My October 2015 Photo of the Month is Treepost, a black and white image from Ryan Ranch in Joshua Tree National Park.
Treepost Background
When the clouds arrive in Joshua Tree National Park, magic really does happen. The rain shadow of the Transverse Ranges ensures that moisture is an infrequent visitor to the high desert. A day with clouds adds such an incredible element to the desert, that there are great scenes in literally every direction.
Watching the weather report, I headed out to Joshua Tree without a moment’s thought. I wandered through many of my favorite places, including a number of scenes that are to be published in the Photographer’s Guide To Joshua Tree National Park.
Ryan Ranch is always an excellent visit and a good short hike from Park Boulevard. What has always been most striking is the single tree branch sticking straight out by the foundation of the adobe building. You really can’t photograph the building without planning for it in the image. I always want to capture it extending from the building, and because of the beautiful clouds, this was just what I wanted to capture.
On days like this, the arduous work of mining and ranching life must have seemed a little easier in Joshua Tree for the people who worked here. I imagine the locals of the time could not have imagined that such a harsh environment would later become one of the most popular tourist areas in the world. Such are the many different lives and personalities that have defined Joshua Tree National Park.
Ryan Ranch stands as a sentinel to ranching life, but it really was a home and a working area for some hearty people generations ago.
On To November
This was a very light month for me. I spent a lot of time out of town doing other events, so this was the only major trip out. Luckily, I picked a perfect day.
As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy the image.
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.