn to capture the vastness of New Mexico’s landscapes. New Mexico is the ‘Land of Enchantment.’ Its night skies particularly are what intrigue me to adventure and explore the state’s beauty.”

He continues, "Taking our nightly walk through the dunes, there is one specific dune that is the tallest among them. The crescent moon was setting in the west along with the sun. This capture was candid, my fiancé and our dog Doug love to run up the dunes and slide down."

In Gard’s camera bag he keeps a Sony Alpha 7 III and a Sony Alpha 7R IV. As for lenses, he packs the Sony 85mm f/1.8, Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master, Sony 14mm f/1.8 G Master and Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master. "As the moon and sun were setting, I captured the foreground with my Sony Alpha 7 III and Sony 85mm f/1.8 lens. Then I shot the moon with my Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master lens. I tend to carry a tripod with me everywhere but this nightly walk I used my camera bag to steady the scene as I laid on the ground in the cool white sand. My settings were dialed in at 1/1250-sec, f/3.5, ISO 640.”

“Editing this photo, I imported my two captures from the scene using Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop. Keeping the authenticity of White Sands National Park’s amazing colors during its sunsets, corrected the highlights, noise and luminance in post. This scene is one I will cherish and remember forever.”

See more of Will Gard’s work on Instagram @willg_photography.