This photo is RAW and Unedited.

At first glance, it might look like two images stacked on top of each other — some kind of double exposure or post-production magic. But it’s not. This is all done in-camera.

Let me break it down.

I was parked inside Joshua Tree National Park, just after sunset, when the light starts turning soft and golden-gray. I was in the driver’s seat of my car, and in front of me stood this beautiful, silhouetted Joshua Tree. Behind me, the mountains were glowing in the last light of the day.

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I zoomed in tight — around 151mm — and used my car’s side mirror to reflect the scene behind me. So what you’re seeing in the bottom half of this photo is actually the reflected landscape behind me, captured in the mirror. The top half is what I was directly facing. The soft blur between them? That’s the natural distortion created by shooting through the mirror at that focal length.

No composites. No tricks. Just light, reflection, and vision.

👉 Click here to view and purchase the framed print

Why I love this shot and why you should, too :

It tells a story. It’s not just about the tree or the landscape — it’s about perspective. About the beauty behind and ahead of you. And the fact that it’s completely unedited makes it feel even more honest and cinematic.

This photo is available as a print — and I think it makes a strong piece for anyone who values creativity, stillness, and wild desert light. It’s not just a pretty scene. It’s a reminder that sometimes the best illusions happen without any editing at all.

Thanks for supporting independent work that comes from the road, the heart, and a bit of camera wizardry.