By Sommer Bailey & Madison Rutherford
Snow-kissed saguaro. Javelinas trotting across asphalt. Roofers working in the dead of July. For our 15th annual showcase of reader-provided photographic art, Resilient Arizona, we showcase the most striking images of survival and endurance in our oft inhospitable state. Resilience, after all, is the Arizona way.
“After the Storm”
photo by Jessica Houston
Formerly a document governance architect, Jessica Houston splits her time between North Carolina and Mesa and is “fortunate enough to be surrounded by new scenery, which means new inspiration and more photography.” Houston used a Canon EOS 850D to get this shot of pelicans, egrets and cormorants at the Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch in Gilbert. “I wish I had more technical details to share, but truly, I just followed connection,” says Houston, who was navigating a difficult period of life when she took the photo on January 1. “I was captivated at how the water softened to mirror these beauties as they quietly gathered to prepare for nightfall. For me, it was a gentle reminder: Presence heals.” The Resilient Arizona theme resonated with her own journey. “Like sunlight peeking over the mountains or glistening across desert canyons, nature reminds us that after every storm, we rise.” Find Houston’s photography, poetry and music on Instagram @jessi__houston.
– Sommer Bailey
“Peekaboo”
photo by David M. James
Retired insurance investigator David M. James was hiking in Strawberry one balmy afternoon in June 2023 when he found a female elk and her calf cradled in the shade of several ponderosa pines. “I was 100 yards away and they watched me intensely as I walked slowly toward them,” the Phoenix hobbyist photographer says of the auspicious encounter. He used his Nikon D7100 DSLR and a Nikkor AF-S VR 70-200mm f/2.8 IF-ED lens to capture this striking image, later editing out the molting calf in Adobe Lightroom. “As I captured their images, I thought how truly blessed I was that such a magnificent animal would trust me to get so close to them,” he says. To James, Arizona’s wildlife epitomizes resilience. “I have visited this area of Northern Arizona for over 50 years and during that time, I have witnessed these animals survive the hardships of drought, winter storms, fires and hunters… They do whatever they have to do to survive.” See more of his work at dmjamesphotography.com.
– Madison Rutherford
“Bighorn Snow”
photo by Kathy Ritter
After retiring from her career as an engineer, Happy Jack resident Kathy Ritter started taking photography seriously. She bought herself a DSLR for her 50th birthday, “with the objective to get published.” When Arizona Game & Fish made the decision to transplant a group of bighorn sheep from Morenci to the Mogollon Rim to keep them from being hit by cars, she found her subjects. “Since then, we have seen them more often along Mogollon Rim, East Clear Creek and Moqui Draw, where we saw this happy muncher,” she says of the bighorn sheep she photographed in the snow with her Canon EOS R5 mirrorless camera. “No matter how often I have the opportunity to photograph wildlife, it is always a thrilling experience for me,” Ritter says. “I always hope for a great shot, but just revel in the beautiful animals and their habits.” Find more of her work on kritterspix.com and kritterspaw.com.
“Wild and Hot!”
photo by Andrei Stoica
Software engineer and Chandler resident Andrei Stoica snapped this stunning photo of wild horses running on the Gila River Indian Community with a Canon EOS R5 and a Canon 100-400mm lens. “My day job doesn’t provide much of that environment,” nature lover Stoica says. “So, I take any chance I get to be out there.” Stoica captured the photo in July of 2024, “when temperatures reached 112 degrees Fahrenheit – the horses were running, but rather slowly, more like a fast walk.” The horses roam the desert, searching for food, water and shade. “Seeing them thrive in those harsh conditions never stops to amaze me, ever since I first noticed them many years ago,” he says. Find more of Stoica’s work at arizonaphotoadventures.com and @arizonaphotoadventures on Instagram, Threads and Facebook.
“Javelinas Kissing”
photo by Ethan Ortiz
“I love that photography requires you to slow down and really pay attention to the details that catch your eye,” Ethan Ortiz muses. During a golden hour walk in early April, the Tucson engineering student used a Sony Alpha mirrorless camera with a 300mm lens to capture two javelinas sharing a tender moment. “I saw a family of javelinas being affectionate, and it warmed my heart,” Ortiz says. “In order to have resilience, we must have compassion and love within our hearts.” See more of his work on Instagram @ethans_photography_page and TikTok @ethansphotography0.
“Searching for Dinner”
photo by Spence Fairbanks
In February 2021, the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group was implementing a supplemental feeding program. “Under their watchful eye, the program has been going on for years to help feed the mustangs during these very dry periods,” says retiree Spence Fairbanks. The former AT&T global project manager brought his Nikon D750 and 200-500mm lens to render his most cherished muses. “I enjoy photographing birds and landscapes, but my real passion is photographing the wild mustangs that live along the Salt River,” he says, noting “a telephoto lens is needed” to give the horses enough space to be observed in their natural state. “I think this image epitomizes the theme of Resilient Arizona, as these amazing animals go through this very rough time every year. They are just an amazing example of survival and endurance.” Fairbanks sells his photography at the Art on the Avenue shows from November to April in Fountain Hills, where he has lived since 1979. Find more of his work in Arizona Highways’ Photo of the Day social media spotlights, and in the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group’s calendars and Facebook community.
