Castle Valley with Jianna (Patreon)

There’s something about Castle Valley that almost doesn’t feel real when the light hits it right. This set with Jianna was shot just outside of Moab during that short window where the desert starts glowing orange before the sun fully disappears behind the rock formations. The landscape out there is insane because it already looks cinematic before you even pick up a camera. You’re basically standing in the middle of a western movie set.

What I liked about this set was how everything stayed within the same color palette naturally — the red rock, the brown leather, the warm skin tones, even the shadows picking up that dusty orange reflection from the ground. It all blended together without needing to force anything in post. The blue sky against the warm earth tones is what really makes the images pop though. That contrast is what gives them that almost film-like separation.

The outfit choice fit the location perfectly too. The fringe and leather textures helped give the set that classic western feel without looking too costume-y or overdone. I also liked keeping a lot of the compositions wide so the environment could breathe instead of just turning the background into blur. In a place like this, the scenery is half the story.

Castle Valley is way more remote than people probably realize. You’re driving through miles of nothing to get out there, which honestly adds to the experience. Once the light starts dropping, everything changes by the minute, so a lot of these shots were taken fast before the sun completely disappeared behind the cliffs. That’s part of what gives them that soft glow without looking overly lit or artificial.