I have the most success finding these spiders in a somewhat sparsely vegetated sandplain, more stabilized, and not adjacent to water, compared to the loose sand of the sheltered shoreline beach habitat of Cicindela hirticollis. Though I have also found H. cognatus on a sandy trail frequented by C. tranquebaurica.

Good habitat for these spiders at this location is usually very open and sandy, with horsetails and lyre-leafed rock cress frequent, and lots of flat rocks and sticks covering the ground. I most easily find them basking on small rocks in the sun, but they also are found in mats of dead vegetation, sticks, small plants and on the ground, but they are harder to locate in those instances.

I'll see if I can dig up some photos of the general habitat.

BTW-I'm really blown away by your stunning collection of jumping spider macros. Without question yours are some of the sharpest and most detailed salticid photos I've seen anywhere. Extremely mpressive. I need to upgrade my camera equipment to an SLR.