“Still Standing”
photo by Candace Porth
“This battered saguaro has stood up to the ravages of time and wind,” Phoenix wildlife photographer Candace Porth says. “Its resilience has provided homes and protection for countless nesting birds through the years.” Using a Nikon D7100 and wide-angle lens, Porth took this photo on a cloudy February afternoon in 2021 – though she frequently photographs the weathered guardian at Reach 11 Recreation Area in North Phoenix, chronicling its gradual decay. “I have previous shots of birds sticking their heads out of various holes as it was used as a nesting place for many different species, but it looked pretty fragile on this day,” she says, expressing admiration for the saguaro’s sacrifice and role as an enduring symbol of desert life. “People, animals, plants – all of us – need to be resilient in this relentlessly long summer heat,” she says. “Only the strong survive in the desert.” See more of her work on Flickr @maccandace.
“Our Rain Sustains”
photo by Dave Cyr
When Dave Cyr took this shot of a rain-dappled yellow bell flower in his Peoria backyard with his Olympus Stylus SH-50, he didn’t realize it was a historic weather day. “The raindrops clinging to this flower came from the rain event that began on June 1 of this year, which was the first rain to fall in Greater Phoenix on June 1 in 111 years,” he says. The self-described “serious hobbyist” photographer says the image is a microcosm of The Grand Canyon State’s perseverance. “Arizona is certainly a very resilient state, given its minimal rainfall and its extreme summertime heat.” Find more of his work on Instagram @davecyrphotography.
“Resilient Fan”
photo by Dennis Cooper, M.D.
“You have to stick with your team even if they’re having a difficult year… or two,” says Fountain Hills ophthalmologist Dennis Cooper, M.D., reflecting on a moment he immortalized at Chase Field during the 2021–2022 lockout that delayed the start of the 2022 MLB season. “I was at the ballpark for some quiet photography and noticed a dedicated fan way up in the stadium, all by himself,” he says. “I thought he must miss the game as much as I do and managed to grab a telephoto shot showing his resilient determination to connect to baseball.” Cooper used his Canon EOS 40-D camera with a 70-200mm f/2.8 image-stabilized zoom lens to snap a series of photos of the loyal fan. “Part of the art of photography is picking out the good stuff and never showing anyone else the garbage I also took,” Cooper quips.
“White Four Peaks”
photo by A.O. Tucker
It’s not every day you see the East Valley’s famed Four Peaks blanketed in snow. When Litchfield Park’s A.O. Tucker, woke up to this phenomenon “after a strong winter storm” on New Year’s Day in 2015, he knew he had to immortalize it with his Sony Alpha A77V. “We decided to take advantage of the rare snow event,” Tucker says of his jaunt eastward to shoot the peaks with his wife, Connie. “My thought was: lots of snow!” Together, the couple curates the Herberger Theater Center gallery, and Tucker shoots professionally on the side. Find more of his work at aotucker.com and on Instagram @archieotucker.
“Tempe Town Lake Bridge”
photo by Mileidi Perez
Based on this shot’s golden tones and dynamic energy, it’s hard to imagine that Mileidi Perez was feeling gloomy when she snapped it. “I was walking around Tempe Beach Park with a broken heart, crying,” she says. “When I looked up, I saw the sunset and felt its warmth.” Perez happened to be carrying a Canon EOS 90D equipped with an EF 24-70mm lens for a school assignment, so she quickly pulled it out to document the memory. “When I saw the shot, it felt like a hug… and I thought, everything is going to be OK.” A recent Arizona State University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication, Perez is an aspiring photojournalist and former PHOENIX magazine photography intern. “What I enjoy most about photography is seeing the aftermath of each photoshoot – after the photo has been edited and you get to see all the colors and details,” she says. See more of her work on Instagram @mileidi.prz_news and online at msperez868.wixsite.com/mileidi-perez.
“Dust Devil at Grand Falls”
photo by Joanna Proffitt
“They say the best camera is the one you’ve got with you,” Surprise photographer and legal assistant Joanna Proffitt says. Luckily, she had her iPhone in hand to catch “the resilient land… shaped by the powerful forces of wind and water” in the Painted Desert in Northern Arizona. “I was truly in the right place at the right time when this incredible scene appeared right before my eyes,” she says. “This impressive dirt devil disappeared as quickly as it had materialized, leaving awe – and a photo – in its wake.” This photo is currently on view as part of the Wanderlust exhibit at Arts HQ Gallery in Surprise through September 11. View more of her photography on Instagram @joannaproffittphotography and at joannaproffitt.com.
