My November 2006 Photo of the Month is Organ Pipe Sunrise, an image I made in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Southern Arizona.
Organ Pipe Sunrise Background
For me, the best way to enjoy the long Thanksgiving weekend is to get outdoors. After my family met up at my Grandparent’s home outside of Yuma, Arizona, I headed out. First on my list was Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.
This was an incredibly long drive for a sunrise, and I felt fortunate I made it. These Organ Pipes grow very large and incredibly tall. Faced with a cloudless sky, my best hope was to underexpose before sunrise and hope for colors to come out.
Because of this, you will inevitable silhouette the foreground as well as your subject. However, I think they are a good, stark, contrast to the colors in the sky.
Because this was one stop along a much longer trip, I didn’t get to spend as much time at the Monument as I would have liked. I hope to return and make a lot more images here. This is a very quiet place. I like that.
As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy the image.
Further Viewing
Photos of the Month Portfolio Gallery
T.M. Schultze is a San Diego-based photographer, traveller, and writer. He writes, photographs, and draws things of the outdoors that have inspired humans for thousands of years. He co-authored the Photographer’s Guide to Joshua Tree Park which can be purchased here.