Full Desert Moon
Without a doubt, this is one of my favourite photos I have ever taken. It was a hot March afternoon as I wandered the California desert. The sun and moon shared the sky—a stunning reminder of life's yin and yang energies.
I wondered if and how many times Jim Morrison stood in this very spot—and what he’d have to say about this exact scene. “Let’s swim to the moon, uh huh, let’s climb through the tide…” Moonlight Drive played in my mind. Despite the laughable irony of being unable to swim to the moon—it did seem possible to climb the rocks to reach it.
Heat tip-toed up my skin as beads of sweat swept it away—the way the ocean erases our footsteps in the sand. The soft crunch of the parched land beneath my feet begged for what little moisture I could offer it— utilizing the harsh plants to open my skin, ready to drink my blood like a vampire. “Just a sip," they whispered with every nick. “Surrender to the waiting worlds, that lap against our side…” (Moonlight Drive, The Doors)
It took little time for my ghostly visage to camouflage into the hues of the earth. The sun, sand, and sweat—worked in tandem—welcoming me into the environment—and making me one of their own, like a winter hare embraced by spring.
Beautiful writing, Sarah… It played the music and it warmed me up.
OK, yeah, & fuck me! There’s the photo, too… you need to send that bad boy to National Geographic.
That truly is one heck of a photo shot. 📸