Sinking Sun

Photograph Story | Sinking Sun

One Friday evening, while living in Arizona, I found myself wanting to be closer to the setting sun. As a result, I hopped in my car and began driving toward the sun. I was somewhat familiar with the roads, but admit I was a bit lost for several miles.

I have always loved driving in my car, simply to find somewhere new. This evening was no exception.

Toward the end of my drive, I began to recognize the surrounding area. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum was nearby. As luck would have it, my "closer to the sun" destination ended up being Gates Pass, on the western side of Tucson, in Saguaro National Park. I had been meaning to take a drive in the area, having heard about the lovely views.

Since my arrival time was just after the color left the sky, I decided to arrive at Gates Pass well before sunset the following evening. I hiked along the mountainside to find an ideal spot to sit, waiting for the sky to change colors and watch the sun sink behind the Tucson Mountains. This was a few months before I purchased my first tripod, so I was capturing photographs handheld with a bit of breath holding while pressing the shutter button.

I spent nearly three hours out in the desert, watching the soft light dance among the saguaros before sunset. As the sun went down, the sky filled with the brightest orange and red colors I have ever seen, while other areas of the sky remained deep blue. Once the sun was gone, the mountains turned dark, with a faint color of pink clouds rolling through the sky. It was a beautiful and peaceful night that left me with the desire to continue chasing Arizona sunsets.