I began this odyssey as a challenge to see how far I could push the limits of my photography and myself. Little did I know then just how far those limits would go.

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     I was first drawn to Joshua Tree National Park by the light. Or the shadows, I don’t really know. I just loved the quiet beauty of the bouldering landscape and the magic of being in the presence of these centuries-old living monuments.

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     At first it was just about the light and shadows. The way summer storms could make colors change and spirits appear. The cloud formations warning of an imminent storm. The rainbows of spring connecting the real with the unreal. My footprints in the snow that would last only an hour or two before melting into the sand. And, of course, the trees.

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     I could feel the trees guiding me with every photo I took. Each tree, a unique ambassador of Earth’s history. Each tree with a unique story to tell. Like the prophet they were named for, they reach for the heavens and point to a higher calling.

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     It was nearly a decade of travels to the park before I realized my mission. By then, I was well aware that the Joshua Trees I had been capturing on film, might be the last on Earth. It was then that I felt the urgency to share their glory, their presence, and their struggle to survive in an ever-changing world. Today, I dedicate this work to the survival of one of Earth’s unique life forms: The Joshua trees of Southern California.