Hi Wonderers,
This one adventure in Palm Springs deserves a post on its own. I love nature and the U.S.’s National Parks. Our country is really beautiful “from sea to shining sea.”
I knew the Joshua Tree National Park was no exception. I also knew it was a great place for night photos, because there is very little light pollution. I bought a tripod and a filter lens just for the pretty night photos.
We drove through the South Gate of the Park. For a very neutral setting, I absolutely loved it. I didn’t think I would, but I did. There are so many abnormal rock shapes and Dr. Seuss type plants.
Below are the pitstops for all these amazing photos (in order):
- Cottonwood Spring
- Cholla Cactus Garden
- Split Rock
- Skull Rock
- Cap Rock
I wanted to get a nice night photo, so we hung out at Cap Rock until the sun went down. It took about 2 hours, but we just watched a movie on the phone.
In the end, I never got the perfect night photo, because I couldn’t figure out how to work the camera. The green button kept flashing, so I kept pressing the button, which probably stopped the camera from processing the photo. When I checked the next morning, zero night photos appeared. It is OK though, because the experience was 10x better than any photo.
We left for the Park at 2 PM PST in the winter. You should head around there if you want magic hour and night time photos without waiting too long. Also, make sure to bring a jacket, because the weather can quickly drop and it becomes very windy.
The U.S. is very fortunate to have Natuonal Parks, ones that are well-maintained. Please come look at those twisted Joshua Trees. You will end up in awe like I was.
Ciao,
Amy
amy 