My December 2013 Photo Of The Month is Juniper and Monolith, Twilight, an image made while camping for the holidays at Joshua Tree National Park.
Juniper and Monolith, Twilight Background
I have made it a Christmas tradition to camp in Joshua Tree each year. Because of the way the holidays were spaced, I managed to camp for Christmas at my favorite site, then pay a couple days ahead while I had to work at the office. I kept my tent and other gear in place and nobody touched it! Then, I came back for an extra weekend of fun exploring the park.
This was pre-dawn, and I only got up because I had to urinate. I could see the light was building nicely, and although it didn’t get more colorful, this pre-dawn color was a perfect background for one of the signature photo locations in Joshua Tree.
The moonlight shining through the clouds was an extra beautiful addition. The elements came together in beautiful winter light for this month’s Photo of the Month.
This has long been a favorite spot. It is pretty well-known now, so it is becoming a bit of a cliche image. What I enjoy most was capturing an elusive moment that would be hard to reproduce. One needs the clouds, the moon, and the willingness to be there before dawn.
As always, thank you for viewing, and I hope you enjoy the image.
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T.M. Schultze is a San Diego-based photographer, traveller, and writer. He writes, photographs, and draws things of the outdoors that have inspired humans for thousands of years. He co-authored the Photographer’s Guide to Joshua Tree Park which can be purchased here.