Congratulations to Ross Martin for winning Feature Thread of the Week with 7 votes - View Previous Winners
I’m currently on my winter/spring photography trip and had the opportunity to spend some time in California’s Anza-Borrego Desert. My first visit here was 2005 with my dear friend and wonderful photographer @slavd2020 who grew up near here and showed me around, and I next visited by myself in 2009. So it had been 15 years, and I was not disappointed to be reaquainted with this unique and beautiful place. For me there is a special vibe camping in this desert, and I am grateful for my time here and also for the resulting photographs that help paint a portrait of what I experienced. Hope you enjoy!
The texture, and peacefulness, of the Borrego badlands under soft dusk light
Teddy Bear cholla cactus natural garden backlit in evening
Agave leaves pattern
Native California Fan Palms at sunset
Desert sunflower against backdrop of sand verbena
Pastel badlands goodness
On my last day I was so blessed to see and smell this amazing field of wildflowers!
Beautiful set of images!
It's not a short trip from Ohio, but I hope you are able to return soon.
I am lucky to live a short distance from the Anza Borrego desert, so I enjoy the place often.
dclark wrote:
Beautiful set of images!
It's not a short trip from Ohio, but I hope you are able to return soon.
I am lucky to live a short distance from the Anza Borrego desert, so I enjoy the place often.
Dave
Thank you very much, Dave! That’s great you live close enough to be a regular visitor. I photograph in the Southwest most years but had neglected Anza-Borrego for quite awhile. Hoping to return next winter again.
Great set! Probably number one my favorite followed by the palm trees, but really all great. Just added to my list of places. Where did you camp, somewhere established or boomdock?
lightskyland wrote:
Those are lovely! Can't decide my favorite but the spring wildflowers are absolutely lovely, and the backlit cacti delightful!
I really appreciate your positive feedback! That field of wildflowers I got on my last evening there is something I’ve been craving for years and I’m excited to put a print of that on the wall to remind me every day how amazing that desert is.
wlpelzmann wrote:
Such a wonderful set of images that really capture the variety of Anza Borrego! I love the wildflower garden.
Thank you for saying that! My hope was to capture a bit of the variety and personality of this intriguing and beautiful desert. The wildflower field was overwhelming in all the good ways 😍
Great shots all Ross! Especially like the pastels in #1 and #6. Also the backlit cacti and amazing wildflowers. Aw heck, they're all great! Voted. Steve
Seabassius wrote:
Great set! Probably number one my favorite followed by the palm trees, but really all great. Just added to my list of places. Where did you camp, somewhere established or boomdock?
Greatly appreciate your kind words, Sean! I’m glad you like the palms shot, I wasn’t sure if others would resonate with it. I also love badlands of all kinds anywhere I can find them, and to me the ones at Borrego are some of the prettiest in America in early or late light. That view is from Fonts Point which is a 4-mile sandy and rutted road. Some 2WD cars do it but I felt better having high clearance 4WD.
There is a ton of free boondocking in A-Z and perhaps in the future I will do some of that, but on this trip I wanted to be close to the town of Borrego Springs (and the tasty little taco shop) and be near people (I get lonely sometimes traveling by myself and it helps just taking walks in a campground around others), plus I wanted hookups, so I stayed at the official state park campground of Borrego Palm Canyon. When I booked online I did not realize how nice of a site I snagged - here is an iPhone pano of the view from our campsite! To my great joy I was joined for a couple days by my dear sister and brother-in-law who were temporarily visiting family in Escondido.
ratherfish wrote:
Great shots all Ross! Especially like the pastels in #1 and #6. Also the backlit cacti and amazing wildflowers. Aw heck, they're all great! Voted. Steve
Thanks so much, Steve! It’s a great feeling when others enjoy the places and the images I feel so passionate about.
