Dry as one might consider the desert to be, it’s fertile ground for creative endeavors. What photographer — professional, amateur or otherwise — can resist the unearthly formations of the Joshua Tree National Forest bathed in the golden light of late afternoon? Though the quarantine era of 2020 prevented us from inhabiting close quarters with anyone but our immediate family, we still had access to the wide-open spaces afforded by the desert plain. I took the opportunity to explore both the natural wonders of Joshua Tree and the human constructs that delight and confound: Pappy & Harriet’s, the old-timey store fronts of Pioneertown proper, and the quirky art space of the Noah Purifoy Foundation.
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- Near Pioneertown
