This is the photograph that began it all

This is the photograph that began it all, originally uploaded by jamesburden.

I took this photo on my first trip to the US (back in 2001) and it began a love affair which is still with me today - with both photography and the US. I cannot get over the vastness of scenery that you experience in the US. This moment was particularly special. Having severely overestimated the number of gas stations that there are on highway 1, I was running on fumes. I finally found a place to fill up, a place to stay for the night and this scene was waiting for me!

This is a seminal photograph for me. I had taken no photographs of note before this one. I had borrowed an old film SLR at the last minute to take on my trip. Making this photo out of this scene affected me deeply and got me hooked on both photography and trips of solitude.