I hope this conveys the extremes of the desert: Sun, cactus, hills, sand.

good shot. Nice sharpness throughout. (sorry) The lighting really helps the cactus stick out. (again, sorry)

Thanks Mr Yuck. Sun flares are dangereous, but this one came out Ok. I think I've ruined more shots with flare than helped, but that's the nature of the beast I suppose - GB

GB,

I like this shot, but I would have been curious as to how it would have looked 15 - 20 minutes from when you took it. The sun just a touch lower, possibly behind the mountain, and I think it could have been something different.
The flare through the cactus is a nice touch. Overall, well done.

Ken