Moonrise in the Desert

     I love this photograph for two main reasons: one, it’s got that great retro, shot-out-of-a-moving-vehicle vibe from its coloring, slight motion blur, and subject matter. Two, it’s a photograph of the desert – my desert. This photograph is home for me.

     This photograph was taken in the Idaho desert, on my way out of the Umatilla National Forest (that’s why you can see a scattering of pine trees on the hills in the distance). The air was hot and dusty, the kind that makes your throat dry up and sends a wave of heat down your entire body. And I loved every minute of this trip.

     I grew up in Southern Idaho, a high desert climate where irrigation and a few creeks are the only thing between you and the sagebrush. I love the desert, and I love exploring its wonders.

     This photograph brings me home, and all the memories that come with it. My family have always been big explorers of the desert, always exploring through it’s beautiful rocks, canyons, valleys, and plateaus. The creatures are hard to find, but you will find them when you least expect it. The hours go by slowly, then all at once as night or dawn approaches. The desert is a beautiful entity, daytime and nighttime. And this photograph brings me home.