A year ago, I published an article entitled My Experience Obtaining a Permit to Film in a National Park (you probably need one, too), which detailed my ordeal getting a permit to film a YouTube video at the Grand Canyon National Park. It was my first time going through the process, and I found it to be unnecessarily arduous and frustrating. The article got some attention, and I was even interviewed by the press regarding this topic.
The good news is that you probably no longer need a permit to film in a National Park, unless you are an actual production crew or are doing something that requires special permission. Just this last weekend, the President signed into law the Explore Act, which allows most people to freely film within the National Park Service. Essentially, the Explore Act allows photography and filming without a permit for parties of five or fewer people as long as it involves allowed activity in a National Park, regardless of whether those documenting are receiving compensation for their work.
Because my small YouTube channel was monetized, a year ago I needed a permit, even if the video I made didn’t earn hardly anything (and cost way more to make than it earned). Even the potential of one penny of Adsense revenue meant I was a for-profit film production crew, and as a for-profit film production crew a permit was required to film, even if I were merely recording on my cellphone or a GoPro. Today, that’s not the case at all. As long as you have five or less people and you’re doing normal things that tourists are allowed to do, you can film, and can skip the permit process. This is definitely a win for small creators.
I understand why not everyone is celebrating. The National Park Service has two equal missions that oppose each other: conservation and access. They have to preserve the land, and they have to open the land to visitors. To best conserve requires closing the gate to visitors, and to best allow access greatly risks conservation. They have to walk a fine line, which is not easy to do, and not everyone will be happy. The law—as it was on Friday prior to the Explore Act—leaned more towards conservation (even if awkwardly and ineffectively), and now, as of Saturday, it leans more towards access. There are some who prefer preservation over people. I get it, and am sympathetic towards that; however, I believe that this was the right thing to do, and I’m quite happy to see this new law on the books.
I had read that the National Park Service (in the USA) requires a permit to film at a National Park. I was unfamiliar with this rule, but wanted to do some videography inside the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, so I began to research and figure out the process. Since some of you might be in a similar position, I decided to share my experience, hoping to provide you with some clarity.
There was a legal case in 2022 that apparently changed how you must go about filming inside a National Park or any property that is a part of the National Park System. I don’t want to spend time going over this (you can read about it in detail here if you are interested), but the basic thing to know is that, beginning in 2022, if you are a Creative, you probably need a permit to film in a National Park. Perhaps you needed one before, too (I’m not certain), but you definitely need one now. You might not think that you do, but most likely you do (we’ll get to this in a moment). And apparently if you don’t get the required permit, the National Park Service might just come for you with a hefty fine or worse.
Wanting to do things right and avoid any sort of legal trouble, I began to research if I was actually required to get a permit, and how to go about it. The National Park Service website states that “all commercial filming that occurs within a unit of the National Park System requires a permit.” But recording some clips of the South Rim for a small YouTube channel is surely not considered commercial filming, right? I mean, I’m just me, not some corporation.
They go on to define what exactly commercial filming means: “‘Commercial filming’ means the film, electronic, magnetic, digital, or other recording of a moving image by a person, business, or other entity for a market audience with the intent of generating income. Examples include, but are not limited to, feature film, videography, and documentaries. Commercial filming may include the advertisement of a product or service, or the use of actors, models, sets, or props.” So far it sounds like I’m ok to not get a permit. I’m not making a documentary or feature film, I don’t have a market audience, and I’m not using any actors or props. It’s a bit fuzzy, but it sounds like I’m fine.
Morning Shadows – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor C200 v2
But they continue. “Federal law requires a permit for all commercial filming, no matter the size of the crew or the type of equipment. This includes individuals or small groups that don’t use much equipment, but generate revenue by posting footage on websites, such as YouTube and TikTok.”
Wait, what?
