I’ve lived in Los Angeles for less than a year, but have since gone to Joshua Tree three times. There’s a magnetic pull in the desert that I felt strongly in a town called Twentynine Palms—right where the national park entrance is located. I’ve never really thought where I would buy a house when the time comes, but I think Joshua Tree may be it.
Prior to moving to the West Coast, Joshua Tree, California was on my bucket list. Joshua trees look like something out of the mind of Dr. Seuss, a writer and illustrator I deeply admire and feel I have a connection to because he grew up only twenty minutes away from where I did in New England. It took 32 years, but I’m so happy I can finally say I have seen joshua trees.
I used to think joshua trees were only found in Joshua Tree, California, but I was so wrong. Derp! My boyfriend and I did this shoot about an hour away from Los Angeles in a town called Lancaster. It’s a desert climate and like other parts of the Mojave Desert, joshua trees are plentiful.
I’ve always wanted to do a photoshoot in Joshua Tree, and I have done unplanned shoots there, but I wanted one that was a bit more organized and intentional. With Joshua Tree, California being about 2.5 hours away, it has been delayed, so I was very happy when my boyfriend suggested another location that was closer with a similar vibe. While Lancaster isn’t magnetic like the area near Joshua Tree National Park, it still had similar scenery and we didn’t have to worry about being in the way as Joshua Tree can get busy with tourists. This photoshoot that I found on Pinterest was the inspiration for my shoot. When I found out that the photographer was Champagne Victoria, I wasn’t surprised. She is one of my favorite fashion photographers and I have admired her aesthetic for a long time.
But modeling? Me?
I have considered curve modeling for a while now, and it’s the reason I decided to give Los Angeles a try—just to see if I could do it. Then the world shut down, so that small dream of mine is on hold for the time being. However, that does not mean I can’t experiment on my own and build up my portfolio, and that’s exactly what I have been doing during the lockdown. To make my shoots on-brand with Broke & Chic, I style them with thrift finds and other affordable clothing from retailers such as Target, SHEIN, and H&M. These are some of my favorite shots that Christian captured:
A Mojave Desert Photoshoot
Photos by Christian Siguenza
This white dress was a $6 Goodwill find and the white western boots were a $20 find from a Crossroads Trading Co. location here in Los Angeles. Don’t you just love thrifting?
I’m a sucker for natural light and it’s my favorite type of photography. Don’t get me wrong, studio photos can be fun, but there is something special about natural light photos. What I love most about this shoot was how the vibe changed as the sun started to set. Once dusk hit, the photos weren’t coming out as good, so we were about to pack up for the day…then golden hour hit.
Will you just look at that? Very little editing was needed for this shoot, but no editing was done on the photos below 😍
I really hope you enjoyed these photos and I hope they inspired you to get thrifting. Like I said, this is a head-to-toe thrifted outfit.
Have you always wanted a desert photoshoot of your own? Consider hiring Christian Siguenza if you’re in the SoCal area.
xoxo,
Amanda Raye Scozzafava
