Desert Arroyo

In February of this year, I had the opportunity to head to Big Bend National Park in west Texas.  Big Bend is a park of superlatives that is frankly one of the five best national parks for the landscape photographer.  This is big empty country and the end of the road.  

I arrived at the north entrance to the park one morning and began the long drive to the Chisos.  The light was interesting.  Not great, but it had potential for both photography and for using large format film.  I crossed a dry desert arroyo the was leading toward the Rosillos Mountains and thought it might be worthy of an image.  I snapped a few quick pics and decided to give it a go on color film.

I set up the camera wondering how long it can take for this gully to fill when it flash floods here in the desert.  There was a nearby sign that said the road bridge across this gully had been taken by the flood waters more than once.  That would be some powerful moving water.

I decided to go with the longer 210mm lens to compress the distance to the mountains slightly.  210mm is not very "long" but it is realistically as long a lens as I need.


I framed up the arroyo with the Rosillos Mountains in the upper corner and used Velvia 100.

One image in the bag.  With luck I would have the opportunity to make several more on this trip.