If you could potentially earn money from posting the footage to YouTube or TikTok or any other website, you’re required to get a permit, because you’re considered to be “commercial filming” by the NPS. If you are monetized on YouTube or push affiliate links in the description, you could potentially earn money. The “generate revenue” wording is a bit ambiguous, though, because the $7.42 I might earn from Adsense for a video (it’s probably not even that much) is nowhere near the cost of producing the content, not even enough to cover the gas to get there, or the lunch I had on the way, or even the park entry fee. It paid for my coffee, but not the blueberry scone. Whatever video I create, the Adsense money will not generate any net revenue, because I’m not actually a commercial outfit, I’m just a regular guy who happens to have been approved for monetization on my small YouTube channel. If I’m not actually earning anything, but losing money, does that still require a permit? It shouldn’t, but apparently it does.
“The primary focus of the NPS, however, is on commercial filming that has the potential to impact park resources and visitors beyond what occurs from normal visitor use of park areas,” the NPS website continues. “Examples of this type of filming are productions that use substantial equipment such as sets and lighting, productions with crews that exceed 5 people, and filming in closed areas, wilderness areas, or in locations that would create conflicts with other visitors or harm sensitive resources. All filmers, no matter the size, must comply with all rules that apply in park areas, just like other visitors.”
Maricopa Point – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Expired Velvia
If the “primary focus” of these rules are for production crews that use substantial equipment and that exceed five people, then surely I’m all good to go, correct? I wasn’t completely confident, so I reached out to the National Park Service and spoke to someone at the Public Affairs Office. I told them my exact situation and plans. They confirmed that I indeed needed a permit to film in a National Park. Apparently the “primary focus” statement doesn’t actually mean anything, it’s just there to give false hope and confuse people.
To be clear, even if you’re just pulling out your cellphone to record a couple of short clips while vacationing with your family at a National Park, if you might use those clips in a YouTube or TikTok video (this surely applies to Instagram and Facebook, too), and in some way you could potentially earn income from those clips (even if just one penny), you need a permit, and you must get it in advance before you visit the park. You are a commercial filming crew, whether you consider yourself one or not. If you won’t earn anything (your channel isn’t monetized, you’re not sponsored, and you’re not pushing affiliate links, for example), you’re likely fine, and no permit is required.
This is all very arbitrary and puzzling. It’s as clear as mud. It doesn’t make much sense. It could and should be very simple: answer three questions to find out if you need a permit to film. The first question should be: will you appear to be an ordinary visitor? If the answer is yes, you don’t need a permit. The second question should be: will you interfere with anyone else’s park experience? If the answer is no, you don’t need a permit. The third question should be: will you need any resources from the park service beyond what regular visitors receive? If the answer is no, you don’t need a permit. If you can enter and leave the park and nobody was the wiser that you were doing anything potentially “commercial” then you shouldn’t need a permit. NPS: this is my free gift to you, so please use it. The way it is currently is extraordinarily convoluted, and (in my opinion) dumb.
The other thing that the National Park Service could do is: “[primarily] focus… on commercial filming that has the potential to impact park resources and visitors beyond what occurs from normal visitor use of park areas.” The solution is right there in their own words. Stop focusing on the little guys who are really just ordinary tourists who happen to have a YouTube channel or TikTok account. The Park Service has the power to do this right now today if they were to so choose. It’s literally that easy. If someone in a similar situation as myself inquires about a permit, they could simply respond, “We’re primarily focused on commercial filming that has the potential to impact park resources and visitors. Enjoy your your time in the park.”
Canyon & Mesas – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Xpro ’62
Now, you might be worried that all of this applies to other forms of art, too—say, photography or painting. But, no. Only motion pictures. Only videography. For still photography, there is a different set of rules: for the most part, unless you have a model or props, you don’t need a permit. You could professionally photograph a wedding inside a National Park, and that apparently doesn’t require a permit; however, as soon as you record some clips on your iPhone, you probably do. There doesn’t seem to be any rules for painting canvas inside National Parks.
