Rio Grande Evening

Rio Grande EveningBig Bend National Park, Texas This photograph was made at sunset along the Hot Springs Trail, as the day eased out of the desert. The Rio Grande runs quietly through the center of the frame, reflecting the last color in the sky as the light thins and softens. Prickly pear cactus anchors the foreground, catching what remains of the warmth while the river settles into shadow. It is the kind of evening where the desert feels less dramatic and more

mostly because I assumed I would never get the chance to photograph it

This image represents the beginning of my exploration into serious time-blending techniques

This was the light that arrived that morning

Desert floor

the river slows and clears

or something in between

many of them unseen

framed the scene

and color correction

Bisti–De-Na-Zin Badlands

The needles create complex depth and overlap

The river caught the last reflections of the day while the surrounding stone began to fall into shadow