A Night at Trona Pinnacles
I had five days between two filming jobs in California, so I rented a Mercedes campervan and headed out into the desert, travelling through Death Valley and Joshua Tree.
One of the places I wanted to visit was Trona Pinnacles, a surreal landscape of ancient limestone formations rising from the floor of the Mojave Desert. These extraordinary structures were formed underwater thousands of years ago, when this vast, arid landscape was submerged beneath an ancient lake.
I arrived late in the day and decided to spend the night there. I lit a fire, cooked some food and sat beneath the stars, surrounded by these strange, almost otherworldly formations.
It should have been one of those perfect moments. Miles from anywhere, no distractions, just the silence of the desert.
But my mind was elsewhere.
There were things happening back home in the UK that I was struggling to process. I desperately wanted to be present, to appreciate where I was, but sometimes your mind simply won't allow it.
The following morning, I sent up my drone and managed to capture a couple of photographs before continuing my journey.
Looking back, I wish I'd spent more time exploring and photographing this remarkable place. But perhaps that's part of the story too. We don't always experience things in the way we'd imagined.
And yet, despite everything that was going on in my head, Trona Pinnacles left a lasting impression.
Some places stay with you long after you leave them.
Watch the video below
