I needed to escape Los Angeles, so I thought the White Mountains might be a good spot to get alone and maybe capture some Milky Way photographs. I made the five-hour drive up to the 10,000-foot White Mountains and waited for the night sky. There were only two of us there at first, then he left, leaving me alone with the 4,000- to 5,000-year-old bristlecone pine trees. I found a really gnarled bristlecone and photographed it as the Milky Way came into focus. The White Mountains can feel a little creepy hanging out in silence with these ancient trees. I didn't stick around long—I took my shots and left.
