Last Gasp

Agave plants can be found in many brutal desert environments.  Its best known for being the primary ingredient of tequila made by fermenting the sugars from its massive heart after harvest.  At the end of its life in the wild, agaves send up a single mast which can grow to the height of a two story building.  On a dark and stormy summer night in Big Bend National Park, I photographed this individual with its bright yellow green flowers against the indigo night sky.  It wasn’t until after I returned home and was processing the images that I noticed the song bird roosting on one of the branches.  She helps add interest and scale to the scene.

Last Gasp was awarded first prize at the At Night international exhibition at the Museum of the Big Bend in Alpine, Texas.  The exhibition runs from June 11 through September 3, 2021 and is an exploration of night photography.