A gaggle of Cholla
(please click to view on black // canon 5d mark ii, canon 17-40 f/4 l, 17mm, iso 100, f/22, 0.6sec // buy print)
No, a bunch of Cholla cactus grouped together isn’t called a gaggle. But I always liked that word and felt like using it today. Sure, it usually refers to a flock of geese that are actually not flying, but according to Dictionary.com, it can also mean an assortment of related things.
Feeling like that was a bunch of useless information and curious why I decided to share that with you?
Me too.
We’ve had an incredibly busy, stressful and amazing week. So much has happened with our pending adoption that we haven’t had much time to think, let alone rest much.
So when I saw the rainy clouds rolling into Phoenix yesterday afternoon, it felt like a perfect opportunity to take a break, throw Lyla in the truck and go for a drive. The clouds weren’t actually dropping rain, but there was “virga” hanging off the bottoms, and I knew when the sun went down, all that virga would just get lit up like a Christmas tree.
Cholla cactus are notorious for capturing light in their needles. It’s one of the more beautiful things about the desert. And one of the most ironic. When they aren’t looking all gorgeous with light, those needles can bore themselves through your shoes, your jeans, your clothes and embed themselves right in your skin. And also they are quite painful.
But when they look like this…you just think…”awwww, they are so cute.”
Anyways. This image is pretty tall on the blog, so clicking on it will make it fit to your screen. Also looks a bit better!
Happy Friday everyone.
Epic shot, dude. Those cholla really do look amazing in that light.
I really liked those cacti when I was roaming around the San Tan area. They catch the sun so well, and this is just more proof of their awesomeness. Totally diggin the shot man.
Wonderful light, and those look like just the things that I would immediately think ‘so pretty’ and then stroke. I regretted it with a skunk, and I would regret it here – but I will still do it!
Gaggle. Thats fun to say.
This shot is the bomb dot com.
Nice one Mike. The link to the kid with the cholla stuck to him was hilarious. Damn those things.
Awesome shot! The lighting is almost unreal! I thought they were called a pride or a pod or something…
This shot rocks man, one of my recent favorites from you. That golfer picture is brutal.
Love the light in this Mike! Great shot!
Very nice!
WOW! Epic lighting Mike! Well done capturing this stunning scene! I really like that word, Gaggle, haha.
Wow this is just awesome Mike. One of my goals is to get out there and photograph. The landscape is so much different than the Maine coastline and has been intriguing me for sometime now. Great image!
Simply amazing
Mike, super cool shot!!!
Stunning shot Mike.
Hey! I was shooting these thins weekend 🙂
Love the way they almost seem to glow in the light.
Mike, this one is a winner… So much for my eyes to enjoy here!! What an awesome image. Well done my friend!