Deserts have a unique beauty. They are majestic yet quiet, dry yet lively, always disconcerting. Conquering them has been a human pursuit for centuries but they remain elusive. Their silence and power appeal to me in a deep way.
The Sahara is the ultimate desert. A photo cannot do justice to its size and intensity but can only suggest it.
I think we all find the Sahara deeply exotic, but amazing deserts can be found in California.
Driving into Death Valley and its legendary sand dunes always gives me a sense of anticipation and excitement.
The Death Valley sand dunes area is not that large, yet it has an otherworldly feeling. Large sections of the valley, as seen in the distance on the photo below, also give me this impression, even though they are not as distinctive.
Many shades of yellows, pinks, and browns, with a rare splash of green, shape the landscape as far as the eye can see.
Out of a somewhat monochromatic color variation comes an explosion of color in the spring, with flowers blanketing the desert.
Not surprisingly, the colors of sunset and sunrise are often awe-inspiring.
The salt flats in Badwater Basin in Death Valley cover nearly 200 square miles. They are dramatic from far away and from very close.
I think that as desperate as a desert landscape may appear at first, there are treasures hidden everywhere, waiting to be discovered.
The Carrizo Plains in California.