My Favorite Light for Taking Photos
I’ve only been out to the desert a hand-full of times, three times to be exact to actually take photos. But every time I do, the light just blows my mind away. During the middle of the day, light can be pretty harsh and I try not to go bananas with taking photos. It’s still really good, lots of contrast and the colors are very punchy. But it’s during sunsets (I’m sure sunrise is probably just as gorgeous) when the fun starts.
There’s just something about it, the glow, the pinkish tones. When the sun is down or behind some mountain, the light evens out a little bit more. It’s not too contrasty and there’s a better balance between highlights and shadows.
I haven’t experienced this light anywhere else. Don’t get me wrong, sunsets here in the east coast are beautiful but it’s not the same. Even the light in the Philippines, which is known for its sunsets, can’t match what I’ve seen in the desert.
Best advice, bring a tripod. There’s not a lot of light during sunset or the blue hour so you will have to take longer exposures. I love the way Kodak Portra renders these scenes. It’s soft and not overly saturated. I would love try some Velvia during the blue hour, but Portra does have its own magic.
Joshua Tree National Park
I was in California a few weeks ago and I was able to go Joshua Tree National Park for the day. I can’t recommend it enough. One day though is not enough, spending two or three days to shoot would be ideal. You have the park itself which is huge. Plus the town right outside the north gate seemed like a cool place to go around and take photos.
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and The Salton Sea (Salton City and Salton Shores)
I also went to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. This place is not that far from Joshua Tree. It definitely has it’s own charm to it. There are a lot of areas where you could take your car off-road (definitely recommend something with 4 wheel-drive and decent ground clearance). It definitely has a more off the beaten path vibe to it. Less people and you can definitely just wonder off into the desert for miles and miles. The Salton Sea is not far from here. You can go the western shores of it, check out the towns and go back to Borrego Springs for a day trip.
These photos were taken with my Mamiya 7ii, mostly on the 80mm but I did bust out my 65mm lens as well. I took most of these with Kodak Portra 160, 400, and 800. I have more photos to share but I will save that for my next blog post.
