WINNERS

The King of The Desert

  • Photographer
    Gaspar Marquez, United States
  • Prize
    Honorable Mention

I've always been attracted to the Sonoran Desert in souther Arizona. I don't know, for some reason I think it's such a special, mysterious and magical place on Earth. This body of work I'm showing you is an homage to this unique habitat where I found all these special elements that I'm drawn to, especially the Monarch of the Desert which is Carnegiea gigantea or Saguaro. By 95-100 years in age, a saguaro cactus can reach a height of 15-16 feet, and could start to produce its first arm. By 200 years old, the saguaro cactus has reached its full height, reaching upwards of 45 feet tall.