E THINK OF THE DESERT AS A DEAD PLACE, HOSTILE TO LIFE, BUT IN THE OPEN PLAINS OF THE SONORAN, LIFE DOES MORE THAN SURVIVE, IT THRIVES. Especially in spring, the lushness of the Sonoran Desert can overwhelm the senses. I was in this spot in the Arizona desert at just the right time of year, not only for the incredible spring bloom of brittlebush and ocotillo, but also for the sun to rise through a notch in the mountains. I spent several days chasing the receding shadow of the rising sun, trying to capture a moment when dawn's first rays brushed the tips of the flowering desert plants in the plains below. The desert opens its arms in greeting to the new day, basking in the sun's warmth. March 2009, Kofa Mountains, Arizona.