This is the third example using the saguaro as subject matter. These images express different ideas because of how I use my photographic style to interpret them. I build this image around a lonely cactus standing on the crest of a windswept, diagonal hill. Backlighted clouds soar overhead. A thin under-layer of clouds create a sense of explosive energy when contrasted to the under exposed dark blue desert sky. My interpretation metaphorically implies resiliency and survival. The backlighted sentinel is framed by straggly branches that echo the thrust of the saguaro’s arms, as well as the upward movement of clouds through the sky. The saguaro seems threatened, but it will survive. It has been alive for many decades, and is equipped by nature to flourish in this harsh desert environment. By interpreting the subject using the abstracting force of backlighting, I use my photographic style to create a metaphoric idea that will trigger the imagination of the viewer.