San Jacinto Mountains Sequence 1985

Richard Misrach, born in 1949, made this photograph, part of the San Jacinto Mountains Sequence, using his camera to explore the desert landscape. Imagine Misrach out there, setting up his equipment under that huge sky. The light here is so soft, almost bleached, making everything look a bit dreamy. I wonder what he was thinking about as he framed this shot. Was he drawn to the subtle colours, the way the mountains fade into the sky? The horizon line is like a gentle sigh, and those little bushes scattered across the sand seem to huddle together for company. I love how the emptiness feels full of possibilities, a blank canvas for your imagination. This reminds me of the sublime landscapes of 19th-century painters, like Frederic Church or Albert Bierstadt. Artists are always echoing each other, responding to the vastness of nature and the emotions it stirs within us.