Joshua Brown Photography

This is part 3 of 3 of a series about landscape photography lessons from the desert. For more photography tips check out part 1 and part 2 . Sunset in Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, Las Cruces, NM Las Cruces, MN I use several tools to "visit" an area that I know I will be going to. I try to get a feel of the landscape and brainstorm ideas for photos. I had only drive through Las Cruces on a grueling 16 hour drive, so I was not sure what the area had to offer. Google Maps is an obvious place to begin researching and I was excitedto see desert mountains surrounding the city. My next step was to google the names of places I saw and learn more about the area. Then internet is an amazing tool! Photo Pills is another app I use to help plan trips. This app gives sunrise and sunset times, the direction of light (Lesson 2), and the phase and timing of the moon. This is a small list of what this app can show you. With a general idea in mind, it was tim...

This is part 2 of a 3 part series about three photography lessons learned in the desert. Read part one here Stay tuned for part 3 next week. Sunset in Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, Las Cruces, NM Phoenix, AZ I had a week of work in Phoenix earlier this year and decided to only take my Mamiya 645 film camera and two rolls of Kodak Tri-X with me. My goal was to shoot saguaro cactus in black and white. I still have a vision for a shot that I have yet to make happen. I scouted out a few locations online and decided to check out Lost Dutchman State Park first. The beautiful mountains made for a great subject, with plenty of cactus around. As I was wandering around looking for compositions to shoot, I realized my first mistake. I had not paid enough attention to where the light would be. Sunset was approaching and I did was not in the best position to make use of it hitting the rugged mountains. I came away with a photo that I am happy with, but I know th...

This is part 1 of a 3 part series about three photography lessons learned in the desert. Stay tuned for part 2 next week. Sunset in Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, Las Cruces, NM While hiking a dirt path for several miles, saguaro arms pointed me in the direction of my destination. I was alone, the sun was getting lower in the sky and all around me an arid landscape loomed. As the air cooled, I surveyed the landscape and saw the light hitting the fabled Lost Dutchman's mine. I was alone. Alone in the desert can be a great place to be. The idea of desert can be a major turnoff for some people but I have found it to be an awe inspiring place, full of unique photographic opportunities. I know I am not alone in this regard. The desert has a beauty all of its own. I have been fortunate to spend several weeks in parts of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts for work in the past and it has led to some great experiences with a camera. My photos did not always t...