The Saddle of Mesa de Anguila

The Saddle of Mesa de AnguilaMesa de Anguila, Big Bend National Park, Texas This photograph was made on the rim of Mesa de Anguila, looking out across a wide section of canyon as the Rio Grande curves through the desert below. The horizontal framing allowed the landscape to stretch outward, emphasizing distance, scale, and the slow movement of the river through layered terrain. A lone prickly pear sits near the edge of the rim, offset to one side of the frame. From this angle, it

abandoned in the desert and slowly being reclaimed by dust and time

Years later

Coastal wildflowers thrive here despite harsh conditions

standing here often feels solitary

and that’s exactly why it matters to me

This photograph was made in Telluride during autumn

Agave plants thrive here

There will never be another opportunity to reclaim it

While much of the park is defined by cliffs

rooted directly into stone

Grand Teton National Park

I understood exactly what that meant