ABOUT DESERT STORIES
I started this photography project a few years ago. I have been collecting cactus for a while and have always been fascinated by deserts, the plants living in them and their amazing landscapes. I started traveling to different areas to photograph that I knew had large and old populations of cactus. I wanted to find plants that were unique and grown in especially harsh environments. All of these forces of nature slowly shaping the cacti like sculptures created by weather herself. It’s pretty mind blowing to think of a cactus sitting in the desert for over 300 years in the intense heat, wind, cold, without water for months, being eaten at by mammals inhabited by birds, and yet still thrive. There is a sense when you see them in habitat you understand on a subconscious level how sentient they are. The American and Mexican Saguaros grow on average of 1 cm per year and seeing them stand there as much as 70ft tall is astonishing. Some speculate that the largest of the giants are over 700 years old. While searching around in the sand and rocks, cactus isn’t all you find. There is also amazing landscapes with desert trees, animals, and even humans. People have been living in deserts since the dawn of time, and some still choose to raise families, and survive in these inhospitable lands. This topic I look forward to documenting in more depth in the near future.
