It’s hard to drive down any desert road and not see something like this— a run-down, often roofless, abandoned house. The sight begs questions like, who had lived there? When did they live there? And what happened that the once-home now stands abandoned and in such a state? - Photo above was taken near Williams Acres, New Mexico
This time, however, my experience with drone photography has significantly improved. Even a simple act of looking straight down from a great height can capture breathtaking images of the Earth’s beauty, showcasing its diverse textures and the way light plays upon the land, rocks, and vegetation. The subsequent images will showcase this kind of photography, as well as a series— “from great height”— that emerged as my trip progressed. - Photo above was taken near Pecos, Texas
For the longest time, I’ve been very unsatisfied with the cameras on drones, making them little more than a remote control car in the sky. The novelty of that wore off pretty quickly, and I found myself leaving the drone at home when I’d go out to take pictures. However, that was 2018. Drones have gotten smaller, battery life is better, and (most importantly) the cameras are a lot better. The next few photos were taken with a DJI Mavic Mini 2 SE and will feature scenes high above the desert floor. - Photo above was taken near Pecos, Texas
I had originally intended to photograph some of the oddities of the American Southwest… but life took me on a different road. Instead of going to Roswell, NM as the prime destination for my trip, I decided to explore southwest Texas, western New Mexico, and eastern Utah. Over the next several weeks and months, I’ll post a new photo and reflection on it. - Photo above was taken in Van Horn, Texas.
In 2011 I set out on a solo road trip across the American south west, photographing and blogging what caught my attention. I’m about to set out on another road trip. Join me on this ride through the less-trodden paths of the Southwest. Follow along for daily doses of the unexpected.