The Soft Edge of Wild (Brian Ekstrom)

"The Soft Edge of Wild" draws the eye to a quieter, more intimate view of the desert. Captured in Joshua Tree National Park, the photograph centers on a cholla bloom, its delicate form emerging from a field of soft, diffused light.

Where cholla is often defined by its barbed spines, this image offers a counterpoint. It reveals a fleeting softness, an easily overlooked beauty within what is typically seen as harsh and unyielding—inviting a gentler understanding of the landscape and the life it holds.