The Salton Sea is a large man-made lake in a desert area of California, south of Palm Springs and about 50 miles north of the Mexican border. It was a thriving resort area in the 1950s and 1960s. The lake has no active incoming water source, and much of it has evaporated or drained away over the years. The salt content is now too high to support much aquatic life, and the water level has receded, leaving wide, salt-encrusted beaches and a strong dead-fish odour. Resort towns that once surrounded it are now mostly deserted, leaving behind eerie remnants of the once fun-filled area.

The landscape is intriguing, nevertheless. The lake superficially resembles Mono Lake in Northern California, a natural lake with very high alkalinity and desert-like surroundings. It has been photographed by Ansel Adams, Brett Weston, and many others. Like Mono Lake, virtually every scene at the Salton Sea is minimalist. But unlike Mono Lake, a few surrounding towns are now occupied by off-the-grid folks and artists whose installations dotting the shore create a surreal addition to the minimalist landscape.

Bombay Beach is such a place, and I enjoy visiting there to photograph the juxtaposition of the barren landscape and oddly complimentary art. This photograph was taken late in the day with an art installation in the foreground, one in the water, and a few isolated visitors surveying the strange scene. The sun is setting over the hills beyond the lake. I liked the way the foreground elements lead to the people, the lake and then the hills and sun to give the image depth and enhance the deserted minimalist feel.

I chose a 12mm lens with a very small aperture to keep everything in focus and enhance the apparent depth of the scene. This choice also allowed the photo to include the sun star without its brightness overwhelming the color and detail in the foreground doorframe. The result is perhaps an unusual landscape photo that accurately characterises the landscape there has become.