Richard Misrach: Night Desert

In this early black and white series, Misrach uses long exposure times and strobe lighting to explore a desolate environment. The work marks the beginning of his decades-long project rooted in the American desert.

Black and white photograph of a desert cactus at night.
Black-and-white square photograph of a glowing white standing stone at night with Stonehenge in the background
Black-and-white square photograph of a crescent moon and three small light flares
Black-and-white square photograph at night of a small scraggly tree before a silhouetted mountain background with a faintly glowing horizon
Black-and-white square photograph at night of a saguaro cactus with a drooping offshoot
Black-and-white square photograph at night of the base of a palm tree with two branching trunks
Long-exposure black and white photograph of a night landscape tracking the movement of the moon.
Black and white photograph of an empty desert at night with black borders around image
Black-and-white square photograph at night of a thick cactus stem topped with two small round offshoots in front of a silhouetted mountain and glowing horizon
Black-and-white square long-exposure photograph of short curved star trails in a clear dark sky
Black-and-white square photograph at night of a tall yucca plant amid shorter desert plants
Black and white photograph of a desert cactus at night.
Black and white photograph of a desert sandstorm at night.
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Related Portfolios

Color photograph of the US/Mexico border with a mountain range in the distance with pinkish blue skies

Richard Misrach: Border Cantos
Color photograph of expansive view of water in bleached wood frame

Richard Misrach: On The Beach
Color photograph of the distant Golden Gate Bridge under a linear break in the clouds

Richard Misrach: Golden Gate
Color photograph of a road receding into the distant desert with red-orange tablelands and snow-capped mountains on the horizon

Richard Misrach: Desert Cantos