Joshua Tree National Park
I’ll say it up front: I love the desert. I spent time in the Mojave Desert two years ago when I drove Historic Route 66 all the way from Chicago to LA, and I’ve been back twice since then to see more. A 3-day detour off of Route 66 brought me to Joshua Tree for the first time, and I returned the following year with my photography friend Don Weaver.
Here are a few photos from Joshua Tree.
Hidden Valley
I took this photo with a wide angle lens near Hidden Valley, with the last sunlight of the day shining on the rock. A couple of minutes before, the sun was on the desert floor; and a minute later, only the top of the rock was illuminated. This light made the rock stand out and made the picture a favorite of mine.
Joshua Tree Under Full Moon
I took this photo late in the day, shortly before sunset. Yes, the moon had already risen in the sky, creating a unique scene for my camera to capture.
Hall of Horrors
Yes, this area in JTNP is called the Hall of Horrors! So of course we had to photograph it late at night by the light of a full moon. The desert can be a little eerie in the middle of the night, but the quiet and solitude are wonderful.
Mountains at Sunset
This photo was taken near Hidden Valley, when the late afternoon sun turned the mountains to gold. I had about 30 seconds to take this picture before the light changed. So much of photography is being in the right place at the right moment!
Sunset Silhouette
I was finished for the day and driving out of the park when I looked to my left and saw this scene. I immediately stopped the car and grabbed my camera. I knew I didn’t have time to set up the tripod, so I braced my arms on the roof of my car and took as many shots as I could before the light changed. The shot required a fairly long exposure, so I just hoped one of the images would come out sharp. The result was one of my favorite photos.