The desert has a magical quality that draws me in more than any other landscape. It reminds me of the story of Santiago in the Paolo Coelho’s The Alchemist and the biblical story of the Israelites wandering in the desert for 40 years. It’s a place of silence, challenge and transformation. The conditions of the desert are extreme, thus requiring simplicity and planning of basic needs.

Behind the process: The environment in Black Rock City, NV is unpredictable. It was about midday when I saw Cosmic, and we decided it was a good time to make some photos. The sun was bright, but I thought this could be fitting to demonstrate the harshness of the environment. And everything at play seemed to transpire all at once. The wind picked up, and as Cosmic was lying on the ground, the two of us could no longer see one another with dust blinding us. But when the wind calmed, the dust lingered, almost as if remnants of ashes. This photo session was truly the perfect storm of creativity in flow.

What conditions take you beyond discomfort?