The University of Arizona Libraries is honored to welcome renowned Tucson photographer, author, and University of Arizona President Emeritus John P. Schaefer for our 2023 author talk and signing of his book published with the University of Arizona Press, Desert Jewels: Cactus Flowers of the Southwest and Mexico.
Cactus flowers are jewels of the desert—they add brilliant pops of color to our arid surroundings. In this book, Schaefer brings the exquisite and unexpected beauty of the cactus flower to the page. Hundreds of close-up photographs of cactus flowers native to the U.S. Southwest and Mexico offer a visual feast of color and texture, nuance and light.
These stunning photographs allow us to appreciate the spectacular range of color and form cactus flowers have to offer. The book offers a glimpse into Schaefer’s process for capturing these elusive desert gems. His beautiful photographs were featured as a book of stamps issued by the U.S. Postal Service.