— Empty spaces can hold various symbolic meanings depending on the context. They often represent a sense of void, potential, or possibility. In art and design, for example, empty spaces are sometimes used strategically to create balance, emphasize certain elements, or evoke a feeling of openness and tranquility. In this week’s Lens-Artists challenge, Patti guides us with several examples of empty spaces.
I must admit that several ideas came to mind when choosing photos for this post. For example, I thought about empty spaces in architecture and on the beach. Then, through a search in my catalog using the AI feature in Excire Foto 2024 (no affiliation to the company), I stumbled upon Big Bend Ranch State Park. The mere mention of West Texas should suffice to associate those photos with empty spaces.
Big Bend Ranch SP is located in West Texas and is known for its rugged landscapes, diverse wildlife, and scenic beauty. The park offers various trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and even off-roading. Its topography is varied, ranging from deep canyons and dramatic cliffs to desert landscapes and expansive plateaus. The park’s motto is “The Other Side of Nowhere” because of its remoteness. The park covers over 300,000 acres and is the state’s largest park and second largest in the USA. It extends along the Rio Grande on the border of Mexico and is adjacent to Big Bend National Park. Some of the notable features within the park include the imposing El Solitario peak, multiple canyons such as Closed Canyon and Hoodoos Canyon, and the iconic Rio Grande, which forms part of the park’s southern border. The Rio Grande is a popular spot for river activities like canoeing, kayaking, and fishing.
The photos I am featuring here today are all taken on the Fresno Overlook trail. This trail, just like all other trails in the park, is a good example of empty spaces. Whenever I am hiking or biking in this park, one of the best things I experience with my friends is that we are the only people on those particular trails. Because some of the trails can be confused with animal trails, having a good compass and/or GPS device is essential for survival. Cell phone signal in the park is nearly non-existent, except sometimes at the Bunkhouse, where I prefer to stay (instead of camping).
The Fresno Overlook trail is an intermediate-level hike that offers panoramic views of the surrounding Chihuahuan Desert and the Rio Grande. It is about 2.8 miles long and takes you through rocky terrain, canyons, and desert landscapes. The trail rewards hikers with stunning vistas from the Fresno Divide where you can see the vast expanse of the park and the river valley below. It is also on this trail that you come to an overlook where you can see the El Solitario Flatirons. More information about and photos of the Flatirons can be found in this other post. Below is a photo from the scenic Fresno Overlook with the Flatirons way in the distance.
As always, the best weather to be enjoyed at Big Bend Ranch SP is late fall, winter, and early spring. For example, in February and March, you can see the park ground blooming with lots of wildflowers, including Bluebonnets and Torrey’s Yucca (as shown in the previous photos above). I leave you with a section of the Fresno Overlook trail leading you to the vastness and empty space of the other side of nowhere.
Anita
Wonderful nature photos with amazing scenic views Egídio. I love the special light found in all your images here as well as the slightly muted but warm and soft colors.
Egídio Leitão
Anita, first off, thank you for the comment. I do love your feedback, especially because you take the time to let me know what works and what doesn’t work. Those things help improve my editing skills in future posts.
Leya
Lovely entry, Egídio, your landscapes are always perfectly photographed and the flowers and plants in the fore ground make them shine even more. Cloudscapes are also amazing.
Egídio Leitão
Ann-Christine, thank you for your compliment. As you well know, I love landscapes and cloudscapes, too.
jazzibee
Excellent nature photography. I like how you captured those plants in the foreground – it gives real depth to those wide open empty spaces.
Egídio Leitão
James, thanks so much for your feedback. I am glad you liked the post.
Wind Kisses
Big Bend is definitely one of the most under appreciated parks. And I agree its remoteness is what dictates the inconvenience of getting there. I know I have hared with you how much I love that area. You photos certainly brought it to light. The bluebonnets are special and the “leading the way” does exactly that. so nice, Egidio.
Egídio Leitão
Donna, I agree with you. The area is beautiful, but to get there from any major city is very hard. Thanks for your feedback.
sandyjwhite
Lovely spaces!
Egídio Leitão
Thank you so much, Sandy.
sandyjwhite
You are most welcome.
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography
great desert photos, you for sure can find space there l leading the way and wanderer are my picks this time
Egídio Leitão
Thanks, Ritva. I really like the wandered photo, too. I wish I had thought of adding a bit more separation between him and the yucca in the foreground.
aekshots
Great examples of empty spaces Egidio. The Wanderer in Paradise shot really gives you a feeling of the emptiness of the area and the hiker adds scale to accentuate it. Well done!
Egídio Leitão
Thank you, Andy. On that particular photo, I wish I had been able to give the hiker a bit more separation from the yucca in the foreground.
Shelley@QuaintRevival.com
Excellent examples you chose. The “The Other Side of Nowhere” is represented in all of them. Along with exceptional capturing of the rule of thirds. The pops of color are so eye-catching. Well done!
Egídio Leitão
Shelley, thank you for your kind words.
Shelley@QuaintRevival.com
You’re welcome!
Sofia Alves
You’ve captured the vastness of this landscape so beautifully. It’s down to your composition, it’s a wonderful place but your photos make it more so. I really enjoyed your post, Egídio.
Egídio Leitão
Thank you, Sofia. It is a place I love going back to for its vastness and isolation.
restlessjo
Fabulous landscape, Egidio. Your opening shot with the clouds and the solitary figure is just sublime.
Egídio Leitão
Jo, thank you for the comment. I appreciated it.
Tina Schell
Wow Egidio, what a glorious place you’ve taken us this week! Your images as always are wonderful and whether I ever get there or not, I feel I’ve had a lovely taste of the beauty of the place.
Egídio Leitão
Tina, thanks for your feedback. I am glad that through a few photos (one trail only) I have given you and others a taste of that park. I appreciate your feedback.
margaret21
A real advert for ‘wide open spaces’!
Egídio Leitão
Thanks, Margaret. I’m all for open and wide spaces.
pattimoed
Bravo, Egidio! A fabulous post. Your images are wonderful! Your framing of the photos is perfect. I enjoyed them all.
Egídio Leitão
Patti, thank you for your feedback and support.
Amy
Remarkable photos, Egidio, as always!! Love the Bluebonnets. Thanks for sharing your hiking adventure.
Egídio Leitão
Amy, I appreciate your feedback. Thank you.
I. J. Khanewala
Lovely set. You cannot go wrong with cacti and other dry climate plants in the foreground, can you?
Egídio Leitão
IJ, you got it right. A bit of a cliche on my part for putting the cacti in the foreground, I must admit. Thanks for your feedback.
I. J. Khanewala
I think they still make a picture look good
Yanti
the bluebonnets took my breath away! They’re so vividly beautiful and with a splendid background, too!
thank you for sharing, Egidio!
Egídio Leitão
Thank you, Yanti. If you liked the bluebonnets, you should see Texas in the spring. Bluebonnets are the state’s flower. Our fields get covered with Bluebonnets.
JohnRH
Great selections. Well done.
Egídio Leitão
Thank you, John.
Perpetua
Ahh… The beauty of empty spaces in nature. There are so much to fill our senses.
Egídio Leitão
Perpetua, your words are perfect to describe the feelings. Thanks for your comment.
Anne Sandler
Beautiful images Egidio! You’ve certainly showed us vast and empty spaces. I loved the colors.
Egídio Leitão
Thank you, thank you, Anne. I must plan a trip back to that park in the new year.