When I first started photographing the desert I often wondered why people would live out there.
There you are driving along a dusty road with nothing but the odd Tumble Weed crossing your path. In the distance you see some kind of homestead with a rusty truck parked out front and perhaps a small water tank and a scabby dog. As you draw closer its still difficult to tell if someone actually lives there. Is is abandoned? is it accessible? Is it dangerous? (see dog) And then you see the signs. Any kind of Keep Out signage and I just keep going. I have no desire to trespass on someones property, even in the middle of nowhere. But that's not to say I won't peek through the fence. This particular homestead was interesting due to the threats of being shot (which of course is not legal in the state of California and I am certainly no threat.). But just looking got me chased down as I left in my little car.
I should add that I would not blame anyone for questioning me. I mean a 6'1 baldy white man with a big camera in the middle of nowhere is not something you see everyday.. But its always the same:
Angry Person:
"What the @<)%^& are you doing on my property" etc, etc. (not on property)
Me (sounding like Hugh Grant):
"Well hello. I'm just doing a few photographs out here in the desert"
Not so Angry Person:
"What for?"
Me:
"Well we don't have anything like this in England where we are from.... "
Friendly Person:
"Oh, I'm sorry about that. You have a nice day..."
Thankfully no one shot and I went on my merry way.
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