PAINTING WITH LIGHT
interview JORGE PEREZCHICA
When it comes to exploring Coachella Valley’s natural beauty, there is treasure everywhere. From low desert to high desert — you don’t need to look far. Sal Cavasos first started capturing night views onto his phone camera straight from the backyard in Desert Hot Springs, California. With support from his wife, Sal upgraded to a tripod and DSLR and took the creative endeavor even further. Like an artist’s brushstroke on canvas, Sal paints with light and digital pixels. Each photograph tells a story that mixes portraits, landscape and the starry night sky as a backdrop. The results produce indelible images that capture natural wonders and resonate with feeling beyond the viewer’s gaze. Read on and follow Sal for the next adventure.
Hi Sal, where did you grow up?
I’m a desert-rat, low desert, born in good-old Indio and grew up in Desert Hot Springs.
How did you get started in photography?
I started with an old smartphone. My wife has always supported me in all my artistic endeavors. She knew I wanted to do more than what I was producing. She gifted me an entry level DSLR camera and tripod. The tripod was important, it was essential for long exposure photography. I immediately loved the ability to trap moving light and how that felt.
When it comes to art and creativity, I like to think I’m “a jack of all trades and a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” Mostly self-taught, through trial and error, and also learned from a few night photographer enthusiasts.
What are your favorite spots in Coachella Valley?
I started from my backyard, we have some of the best views of the valley and our mountain from Desert Hot Springs. The nearby city light was proving challenging – I soon found that darker was better. The farther away the landscape was from city light, the bolder and brighter stars appeared after every exposure.
What is most challenging about night photography and what tips can you share with enthusiasts?
Challenges come with expectations. I pride myself in being able to create with the tools I have. It didn’t matter that I didn’t have a high-end super expensive camera and brand name gear. Pro-photographers would ask me what camera/gear I use and get surprised when they found out. I push the tech to its limits. Weather was a challenge – soon I felt I could define my efforts as insane, trying the same thing over and over expecting different results. Learning what low level light does in different environments, bouncing against a boulder, waiving it across a Joshua Tree as if painting with brush strokes of light. At times quickly running across a desert landscape painting the ground with light while trying not to trip over what you can’t see. Painting people with light is a completely different challenge. It’s tough for people to stay still while I take my picture, which can last 4-15 seconds. Figuring out if I should light paint (while someone tries to stay still) or use an off-camera flash to help freeze my subject in place.
Your work gives maternity portraiture a different spin, resonating both with nature and romance. When is the best time of day for shooting these types of portraits under the stars?
I feel because, I started out shooting landscapes and the night sky, it was easy to put a person in front of it. I love our natural surroundings. The desert is beautiful in the way light touches it, every sunrise, sunset, and golden-hour has a special interaction with us on an intellectual and emotional level. The night-sky does something similar.
As for the best time to shoot portraits at night, as soon as the stars are out. Clear skies are essential. There’s also a season for Milky Way visibility. In our hemisphere, it starts from late January / early February — rising during the early morning hours and runs through late September — rising earlier in the night.
How do couples feel about your creative process?
People have felt different, depending on how far from “civilization” they feel at the moment. Having friends and family around definitely makes it easier.
Feedback on social media varies from “wow this is amazing, give us more” to “this is cool, how can I do this?” Every now and then, after having a short conversation, I come to find out that some believe the pictures are fake. For the most part, people are intrigued and want to know more about the process. And of course I’m happy to share.
Joshua Tree is a recurring place in your photography. What do you love most about the landscape?
I love the landscape in Joshua Tree National Park, it’s other-worldly. While there, I’m immediately transported to another world. That and the night skies are darker, farther away from city light.
How has the pandemic changed the way you work?
Working with people is definitely challenging while wearing a mask, the underrated smile does wonders while trying to make people feel comfortable. I feel for anyone in customer service. Body language quickly became something more than how I feel, but rather how I make others feel.
Tell us about your work in video production.
Most of my videos are time-lapse. I love how clouds dance across the sky or roll over mountains. I especially enjoy watching the night sky play over a desert landscape or moonlit shadows slither across the ground. For time-lapse, I use my DSLR camera and a tripod. I do on occasions use a drone to provide a different perspective.
What are you working on next?
Figuring out the next project is now a matter of time. Lately, finding the time to create for myself has not been as easy as creating for others.
Final thoughts…
Everything we see is filtered by our culture, by our point of view and how that point of view has been affected by everyone else’s, by our intellect, our emotion, and our experiences, positive and negative. Take a picture of what you see and give it a feeling, give it a story, go further and make it relatable – however subjective it may be.
Social Media: @SALCAVAZOS_