Road trip. Mojave Desert. Middle of the summer. Southern California. Sunday July 10th. Genius idea. This summer has been anything but a breeze out here and this was a hot, sandy, creative restart. I convinced my friend from high school who is an incredible photographer/videographer out here to come along with (@tylersmolinski / https://www.youtube.com/user/glenquagmire15).
Imagine getting off the highway for gas in Palm Springs and your car thermometer saying 113 degrees. I could barely open my door the wind was so strong. You could barely breathe the heat was so intense. Just opening the window and putting your arm out felt like you were putting it in oven. We passed wind turbines, mountains, Coachella (the city), Indio (where the actual festival is held), and some salt water lake (which I have no idea how that’s possible because we were deep in the desert).
(most of these are taken on Tyler’s 35mm film camera)
The city before you get to Salvation Mountain looks post-apocalyptic. I mean it’s SO far out there it’s pretty cool people still live out there.
(his film pictures make my digitals look like shit)
Little bit of a background story… Salvation Mountain was Leonard Knight’s tribute to God. His masterpiece is covered in Bible verses, colorful paint, and objects visitors have given him. It’s over 50 feet high and pictures honestly don’t do it justice. It’s the most amazing thing you have ever seen after you drive in the desert for hours. The entire mountain is made of straw and adobe (which I had no idea until I was inside the actual mountain). Our skin and cameras were getting sand blasted every 2 seconds. That’s why my head is down or I’m covering my eyes in half of these photos.
We were so close to the Mexican border that we had to go through a border patrol checkpoint on our way home. Not even a mile past the check point we ran out and took these beauts.
What I’m Wearin’
Dress // Free People
Sending all my love from the desert… xoxo kt
