POV: The shot
A few years ago, when social media was relatively young, I saw someone making memes of one-star reviews about our national parks; one meme was about Joshua Tree National Park (JTNP). The one-star review meme said “the only thing to do here is walk around in the desert.” To be honest, after my first time going to JTNP a few years ago, I remember thinking similarly and telling myself that I didn’t think I would ever come out here ever again. Boy, was I very wrong! A few weeks ago, I took my fourth trip to Joshua Tree National Park. I have come to learn and appreciate the beauty and the magic it holds.
The first time I visited the national park, I remember thinking “I don’t get why this is a national park.” However, it was not until my third visit that I decided to go with an open mind and with the intention of being present. I slowed down and took the time to learn the land; I listened to the wind, felt the heat of the sun on my skin during the day, took in the cold and the eerie sounds of the night. I saw the diversity of plants, the exquisite rock formations, and the resiliency of the Joshua Tree. Neither a cactus nor a tree, their lifespan can be up to 150 years or longer. Once living along with the Giant Ground Sloth, they are a historical reminder of a time and life before our modern era. It was a kind reminder that some of these majestic plants have been around long before me and many will definitely be around long after I am gone. At least that is what I hope. During that visit I sat alone on a large smooth rock overlooking the very vibrant desert, seeing the sun fall behind some mountains. As the last rays of sun touched the Joshua Trees, it was then that I realized why we are conserving these plants and landscape. I fell in love and said “I get it now.”
I recently visited Joshua Tree again with a few friends to have a shared experience of stargazing, watching sunsets in the desert, and seeing some of the free art exhibits. For my birthday this year I wanted to stargaze in an international dark sky park and enjoy the stars I don’t have the pleasure to see in the luminous cell block of city lights. We went near the Ryan Mountain campground site, set up our gazing area and enjoyed the stars. The longer our eyes adjusted to the darkness of the night, the more and more stars illuminated the dark sky. We saw traces of the Milky Way which we could have seen more if we had stayed later into the night. Joshua Tree had some excellent art exhibits which are typically free to the public. The Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Art Museum had an array of eclectic sculptors ranging from trains made up of old deconstructed vacuum cleaners to a castle made up of an array repurposed items. Many pieces were left to interpretation, the vibes of the quirky outdoor museum would definitely change based on the time of day and weather. Perhaps one of my most memorable moments of the weekend was feeling the cold night wind while under the stars in a heated pool. With some medicinal aid, the sensory overload of sound, sight, and sensation was very comforting. I had an overwhelming sense of joy and peace that night.
The last thing the desert recently gave me was a spark I thought had lost. While at the park, my friends were taking pictures of the pink desert sky, laughing, and truly enjoying themselves. I looked to my side and in a sea of Joshua Trees there was a lone Joshua. Standing strong and asymmetric in front of mountains. She truly was thriving alone in the golden grass around her. As I walked closer to this lone tree, I heard the laughter of my friends slowly fade away. I was focused on her beauty and happy to visualize this frame of a photo in my head. I grabbed my camera, took a knee and snapped a picture of her. I grinned shortly after knowing that was the shot I wanted. It was a feeling I had not had in a while as a photographer, the warm and overtly satisfactory sensation of a near perfect photo. I got my photography spark back.