09.02.10 : Idea Entry : Sand

Sand is a small rock fragment commonly made up of quartz and comes from the weathering of rock fragments by wind and water. It is used to make plaster, bricks, mortar, paint, paper, plastics, glass, and vinyl. On beaches, severe storms cause waves to pull the sand out into the sea that doesn't return which causes land and property behind the beach vulnerable. Beach sand comes from streams and river that bring eroded materials to the shore. The color of the beach is biased on the types of sediment. The sand on the beach is also a home for many organisms.

Quotes:
"In La Jolla, the beaches have a large proportion of clear quartz, which indicates that the cliffs are a significant source of beach sand," Driscoll said. "There's just no other way around it... Central and Southern California rivers carry a huge amount of sandy sediment to the Pacific Ocean during seasonal downpours."
"Often, the sediment-laden river water is denser than seawater, so when this slurry reaches the coast, it sinks and follows the bottom, escaping the shallow water region near the shore where it could replenish sand to the beaches."

Graham, Rex. "Coastal Bluffs Provide More Sand to California Beaches than Previously Believed [Jacobs School of Engineering: News & Events]." UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering. 15 Oct. 2005. Web. 01 Sept. 2010. .


'Among the grains of sand is a microscopic ecosystem populated by sand-lickers, sticky-toed worms and four-legged "water bears."'
'Scientists estimate a bucket of sand might hold thousands of these tiny creatures; in a few square yards of beach, there might be millions.'

Fahrenthold, David A. "Nation & World | Beneath the Towel, the Beach Is Alive | Seattle Times Newspaper." The Seattle Times | Seattle Times Newspaper. 13 July 2007. Web. 01 Sept. 2010. .


Text:
The Ocean's Sand, a Natural Resource. [Washington, D.C.]: Minerals Management Service, U.S. Dept. of the Interior, 2002. Print.

Packham, John R., and A. J. Willis. Ecology of Dunes, Salt Marsh, and Shingle. London: Chapman & Hall, 1997. Print.

Over the summer, I took a lot of panoramic and HDRs with beach sand. I am also taking a trip to the beach this weekend and would like to do a shoot for class while there. I want to explore this element as a possible theme for my concept.

Fraser Island, Australia
Photography by Andrew Watson