Now, to the process of obtaining a filming permit.
Each location within the National Park System (which, by the way, isn’t just the 63 National Parks, but 428 “units” across the country) has it’s own exact procedures. It’s not standardized from one park to the next. It seems that most are pretty similar, but there are definitely some variances. Grand Canyon National Park is where I visited, so my personal experience is with that park. You must visit the webpage for the park you plan to visit for exact instructions.
For the Grand Canyon, in order to obtain a filming permit, you have to first inquire and request a form by emailing grca_public_affairs@nps.gov or calling 928-638-7779 (I tried calling that number a handful of times but never got through to anyone other than their voicemail). The form they will send you to fill out is called NPS Form 10-930; however, there is a unique version of this form for each individual park. Some parks have this form on their webpage, but if not (and the Grand Canyon did not), simply Google “NPS Form 10-930 for [enter National Park here]” and it will likely turn up. The form is five pages long, but only three are filled out by you. It’s clear when you fill out this form that it is intended for an actual production company, and isn’t designed for just some person with their GoPro or iPhone or mirrorless camera. The form was easy enough to fill out. I kept my answers short and simple. I scanned it and emailed it back. And waited.
Canyon Between the Pines – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor C200 v2
If the National Park Service is serious about you obtaining a filming permit (and purportedly they are), they should have a standardized form that can be filled out and submitted online. There should be a one-stop-shop for this (kind of like the LAANC system for drones, maybe), and not vary depending on the park. In other words, the process shouldn’t be confusing, difficult, or long (like it is currently).
The Grand Canyon requires that your application be submitted a minimum of 10 days in advance of your planned filming. This means no spur-of-the-moment visits. My trip was nine days from my initial inquiry, but the kind folks (and they were indeed very kind and professional) at the Grand Canyon Public Affairs Office assured me that they would expedite my request. Even though I had nine days (and not 10), it seemed like it worked out by the skin of my teeth, and there was little margin for error. Other parks might have different time requirements, so be sure to pay close attention to that.
Five days after I had submitted the application (granted, it was near a holiday weekend), I received a phone call from the Grand Canyon saying that my permit had been approved, and that I needed to pay a $100 application fee. There are a number of other potential fees, including a $150-per-day fee, that I didn’t have to pay, but that you should be aware exist because it’s possible that your filming project might be subject to them. I paid the hundred dollars over the phone (which apparently is how you have to pay it). The permit also allows you entrance into the park, and there is no need to pay the $35 park entry fee. I had already paid for a pass, so this didn’t help me, but maybe it is useful information to you. If you need a pass, then the filming permit will actually “only” cost you $65, since you won’t have to pay the entrance fee. Note that the fees might vary from park-to-park. Also, I had read that some parks require you to purchase insurance, but the Grand Canyon didn’t mention anything about that, nor did I ask.
After paying the fee, I was then emailed a six-page agreement, which is known as NPS Form 10-114 (like the other form, this one also has a unique version for each park). This contract states what rules I must follow while filming in the park. It’s all common-sense type stuff, like obey all the park rules and be responsible. It only required a signature. I scanned it and emailed it back. At this point I thought that I was good-to-go, but I didn’t realize I wasn’t quite done yet. The day before my arrival, on the eighth day after submitting the application, I was informed that my permit had been finalized, and now I was good-to-go. I just needed to make sure I had a copy of the permit (NPS Form 10-114 signed by them, which they had emailed to me at that time) while filming inside the National Park.
Now that I know the process to obtain a National Park filming permit, it’s not a terribly difficult thing to do (although more difficult than it needs to be). It’s a bit time-consuming and confusing and does cost money. It’s a shame that it is even required. The process is not standardized (it absolutely should be). You do need some amount of preplanning, and is not something that can be accomplished last-minute.
