“Stained Sandstone, Lichen” — Lichen grows along a water stain on a Utah sandstone cliff face.
I recall the first time that I became truly aware of the variety of patterns and texture found in the Sandstone faces of The Southwest. I was photographing deep in a canyon in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument with friends when I got the idea to keep my eyes open for petroglyphs, something I had not previously thought much about. Before long, I started imagining petroglyphs everywhere. Eventually, realizing that was impossible, I figured out that the rocks and erosion processes themselves produce remarkable patterns.
“Windows and Yellow Wall, Pena Palace” — Pena Palace windows and yellow walls on a rainy day, Portugal.
The Pena Palace sits on the summit of a ridge above the town of Sintra, a short train ride from Lisbon. From a distance the place seems unreal, given its location, its architecture, and its striking color scheme. Up close the weathering changes the effect a bit, but in a way that only seems to make the place a bit more mysterious.
“Desert Gold Flowers, Panamint Range Mountains” — The snow-capped Panamint Range rises beyond a field of desert gold wildflowers, Death Valley.
What is the popular image of Death Valley National Park? I’d say that it is some combination of the following: desert, sand dunes, arid, empty. There can be some truth to that though it is not quite so uniform. This photograph is an example — it is not empty and there are no sand dunes. Instead we see flowers stretching off into the far distance.
“Largo do Peneireiro” — Colorful streamers above narrow streets in the Alfama District, Lisbon.
This is a little street scene in Lisbon’s Alfama neighborhood. The area rises from the river’s edge toward the hill of the St. George Castle. This was the original center of Lisbon before it expanded, and it later was the home of less wealthy citizens of the city. Its age (it escaped destruction in the 18th-century earthquake that destroyed much of Lisbon ) means that the area retains the original narrow and twisting streets.
Photographer and visual opportunist. Daily photos since 2005, plus articles, reviews, news, and ideas.
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