Desert Rain

A single photo cannot tell the whole story.

Spring rainstorm in the desert. Photo: © Donald J. Rommes. Click the photo to go to its location on the website.

This region receives, on average, a mere 5 inches of rain a year. Cloudless skies and intense sun create harsh light, and summers are sweltering. Trees in this arid environment are only found near water—in this case, the Fremont River in the background. On the day this photo was taken, a fast-moving cold front brought morning snow and drenching rain to the desert, saturating the clay soil, intensifying the colors, and softening the light. Later that afternoon, the clouds and precipitation cleared, and arid conditions resumed.

If you had to judge the environment based on only this photo, you’d probably be wrong. The photographer shows us an uncommon moment of soft light and color in the desert—a lovely and restorative experience that is, in fact, the photographer's goal. 

But, of course, one moment is not the whole story. A single photo may be worth a thousand words, but often, many more are needed to give the entire picture.