This photograph, taken near the Californian mining town of Trona, very much follows my compositional formula of having a foreground, a middle ground and a background. If one of these layers is weak, the image is impaired and its ability to grab the attention of others suffers. We need the layers to tell as full a story as possible in one single image.

I think the formula in this photograph works as well as possible; the Trona Pinnacles look spectacular at sunrise and the winter storm clouds above were an unexpected bonus. The police cars and officers show our commitment to period storytelling; there is no point going about this in a halfhearted way.

It was cold in the Californian desert at 7.20 am and the whole process was completed in less than three minutes.

As it was, the storm clouds were a harbinger of a severe winter storm that dumped 10 feet of snow in some parts of the Sierra Nevada mountains. By 8 am the sun had gone and with it the opportunity to do any more filming. It was another case of our team being extremely focused on local weather forecasts.

To be on set at 7 am with the rider’s hair styled as well as it was, is a challenge in a remote location like this. The Pinnacles are only accessible in a 4-wheel drive car and at 5 am it was pitch black and the dirt road was flooded in some places. But we enjoy these logistical challenges – it makes the end product all the more pleasing.