Spring in the Sonoran Desert

Spring comes early to the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona. It is usually late February to the beginning of March when wildflowers start their show.
Starting the show are Mexican Gold Poppies which abound in the hills near Tucson. The bright yellow gold is a stark contrast to the greens and browns of the desert. The deep purple blue of the Arroyo Lupine is another sign of the coming of spring.
If there was enough rain during December and January you can really be in for a treat. March brings life to the Palo Verde tree and Ocotillo’s crimson tips come into play.
In the lowlands the purple Sand Verbena and white Evening Primrose and upland the orange of Desert Mariposa begin showing.
I could go on as new plants show off for us to see, right up to the Saguaro Cactus in May.
Many people think of deserts only as hot, arid, sandy wastelands. Some are, but consider the Sonoran Desert. It is the wettest of our great southwestern deserts and also supports the most life.
Visit the Tucson area in springtime and you’ll never think of deserts the same way again.

Time to Slow Down

In the hustle bustle world on the 21st Century, very few people take the time to slow down and enjoy the natural beauty around us any more. As a nature photographer, it’s what I do best.
One such place, of incredible beauty, is located right here in the Lower Hudson Valley: Harriman State Park. Harriman State Park a place you can reach in minutes from NYC, and elsewhere in the region, and then drive right through at fifty miles an hour and never see anything! Or, it can be a place to park your car and explore the beauty of the lakes and mountains all around you.
The thing I like to do most is walk away from the crowds and responsibilities and go up into the forest to allow myself to come down from the rat race. It’s unusual for me to even take out my camera that first hour or so. Once I start to feel comfortable in an area, that’s when the camera comes out and it’s time to start looking for interesting images.
On a hike off County Road 106 near Little Long Pond, the trail leads to a large open granite bald spot. I found it to be ideal for clearing my head, but not necessarily what I wanted to photograph. Along the way though, the trail had followed beside a small steam, with several small cascades that looked interesting, so that was where I chose to start.
With spring finally coming, the melting snow and ice has created beautiful, flowing streams, and I found many unusual compositions. The most difficult thing to do was to narrow my vision, eliminating distracting elements in order to find something compelling. That’s the thing that takes time to do – to slow down and enjoy the moment out in the woods and to truly get a feel for the place.
That is my most vital job as a photographer – to open a door and invite the viewer to move through my images and get a feeling of what it’s like at that moment, in that place. To create a space where the viewer can feel the coming of spring in my images (and maybe wish to get out there themselves).
If you feel the urge, take the time to slow down and visit Harriman State Park, it’s worth it. Stop, park and walk a while. The sense of freedom is amazing; breathe it in and enjoy it. Natural beauty is within your grasp – if you take the time to relax and look around until you see the wonders within the chaos.
See you on the trails.