Ryan Ranch in Joshua Tree National Park

Ryan Ranch Ruins with Yucca at Dusk

On my visit to Joshua Tree National Park, I had two days:  two sunsets and two sunrises.  Being the best time of day to capture a quality photograph, I debated carefully over where I ought to be to get the best photo.  I try to put myself in a good place at the right time and hope for something special.  JTNP has plenty of locations.  My wish list included the cholla cactus garden, Ryan Ranch, the Lost Pencil, Hidden Valley, Key's View, Jumbo Rocks, White Tank to name a few.  This is the kind of decision that faces a photographer when visiting a major national park:  too many good things.  

I whittled the list down a bit by seeing what had been shot extensively.  Jumbo Rocks, Cholla cactus garden and Key's View are photographed so much that I felt a visit to those locations would be unlikely to yield an original photograph.  (I did visit most of these locations in the day, though.)  Ryan Ranch intrigued me because of its' smooth and colorful adobe walls.  It's also a ruin -- those hold special attraction too.  Using online tool, I could see it ought to catch the evening sunlight.  

There is a campground about a 3-5 minute walk away from the ruins.  On my day there were no clouds in the sky (sometimes I think I'm cursed this way).  I liked working my way around this structure and shooting into its' angles as the sun gradually set.  

The photo above is after sunset.  I'm attached a few more from earlier that evening.  

Walls of Adobe at Ryan Ranch

Looking into the Ruins