I was trying to get a fancy shot of the Phoenix Skyline with the blooming creosote in the foreground. In these days I was adamant about getting every shot in 100 ISO, so I could upload them to stock photo websites. Of course, this meant slower shutter speeds and apertures than I needed on a breezy day with high contrasting sunlight. In the years since Adobe has really improved noise reduction and I have a better understanding of my equipment.
One day I was going back through my photos and decided to see what I could make of the missed shots. The glow comes from the slight motion blur produced by the winds subtle nudges and intense afternoon light. I thought the hazy skyline was suitable for a city that might as well be a mirage in the desert.