I love visiting National Parks, but this does sour it a little for me. It might cause me to travel elsewhere instead. I feel like just because my YouTube channel happens to be monetized, that the National Park Service wants to penalize me for that fact. The reality is probably more like this: some people are making lots of money on social media, and the NPS wants a piece of that pie. Well, so do I, but they just took my entire tiny crumb and then some! Whether you are earning money or not shouldn’t matter. It should be: are you a regular tourist who happens to be filming, or are you an actual production company who will interfere with other people’s National Park experience? They seem incapable of making that distinction, or unwilling to do so.
While visiting the Grand Canyon, which was an absolutely wonderful experience otherwise, my wife commented to me that she didn’t understand why we needed a permit. “We’re just tourists, like everyone else. How would anyone know that we’re making a video?” The fact is that we were ordinary tourists taking our four kids to see this Natural Wonder of the World. I’m sure nobody noticed or cared that we recorded some clips of the big ditch, because that’s what everyone was doing. Nobody there had any idea that we have intentions of publishing a video to YouTube, and even more that the channel happens to be monetized (nor that the monetization status even matters). We weren’t approached by any Park Rangers, and nobody asked to see our paperwork.
I feel like we went through this whole process for nothing. But, you know, we want to follow the rules and (especially) avoid hefty fines, so we did what the National Park Service required. Honestly, they need to change this, and it would be pretty simple for them to do. In the meantime, I have to consider if it is even worth the effort, or if I should just avoid visiting National Parks until someone with an once of common sense finally fixes this. I get that someone doing actual commercial filming would need to jump through these hoops, but the way-too-broad definition used by the NPS forces many to choose one of three things: 1) go through this potentially confusing, overly-arduous, and slightly-expensive process, 2) ignore the rules and hope not to get caught, or 3) avoid the many great National Parks that are meant to be for the “inspiration of this and future generations.” That’s a part of their mission statement. If your art is videography, you might need to find that inspiration elsewhere, which is a real shame.
iPhone 11 — RitchieCam — Color Negative — Arches National Park
This year I’ve had the opportunity to visit five different National Parks! I love going to National Parks to experience the wonder of nature. They’re great for photography, and they’re great for the soul. Anytime the opportunity arrises to visit a National Park, I jump at it. In winter, I traveled to Arches National Park in southern Utah, Canyonlands National Park in southern Utah, and Grand Teton National Park in western Wyoming. In spring, I visited Bryce Canyon National Park in southern Utah and Hot Springs National Park in central Arkansas. These are wonderful locations that are worth the effort to experience!
While my main cameras are Fujifilm—such as the X100V and X-E4—I also use my iPhone for photography. Chase Jarvis famously coined, “The best camera is the one that’s with you.” He was specifically stating that if your cellphone is your only option, then it’s the best option; however, I would go a step further and say that your cellphone can be used in conjunction with your main cameras. Why? Your phone might have a different focal length than the lens on your camera (versatility). It’s quicker and easier to share the pictures from your phone (convenience). You don’t have to think about the settings (simplicity). Your phone is more easily portable—you can have it with you when your camera isn’t as practical to bring along (compactness). It doesn’t have to be either your camera or your phone—it can be both, and I used both on my visits to these five National Parks.
Of course, when I photograph with my iPhone, I use my very own RitchieCam App, which is a streamlined camera app with no-edit filters. RitchieCam is intended to help you capture everyday moments—including those that happen while visiting National Parks—more beautifully while maintaining simplicity (anyone can use it, not just photographers). The app is free to download and use—becoming a RitchieCam Patron unlocks the app’s full capabilities. If you have an iPhone, be sure to download RitchieCam today (click here)!
I utilized RitchieCam on my iPhone to photograph these National Parks, and so did others in my family: my wife (Amanda), my daughter (Joy), and my son (Jonathan)—they used RitchieCam, too! While most of the pictures in this article were captured by me, there are a few that they took. After our visits, it’s a lot of fun sharing our photos with each other. We all love going to National Parks, and being able to share the photographic experiences—thanks to RitchieCam—makes it even better.
