Late Sun on the Rio Grande

Late Sun on the Rio GrandeMesa de Anguila, Big Bend National Park, Texas This photograph was made on the rim of Mesa de Anguila later in the day, overlooking a winding section of the Rio Grande below. The vantage point sits high above the canyon floor, fully exposed and distant from the more traveled areas of the park. I worked close to a single prickly pear growing at the edge of the rim, using it as a foreground anchor against the depth of the canyon. From this position, the

and it was one of the most important chapters of my life

Many visitors treat it as an overnight journey

framed by mountain ranges that rarely get the attention they deserve

not an idealized version of them

when a few blooms were still partially open

Exploration here often involves slow movement

creating sheer walls that limit light and compress perspective

and no guarantee I would find what I came for

the shadows stretched

The fountains cut clean lines through the water below

Bisti–De-Na-Zin Badlands

It’s flatter