I made this shot shortly after I arrived at Guadalupe Mountains National Park in April. The wind was blowing like crazy, as it often does out there, making taking a long exposure shot impossible. The sun had set and there was a nice glow in the sky to the west. You'll find these boulders if you head downhill from the rest stop on the south side of the park. They provided a nice balance to the vertical face of El Capitan in the dsitance.
When I first looked at this shot after downloading it from our trip to Guadalupe Mountains National Park I didn't think much of it. The moon was way to bright and blowing out the scene. But with a little work in Lightroom I was able to bring out the scene and get the look I wanted. If 'Where the Wild Things Are' had taken place in the desert, I imagine it would have been in a place like this. I'm looking towards the Guadalupe Mountains from my campsite. Mercury is the bright 'star' below the moon. The lens flare in the shot gives you an idea of just how bright the moon was. And if you look closely, you can see the glow of another tent in the distance in the middle of the shot.
Hiking back from Devil's Hall in Guadalupe Mountains National Park with thunder rolling overhead as a thunderstorm begins to build. Luckily we did not get wet, but we were definitely a little concerned as we made our way along the trail.
