National parks have a very special place in my heart, and Joshua Tree had been at the top of my park bucket list for quite some time. I finally had the opportunity to visit and camp there for a few days in March, and it was an absolute dream.

Nicole and Dante drove from Orange County one evening to meet me for a Joshua Tree adventure session. We hopped in the car together, turned on some music, drove until we saw a spot in the park where wanted to take photos and rolled with it.

Joshua Tree is essentially composed of 3 things: rocks, sand, and of course Joshua Trees. It’s a photographer’s playground—the perfect landscape to play around with composition and light all while surrounded by the most beautiful color palette. I could take photos here a million times and never be bored. The desert has a sort of slowness and stillness about it that I love and Nicole and Dante’s laid-back personalities complemented it all perfectly.

We began our Joshua Tree adventure session in direct sun and ended the evening as moonlight began to drench the desert floor. Nicole and Dante laughed (lots and lots of laughter), danced, and simply explored the landscape around them together. They shared their story with me and their love for California. Lots of magic was made.

Adventure sessions are a favorite of mine. There is something about them that creates a more relaxed environment, free of any expectations or any type of pressure. It makes me heart happy whenever my couples want to have their story documented in an incredible landscape such as Joshua Tree. I am so thankful for these two and our time together, and I can’t wait to return to this incredible park sooner than later.