This shoot came together so beautifully. But, the end result wasn't the original vision for the shoot. When the initial location in Whitewater for this photoshoot didn't pan out, I had less than 24 hours to choose another spot. I was staying in Palm Desert, about 30 minutes away from the Salton Sea. I started looking up photos of the Salton Sea and was immediately intrigued. It was eerily beautiful.
The amazing models and jewelry designer agreed to meet up at the Salton Sea (instead of in Whitewater). When we arrived, we had to drive around for a while looking for a spot to access the shoreline. We ended up driving out onto this narrow jetty to get closer to the shore. It was surrounded by rows and rows of perfectly aligned bales of hay arranged along the salt flats. It was definitely strange.
The jetty only took us so far. We still had to walk several hundred feet to the water. The ground was like thick, goopy quicksand. With every step, you'd slowly sink in and had to struggle to get your foot unstuck. The smell was intense. It smelled like old fish. And, it was 115° F and so incredibly humid. Within minutes, my clothes were literally drenched — just from the moisture in the air!
Here's the thing though... I am ALWAYS down for a beautiful photoshoot — no matter the conditions. Hot, cold, high-humidity, rain, snow, whatever ... I'm there, ready to create something beautiful!
(I want to ensure that I address the current state of the Salton Sea and the sad reality for the people that live there. You can read more about this on Part II of this photoshoot.)
Thank you to the amazing people who collaborated on this shoot to make it happen:
MODELS — The Sherrs
JEWELRY — Sadie Jo Jewelry Co.