The hooked tail left no
doubt of the presence of a
desert scorpion.
After several days at the
dunes, I freed myself of
its addictive photogenic
magnetism and set out
for the cinder cone, a
remnant of prehistoric
volcanic activity. Once
again, there was more
than less. Blooming desert
cactus like dabs of paint
that dripped from an
artist’s brush abound.
Set against the blackened
lava rock that spewed from the cone miles away, their brilliant color was in stark contrast to the near
monochromatic sand dunes.
One lesson self-learned during the several days at the Preserve was to look, look and look some more.
Up, down, and all around for somewhere in almost every situation, was an interesting scene waiting to
be captured by the lens.
In retrospect, I view
the artist in residence
experience with a sense
of accomplishment yet
also with a sense that I
could have done more
knowing the vast expanse
of the Preserve cannot
be captured by only one
photographer in a short
period of time.
I was obliged in the
midst of the program
to return home for a
short appointment.
I
awoke that morning to a
brilliantly cloudless but boring desert blue sky. Later that afternoon as I entered the freeway with the
car pointing northwest, I turned to the southeast. There, the skies put on a violent yet colorful display
of thunderheads and rainbows as though to entice and assure my return to the beauty of the Preserve.
To see Norman Schwartz current work, visit his website at https://nsaphoto.myportfolio.com To purchase
artwork from his AIR collection please visit https://www.mojaveair.org/product-category/norman- schwartz/.
Sept/Oct 2018
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THE DESERT LIGHT
17