Lopez Photography

I decided to take time this weekend to dig through my photography archives and bring some unedited shots to life. I have a TON of raw hiking and travel pics saved on my hard drive. Some of this stuff goes back to 2023.

This ultra-wide panorama is from a 2025 trip where I explored First Water Road for the first time. Just north of the popular Lost Dutchman State Park is a rugged network of desert trails that gets you off the beaten path and much deeper into the wilderness.

Toward the end of the day, I found a steep hill near the horse lot with stunning 360-degree views. Standing there, you could see Four Peaks, Weaver’s Needle, and that iconic western rock face of the Superstitions all at once. I had a total field day shooting the sunset that night. There were too many options to choose from, but this panorama really captured the scale and vibe of the moment.

There is no better way to celebrate 114 years of Arizona than getting some desert dust on my boots. And there’s no better place to do that than hiking the Superstitions.

Some shots from my hike up the Superstition Mountains' Wave Cave Trail.

I just entered the 2025 Readers’ Photo Contest by Phoenix Magazine. Yep, the same mag that just featured me in their newest issue. The topic of the contest is 'Resilient Arizona'. Think I have the perfect image for this competition. Winner gets featured in their magazine and a free two night stay at a resort. Here is my submission:

Title: Enduring Under the Stars

Caption: The desert never ceases to inspire with its towering mountains, rugged terrain, and vivid sunsets. But to me, the saguaro cactus is the true heart of the Arizona wilderness. A symbol of resilience in an unforgiving world. I discovered this remarkable specimen on my first trip to Usery Mountain Regional Park. Its entire base was rotted away, stripped down to a bare skeleton. Yet the top remained alive, thriving against all odds. Moved by its quiet determination, I returned at dusk to capture it beneath the starry night sky.

Time for some BIG NEWS!

On January 13th, 2025, I received my first issue of Phoenix Magazine. It was a Christmas gift from my father, and I was eager to dive in. Flipping through the pages, I spotted the photographer submissions section and made a promise to myself — one day, my work would be featured there. 📸

Well, here we are: April 2025 — Mission Accomplished. 🎉

I’m proud to share that you can now see my work on page 24 of the latest May/June edition of Phoenix Magazine!

A huge thank you to Phoenix Magazine for sharing my photography with your readers. I’m deeply honored to be part of your stellar creative community. This milestone means the world to me.

What's next? Let’s see if I can land a feature with Arizona Highways... or maybe even find myself on someone's front cover. Aim high and dream big, right? 😎

I call this sunset image 'Persistence' because that’s exactly what it took to get it. A whole lot of persistence and some good old-fashioned stubborn determination. 🌵📸

There’s a spot along the Ridgeline Trail in South Mountain that offers a sweeping view of Phoenix, with Camelback Mountain, Tempe, ASU, Papago Park, and even the Superstitions and Four Peaks off in the distance. For weeks, I’ve been trying to capture a sunset from this spot. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve climbed up here with all my gear, only to leave empty-handed. Until now! 😊

Last Monday, I tested out a new website, sunsethue.com, which predicted a "great" sunset for the day. The sky was completely overcast, so I had my doubts. But I hiked up anyway, figuring if nothing else I’d get some exercise.

As I sat on the mountaintop watching the clouds move, I realized the strong winds might work in my favor. Right as the sun began to set, the overcast sky shifted just enough for the light to spill through. The entire city was bathed in warm hues of pink and orange, finally giving me the shot I’ve been waiting for.

Now with that off my to-do list, I can move on and find another spot to obsessively visit for the perfect shot. 😆

Recent highlights from the past few weeks 📸

It’s been a while since I updated my Facebook, so here’s a big ol’ dump of some of my favorite shots lately!

Not to toot my own horn, but I feel like this year I’ve really hit my stride as a photographer. I’m consistently heading out into the field and coming back with quality images I’m proud of. Then again, it’s easy when you live in such a stunning location.

Also, I just realized that almost every shot in this batch features a saguaro cactus. I might be a little obsessed with them. lol 🌵

Framing the Desert Sunset 📸

I found this old stone structure along the Pima Canyon Trail and knew I had to use its rock window facade to frame the view. At first, I wasn’t sure if the scene would turn out the way I wanted, but sometimes, an image surprises you once you see it at home on the computer.

The sunset wasn’t as dramatic as I’d hoped, but for one brief moment, the sky lit up with those soft, colorful hues I love in desert sunsets. Glad I stuck around just long enough to catch it.

In case you're curious, this stone structure is one of many built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. The CCC was a government program that provided jobs while improving parks and public lands. Many of their hand-built masonry structures still stand throughout South Mountain Park, blending beautifully with the natural desert landscape. A cool piece of history hidden along the trails!

Enduring Under the Stars 🌵✨

The desert never ceases to inspire me with its towering mountains, rugged terrain, and endless skies. But to me, the cactus is the true heart of the desert. It is a symbol of resilience, strength, and survival in an unforgiving landscape. It is no surprise that cacti feature so prominently in my landscape photography. I am naturally drawn to them.

This image is from my first trip to Usery Mountain Regional Park. The area had some incredible scenery and fun hiking trails to explore. After a long trek through the desert, I came across this remarkable cactus near the Wind Cave trailhead. Its entire base had rotted away, stripped down to a bare skeleton. Yet somehow, the top was still alive and thriving against the odds. It was a powerful reminder of endurance and determination, no matter the challenges we face.

Another Sunsets at Papago Park.

I was out at the Desert Botanical Garden, as I often am, capturing an amazing sunset over Camelback Mountain in the distance. Just as I thought I had enough shots, I glanced west and saw the clouds over the Papago Buttes lighting up with color.

I quickly readjusted my camera and tripod, scrambling to capture the moment before the last bits of light faded. Thankfully, my haste paid off—I was able to shoot this sunset from multiple angles. The Sonoran Desert Nature Loop Trail at the DBG never disappoints when it comes to stunning views! 📸🌵🌅

.explores

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