Subscribe Now! National Geographic Magazine $15
Visit our Online Shops

Sign up for free

Newsletters

Once a month
get new photos
and expert tips.

Imperial Valley, Niland, California, 2005

Click the size you would like to download:

An irrigation canal reflects dawn-stained skies over Imperial Valley, a fertile farming region just north of Baja California.

The canal brings Colorado River water to the dry Salton Sea watershed, which, with an average of three inches (seven centimeters) of rainfall a year, would otherwise revert to desert. The Imperial Valley's half million acres (202,343 hectares) of croplands soak up more water than Los Angeles and Las Vegas combined.

(Text adapted from and photo shot on assignment for, but not published in, "Salton Sea," February 2005, National Geographic magazine)

Photograph by Gerd Ludwig
INSTRUCTIONS FOR DOWNLOADING WALLPAPER
For Windows 95 or Higher
  1. Determine which size is appropriate for your monitor.
  2. Click the size you wish to download. (See the top of this page.)
  3. After the image appears in your browser, click the right-hand button on your mouse.
  4. On the menu that pops up, select SET AS WALLPAPER or SET AS BACKGROUND.

For Mac OS X
  1. Determine which image size is appropriate for your monitor.
  2. Click the size you wish to download. (See the top of this page.)
  3. After it appears in your browser, drag the image onto your desktop.
  4. From the Apple menu select SYSTEM PREFERENCES.
  5. Select DESKTOP.
  6. In the pull-down menu marked "Collection," select CHOOSE FOLDER.
  7. Locate desired image file and double-click it.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR DELETING WALLPAPER
For Windows Users (Internet Explorer)
  1. From your desktop, click the "My Computer" icon.
  2. Once the window opens, click the following folders, in this order: Local Disk (usually C: drive)
    • Documents and Settings
    • Your Username
    • Application Data
    • Microsoft
    • Internet Explorer
  3. In the "Internet Explorer" folder, you will find a file called "Internet Explorer Wallpaper.bmp."
  4. To delete this file, click the file name with your mouse, then right-click and scroll down the menu to the "delete" option. Or simply hit the "delete" key on your keyboard.
  5. The wallpaper image will remain until the computer is restarted. To delete from view without restarting the computer, right-click anywhere on an open area of the desktop, scroll down and select "Properties." (This will open the "Display Properties" window.) Click on the "Desktop" tab, select a different background and click "OK." This will change your desktop background immediately.

For Mac OS X
  1. Locate the "Applications" folder in the Macintosh hard drive and choose "System Preferences."
  2. Select "Desktop & Screen Saver." This will show you what wallpaper is currently displayed on your desktop.
  3. To change the current photo, select a new photo from the drop-down menu.
  4. To remove the photo permanently from the desktop, locate the photo on the hard drive and drag it to the trash. This will delete the image.

Related Topics

Special Advertising Section

Photo: Puerto Escondido

Interactive Map

Visit Mexico with this interactive map.

Photo: 2008 finalist

Photo Contest

Vote now for your favorite image.

Photo Tip of the Week

Alternating Angles

Like distance from your subject, the angle you shoot from has also probably become a habit. Get low, get high. Get overhead. Stand on a chair or a bed. You'll be amazed how just changing your angle can dramatically alter your photos.

More Photo Tips

New Photo Books From National Geographic

Photo: Planet Ocean book cover

Own the latest images from our world-renowned photographers!

Photography Guides

Photo: Ultimate Field Guide book cover

Guides by National Geographic photographers.