Sandy desert air creates stunning sunset colors over the Rio Grande river, near Albuquerque New Mexico.

Probably my favorite place to photograph during my summer in Albuquerque was the Sandia Peak. Albuquerque and the surrounding Chihuahuan desert look so expansive from above. But there are also majestic mountains to be seen from the peak, which can also be used in framing photographs. That is part of what I liked so much about this location: the versatility. Mountains, desert plains, rivers… for somewhere often stereotyped as dull, there truly is a wealth of variety. But that’s not what I liked most about this location. What I liked most is that it’s basically a lookout perch to watch the weather move over the desert. In the summer months of my stay, there was always interesting weather visible somewhere from the peak. Down in the city you might not know it, but from up here, the desert is full of drama. In this scene, there was a giant, dark storm over the Rio Grande. But it was beginning to clear, and there was just enough of a break in the clouds to light up the river a thin golden sliver. If not, I might not have even known it was there.

Higher resolutions of this image are available (the maximum resolution for this image is 5923×2912). For usages that require a resolution higher than 3000px, or are otherwise beyond the standard terms and conditions, please email me directly at matt@matttilghman.com to discuss use-specific pricing.

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