August 20th, 2025
Photographing the Rosa Fire from La Quinta
It was August 4th 2025 The Rosa Fire broke out in Anza, roughly 40 miles away, about an hour’s drive from La Quinta. By the afternoon, the smoke had rolled over the mountains and into the La Quinta Cove, turning the skies dramatic and dropping ash that painted the dark asphalt a soft gray.
I went out twice to capture it, once at 2:00 PM and again at 7:30 PM. In that span, the fire had grown from about 10 acres to nearly 120. By the evening, the haze carried an eerie beauty, thick clouds mixed with a soft yellow glow from the sinking sun, diffused like light through stained glass.
Armed with my Canon EOS RP mirrorless and lens adapter, I felt pretty dialed in. Having the built-in ISO adjuster on my RF setup was a huge plus, especially later in the evening as the fire dimmed the natural light. Definitely one of the better gear investments I’ve made…
“For my first run, I shot with the EF-S 24mm Prime at 1/1600, f/11, ISO 500.”
I still prefer using the viewfinder over the live screen, it just feels more intentional, almost like the difference between snapping with a phone and really taking a photograph.
By the second outing, I switched to the EF-S 18-135mm, dialed at 18mm, 1/500, f/4, ISO 500. Going through those images later, I realized I’d even caught flecks of ash drifting down through the frame. The detail and texture in the lower light surprised me, in a good way.
That’s all for this blog entry. The Rosa Fire was a reminder of nature’s power, and a chance to test both patience and gear under a hazy, surreal sky.
Enjoy the shots, and as always, thanks for stopping by.
Author: David Cruz
