Saguaro silhouette in beautiful Sonoran Desert sunset sky
Southwestern Arizona Sunset with saguaro cactus and ocotillo
Southwestern Arizona Sunset with saguaro cactus and ocotillo
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Apr, 2016Views
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Awards
Winner in Cacti Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Superb Composition
Top Ranks
Top 30 rank week 1
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Behind The Lens
Location
I captured this photo near the Saguaro National Park (Tucson Mountain District). This area is just 20 minutes from my home and is one of my favorite locations for landscape photography.Time
This is a sunset image. The sunsets around Tucson, Arizona are often magnificent and this was no exception. The air was very clear and there was not a cloud in the sky.Lighting
Only natural light for this shot. As the sun was getting close to setting I could see a golden glow beginning to form at the horizon blending into the deep blue of the sky. Also the sun glow on the cholla cactus was a real bonus.Equipment
This was shot with a Canon 7D and a Tamron 10-24mm lens. I had the lens set at 24mm. My camera was on a tripod and I used a wireless remote shutter release.Inspiration
I love taking photos of the saguaro cacti. I was in the area for about 90 minutes photographing the desert, and as the sunset approached, I could see this image taking shape.Editing
Post processing on this one was fairly simple. I opened the raw file with Photoshop and adjusted the blacks, and highlights. Also, I lightened the shadows just a bit to reveal a little more detail in the dark areas of the desert.In my camera bag
When I’m near home I keep my tripod available in the car and usually bring my Tamron 150-600mm G2. In my bag I have the Tamron 10-24mm lens, a Canon 28-135mm kit lens and the Tamron 16-300mm lens. The images are a little soft with the 16-300mm but fixable in post. I also bring UV and polarizer filters. When traveling away from home, I pack a tripod in my luggage but usually don’t take the 150-600mm lens. It’s heavy.Feedback
I often heard that you can find inspiration, motivation and creativity with your photography in your own backyard and home town area. It took me a while to embrace that idea, but now I’m all in. I love to travel and photograph everything, but I always keep my eyes open right here at home.
