“I have said that Texas is a state of mind, but I think it is more than that. It is a mystique closely approximating a religion. And this is true to the extent that people either passionately love Texas or passionately hate it and, as in other religions, few people dare to inspect it for fear of losing their bearings in mystery or paradox.” — John Steinbeck, 1962.

In a two part photo story, photographer Paolo Ferraris explores the differences between modern day Texas and New Mexico and the forgotten desert abundant in times past. Walking the footsteps of today and yesteryear, Ferraris throws away the half-truths and misconceptions that surround the two diverse areas, making room for a new type of mystery influenced by sentiment.

Photos were taken by Paolo Ferraris with video editing by Olga Zapisek and music by Lorenzo,”Just Had To Let You Know.” (It is recommended that this photo story be viewed in full screen.)