DESERTS

The Horseshoe

Like a rare gem pendant nestled in the notch of an elegant collarbone, the priceless circular pendant glittered with promises of admiring glances - and requests to know just where she had found such a treasure.

Zabriskie Dawn

Zabriskie Point, Death Valley, CA We were up painfully early to make it to Zabriskie Point before the sun came up. Sunrise goes by super fast here. You have to be ready to go before the window of opportunity opens, because you have maybe 10-15 minutes to get your shot. After that, the colors all wash out and the scenery is just blah. We'd had a touch of rain - which is fantastical in Death Valley. As you might guess from the image, this place doesn't get much precipitation. If you're lucky enough to be there with clouds in the air on top of it, you do what you must to capture the moment! When all the elements come together as they did that day, it's simply breathtaking. This is a much-photographed spot, so I was happy that the heavens aligned to give me my own unique perspective. It felt like a gift from God. In moments like this, I feel the Divine in every caress of light and wash of color and I'm so grateful to be doing what I do.

Enthroned

Ancient, glowing, warm, rare, skinny, regal... Her throne awaited. She hoped she wouldn't have to sit on it for too long. And wondered if her feet would touch the ground.

Spilling Down

Towering Hoodoos

I love it when you do that voodoo that hoodoo so well.

Pulling Up Roots

Much as she wanted to stay, the bigger part of her said it was time to pull up roots and find her fortune elsewhere.

Morning In The Desert

The kind of morning that gives you a kiss... and makes you want to kiss it back.

Mitten Rise

This is one half of "The Mittens"; a pair of buttes in Monument Valley, AZ. I guess technically, this would be the right mitten, given where the thumb is and all. In any case, I wanted to applaud the sunrise that morning. Seriously! Partly because it was so crazy gorgeous... and partly because it made getting up at ungodly o'clock completely worthwhile. You have no idea how much that meant to me! hehheh. I wonder what two Mittens clapping would sound like?

Merrick Butte Sunrise

Like a wisp of smoke, the sun sends rays into the day. A test, just to be sure it's worth getting up for.

The Mittens & Merrick

Forgiveness is like having a direct line to the heavens for that warm, wonderful sense of the miraculous.

The West

Nothing says "The West" like a monumental valley.

Ancient Magic

This photo closed a story on NBC Nightly News about the awesome Virtual Photo Walks. I love doing them... and did one at Hovenweep National Monument in June 2012. NBC asked if they could use one of my photos in the story... and this was the one they chose. It closed the piece. You can see it here: http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/51140559#51140559 Coolness.

The Road

Go to the light... on a road... that is going there. Avoid all others.

Heaven & Earth

First he said he would move heaven and earth for her. Then he did it.

The Road Home is Swoopy Sometimes

Dead Horse Point, AZ With all the twists, turns, choices and options before her... she wondered how to know which one was right. In the end though, it turned out that all the swoops didn't matter so much as remembering where she wanted to go. When she did that, she enjoyed the scenery so much more. And her feet traveled in just the right direction.

Hey Sparky

Hey Sparky! Whatcha doin'? Nice hair. Just wake up? Ahhhh... frozen in time, are ya? What's the last thing you remember? Mmm-hmmm. Mmmm-hmmmm. I see. (pause) I didn't think they started juggling kittens till the late 14th century? Wow. Really? Dang. Who knew?