I'm in Palm Springs/Palm Desert, California, where to shoot?

[rich815]

I am currently in the Palm Springs/Palm Desert area in California. I

may be able to break off a couple of my mornings here to go shoot. I

would love to do some B&W landscapes (spring wildflowers do not seem

to have hit main bloom yet). My initial ideas are either the

Cottonwood Springs entrance area of Joshua Tree National Park or the

Andreas and Palm Canyon areas. Anyone can suggest one or the other?

Or have any other suggestions for the immediate area around here? I

can only get away early in the mornings and only for about 3 hours or

so, therefore no places far away will work (for example just no time

to consider the Twentynine Palms entrance to Joshua Tree Nat'l Park).

Hoping someone familiar with this area can make some suggests or tell

me if my plans are good as they are. Thanks.

[drake_barton2]

Hi Richard.

I can recommend the Southern end of Joshua Tree. It's in the Sonoran desert part of the park and you would have a better chance of catching some wildflower as they are earlier to arrive than the Northern parts. Of course you won't find any Joshua Trees there as they are a defining vegetation component of the Mojave desert, but the Ocotillo may be in bloom as well as some other shrubs. I think the rains were much too late for a good annual bloom but there is always something blooming this time of year. Look for some sandy washes and get out for a walk, you might catch a desert tortise (a protected species) or some horned toads, as well as some good shadows and light in the wide canyons.

I wish I were there too.

Have fun.

[craig_gillette]

The tramway? Although I'd expect that it's a bit snowy at the top.

 

It would be pushing it to try to hit Joshua Tree from the north side off 62 and have any time before rushing back.

 

There are the windmill farms in the area where I-10 exits the Banning Pass.

[gary_anthes]

Richard, one of my favorite places in the area is the little-visited Coachella Valley Preserve, owned by the Nature Conservancy, less than 30 min. drive north of Palm Springs and just south of Joshua Tree NP. It has some of the best palm oases anywhere in the southwest. When I was there two weeks ago wild flowers were just starting to bloom. See www.coachellavalleypreserve.org for directions. If you get there at or before dawn, you can park outside the gate and walk in. See palm grove below.<div></div>

[gary_anthes]

Here's another oasis at Coachella VP (with a built-in reminder not to overdue use of polarizing filters).<div></div>

[gary_anthes]

Sorry to take up so much bandwidth, but I'm just so enthusiastic about this little gem of a place. Here's a sand dune next to the McCallum Grove. The sand dunes of the Coachella Valley are the only place in the world that the rare fringe-toed lizard lives. I have never seen one (although they are out and about during the day), so if get a shot of one, please post it!<div></div>

[rich815]

Thanks everyone. I drove to the Cottonwood south entrance to Joshua Tree Nat'l Park this morning. No flowers really blooming, which is ok, since as I mentioned I'm after B&W landscapes and such. The light was really nice with filtered, wispy overcast which gave some nice subtle light instead of the harsh light that comes so fast in the desert. Took a few rolls of Acros and FP4 with my Rolleiflex of rocks, valleys, stark trees and yuccas. Will definitely check out Coachella Valley Preserve tomorrow AM. Thanks again for the suggestions.

[rich815]

Well, I shot over 7 rolls of B&W 120 and am in the process of developing them. In the meantime, one of my best color shots from the week was taken right at the resort in Palm Desert where I stayed. I was fooling around with my Sony F717 digicam and a Cokin Yellow/Blue Polarizer and shot these interesting clouds:<p>

 

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<center><img src="http://static.flickr.com/51/119072742_6d466850a5_o.jpg"><p>

Sony F717 with Cokin Blue/Yellow Polarizer<P>

 

</center><p>