Arches National Park — Utah
iPhone 11 — RitchieCam — Instant Color 3
If you love unusual rock formations, Arches National Park in southeastern Utah is the place for you! Protruding from the high-desert sand are massive red rocks, which form bluffs, pinnacles, balancing acts, and (of course) arches. There are over 2,000 arches within the National Park, which is the highest concentration of stone arches in the world! Several movies have had scenes filmed in this National Park, including Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Thelma and Louise, and Hulk, among others.
Arches National Park is a great place to visit anytime of the year; however, it can be extremely crowded in the summer (not to mention hot), so the winter is my favorite season. It snowed while we were there—a somewhat rare occurrence, although it does happen at least a few days each winter. I loved photographing the park blanketed in white snow, but it melted quickly, and was mostly gone by the end of the day. While we only spent one day in Arches National Park, we made a lifetime of memories there.
iPhone 11 — RitchieCam — Analog Gold
iPhone 7 — RitchieCam — Analog Gold — Photo by Jonathan
iPhone 11 — RitchieCam — Standard Film
iPhone 11 — RitchieCam — B&W Fade
Canyonlands National Park — Utah
iPhone 11 — RitchieCam — Faded Film
The day after our Arches visit, we went to the nearby Canyonlands National Park. While Arches can get packed with people, I’ve never seen a crowd at Canyonlands—I’m sure it happens, but I’ve always found plenty of solitude. The Colorado River goes through both Canyonlands and the Grand Canyon, and they’re both on the Colorado Plateau—both are indeed natural wonders, and there are certainly some similarities between them, yet each offers a unique experience for visitors. Picking a favorite National Park is a difficult and unfair endeavor, but Canyonlands is without a doubt one of my top picks—maybe not number one, but definitely top five.
The reason why Canyonlands was on Day 2 and not Day 1 of our National Parks adventure is because it was closed the day prior due to the snowfall. A dusting of snow in Arches was a blizzard in the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands, which sits about 6,000′ above sea level, and about 1,000′ higher than the terrain below. Thankfully, by the time we arrived, most of the snow had melted, and we had a fun day hiking, taking in the incredible canyon views that this park offers.
iPhone 11 — RitchieCam — Standard Film
iPhone 11 — RitchieCam — Vibrant Color
iPhone SE — RitchieCam — Analog Color — Photo by Joy
iPhone 11 — RitchieCam — Dramatic B&W
Bryce Canyon National Park — Utah
iPhone 11 — RitchieCam — Standard Film
In southwestern Utah is Bryce Canyon National Park, which is known for its vibrant red hoodoos. While I’ve visited the nearby Zion National Park a couple of times, I had never made it to Bryce Canyon until this last spring. Wow! I was really missing out—Bryce Canyon is absolutely incredible! It’s a National Park that everyone should experience at least once, if they can. While Zion is quite nice, too, if you only have time for one or the other, I would go to Bryce Canyon.
The elevation of the park varies between 6,600′ and 9,100′ depending on where you’re at. Despite “canyon” in its name, Bryce Canyon is technically not a canyon, but a series of natural amphitheaters. To really experience the park you’ll want to put on your hiking shoes; however, don’t expect an easy trail, as the paths are often steep and full of switchbacks. It’s completely worthwhile, though, and, if you are physically able to do it, I highly recommend going down a trail or two while you’re there.
iPhone 13 Pro — RitchieCam — Vibrant Color — Photo by Amanda
iPhone 11 — RitchieCam — Standard Film
iPhone 11 — RitchieCam — B&W Fade
iPhone 11 — RitchieCam — B&W Fade
Grand Teton National Park — Wyoming
iPhone 11 — RitchieCam — Color Negative Low
The Grand Teton National Park in western Wyoming is an amazing sight to behold! I had been once before—in late-spring several years ago—and this was my first winter visit. Unfortunately, the park was much less accessible this time, due to snow. Jackson Hole is a ski destination, so there were lots of tourists, but most of my favorite photography spots (that I was hoping to return to) were closed. I would say that it was disappointing, but when you view the towering range, despite the conditions, it’s impossible to be disappointed—it just made me eager to come again in a different season.
