The Chisos on Fire Size:48x72 The foreground cactus and blooms

The foreground cactus and blooms were photographed shortly after sunset using a high aperture to maintain detail and depth while preserving the natural structure of the partially closed flowers

Their stark geometry contrasts with the softer desert floor and sparse vegetation that surrounds them

As sunset approaches

then Milky Way was captured later the same night using a longer focal length

light enters the canyon unevenly

The Chisos on Fire Size:48x72 The foreground cactus and bloomsBig Bend Region, Texas We had been teaching astrophotography late into the night, walking through exposures and tracking techniques under a sky that felt endless. I drove out before sunrise to scout for the next evenings session. I planned on sleeping afterward but the clouds were starting to give promise of an amazing sunrise. High altitude texture started forming before dawn. Thin at first, then layered. By the time the eastern horizon began to