Moab in 35mm

I got the negatives and scans of our trip to Moab back this week. There is always something exciting about finding that envelope of developed images in your mailbox.

I was particularly excited about this batch of film since I hadn’t actually shot most of it. Photography usually isn’t Niecie’s thing, but on this trip, she carried my Canon EOS-1 on every hike.

Needless to say, we were both looking forward to seeing how the images had come out.

Most of the trip was shot on some Kodak Ultra Max 400 we’d picked up in Grand Junction, Colorado, after discovering I’d forgotten my film in the fridge. Rookie move, I know.

However, our hike around Richardson’s Amphitheater was mostly shot on one of two rolls of Kodak Ektar 100 that I happened to have in my pack.

So without further delay, here are some of our favorite film photos from the trip.

Sandflats Recreation Area

Corona & Bowtie Arch Trail

View from the Bowtie Arch trailhead. Kodak Ektar 100. Photo credit: Shanice McTeer

Entrance to the Bowtie Arch Trail. Kodak Ektar 100. Photo credit: Shanice McTeer

I frame a shot during golden hour. Kodak Ektar 100. Photo credit: Shanice McTeer

A portrait. Kodak Ektar 100. Photo credit: Shanice McTeer

Richardson Amphitheator Loop

A rock formation that I believe is called a butte in the morning sun. Kodak Ultra Max 400. Photo credit: Shanice McTeer

A series of photographs taken along the Richardson Amphitheator Loop on Kodak Ektar 100. Photo credit: Shanice McTeer

A deep valley cutting through the buttes. Kodak Ektar 100. Photo credit: Shanice McTeer

Grandstaff Canyon & Morning Glory Bridge

Morning Glory Arch after the sun has dipped below the canyon walls. Kodak Ultra Max 400. Photo credit: Shanice McTeer

A face in the cliff? Can you spot it? Kodak Ultra Max 400. Photo credit: Shanice McTeer

A series of photographs taken in Grandstaff Canyon. Kodak Ultra Max 400. Photo credit: Shanice McTeer

Shanice on shooting film in Moab:

“How do I make it less blurry? Should I shoot it vertical or horizontal?” These are the kinds of questions I usually have to ask any time Tobias hands me a camera.

Shutter speed, aperture, and golden hour are only a few of the dozen or so photographic terms I’ve picked up while in Moab. Despite my inexperience with photography, let alone film, I can still smile and be proud of how these photos came out.

It is incredibly rare when I willingly pick up a camera, but I found our hikes in Moab to be some of the most breathtaking. At each pass, there seemed to be a new angle on the towering red rocks to capture, and I couldn’t help but reach for the camera and ensnare those memories.

It turns out, shooting film is surprisingly easy, even for someone ignorant of the mechanics. Point, focus, and click is all it seems to take to walk away with an amazing sunset or a dopey, smiling dog. Of course, there’s composition and timing and such, though I don’t see myself devoting that time into learning these techniques.

While photography may not be my calling, seeing these photos gives me a bit more confidence to shoot a few frames the next time Tobias inevitably hands me a camera.

More Moab

If you haven't read my full post on each of these trails, you can find it at the link below. I provide links to each of the trailheads, additional photos, and a brief description of our experience on each.