Odessa, Texas. It’s not a destination that is high on anyone's list of places to visit. You may have driven through it and Midland as you cross the country, wishing that you had flown, as you felt the crowd of trucks of either oil or gas or other services of that industry. The Permian Basin is awash with industrial activity spread across the sagebrush, honey mesquite, and creosotebush. It is not an unpicturesque place, especially when the weather gods look down and sculpt an image you cannot unsee.

I hold no judgment on the industry there. It provides so much and yet takes so much in return. One thing you cannot do with an image is provide the smell. The air is rich in toxins and gases that float through the area and permeate everything. Every oil worker carries a hazardous gas detector for safety. Something I did not have and wish I did while taking these photos.

I framed these images all in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The ratio of the movies. The film that comes here will surely win an Academy Award.