I very much wanted to photograph saguaro cactus at dawn when I was in Phoenix, Arizona. I knew there were fields of them outside the city and did a bit of research on local hikes. I set out before dawn with only a vague idea of where the trailhead was. I arrived at Apache Wash Trailhead still in the dark and blindly (literally) took one of three paths. Would my photos have been different had I taken another path – yes, but I’ll never know if they’d have been better photos. I loved the experience of setting off into the darkness and watching the sun rise over the desert.

Saguaro Cactus at Dawn near Phoenix, Arizona (Apache Wash).
Sony A7II 70mm 1/60@f11 ISO100