Desertlands

At one time the land west of the Mississippi River was called ” The Great American Desert”. That term is certainly an apt way of describing the thousands of square miles that make up The American Southwest. Most of the people living there arrived during the last century, and in the face of global warming it’s questionable how long an area that’s inherently lacking in a plentiful supply of water can continually support such a large population.

As I drove from one place to another across this vast region I continually encountered small towns that were depopulated, ornate the very least seemed to be balancing themselves in a tenuous struggle between their historical past, the forces of nature, and a settled existence. Even when I photographed on the streets of large cities, I couldn’t help but wonder what their fate will be in the years to come.