Rubber Processing Shed in Arizona Dawn

Cold silver dawn light spills over a weathered processing shed nestled within terraced garden plots in Arizona. Heavy overcast skies flatten the horizon, turning the early winter morning into a monochrome wash of steel and slate. Inside the open-sided structure, rows of metal cups catch streams of milky white latex dripping from tapped trees. The ground beneath is packed earth, stained dark where spills have dried. Wooden support beams frame the view, their surfaces rough with age. In the background, the terraced slopes rise gently, covered in dormant vegetation that matches the gray sky. One drop hangs from the rim of a copper cup, suspended before falling.