Within Grand Teton National Park are eight peaks that are over 12,000′ above sea level. The location of Ansel Adams’ famous Snake River Overlook picture is well marked and (normally) easily accessible—I had to hike through some knee-deep snow to get to it on this trip. Definitely worth seeing, but perhaps winter isn’t the best time.
iPhone 11 — RitchieCam — Analog Color
iPhone 11 — RitchieCam — Instant Color 1
iPhone 11 — RitchieCam — Instant Color 1
iPhone 11 — RitchieCam — Dramatic B&W
Hot Springs National Park — Arkansas
iPhone 11 — RitchieCam — B&W Fade
Perhaps the strangest National Park I’ve ever experienced is Hot Springs National Park. Located in downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas, this park is free to visit (although the observation tower has a fee to access), but there’s not much to see. You can self-tour one of the bathhouses (which is now the visitors center). There are a couple of rather-ordinary springs that you can view—unfortunately, most of the springs are oddly capped with metal encasements. There are some trails that twist up a hill (along with a road), and at the top is a tower, which offers breathtaking views of the southern Ozarks. None of it comes close to the grandness that I have come to expect from National Parks, or even many state parks.
I was surprised by the beauty of this region. I liked Hot Springs. The National Park was a good place to spend a few hours. But I left wondering why in the world this was a National Park, because it doesn’t seem like it should be. It’s worth visiting if you’re in the area (and the area is worth visiting), but I wouldn’t make a special trip just to see Hot Springs National Park. Still, we had a good time, and made some family memories, and that’s what really matters.
iPhone 13 Pro — RitchieCam — Sunny Day — Photo by Amanda
iPhone 13 Pro — RitchieCam — Sunny Day — Photo by Amanda
iPhone 13 Pro — RitchieCam — Instant Color 1 — Photo by Amanda
iPhone 11 — RitchieCam — B&W Fade
There are 63 National Parks in America, and someday I hope to visit them all. It will take years—probably a lifetime! Five in one year is a good lot, and maybe the opportunity will arise to visit even more before January rolls around. I hope so. And if I do, not only will I bring my Fujifilm cameras, but my iPhone, too.
Virgin River From Canyon Junction Bridge – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Zion National Park was the third most visited National Park in America in 2017, right behind the Grand Canyon. Utah has five National Parks–only Alaska and California have more–and of the five Zion is by far the most popular, with Arches National Park a distant second. It’s no surprise that Zion is usually quite crowded. I was surprised at just how packed it was when I visited in the middle of the week in the middle of November. Isn’t this supposed to be the off-season when fewer people are there?
I arrived with my family in the morning about an hour after sunrise. We waited in a somewhat short line to get into Zion. Once inside we found the parking lot at the visitor’s center to be completely full, with a number of cars circling hoping that somebody would leave. We decided that we’d explore what we could of the park by automobile and hope that the parking situation would be better a little later.
This was our first time to Zion National Park and we really didn’t know what to expect. We didn’t anticipate the gobs of people and we didn’t expect that there’s not much one can see of the park from the car. There is the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel, which is over one mile long, and a few pullouts along the road that were packed full of cars (I illegally parked to get the photo at the top of this article). There are some things that can be seen and experienced from behind the wheel, but most of the park is accessible only by the park’s bus system or by foot. Once we figured this out we put a more serious effort into finding a place inside Zion to park the car. Unfortunately, parking was still scarce and we were lucky to find a spot in an overflow lot that required a small hike to the nearest bus stop; however, we soon discovered that we left the kid’s sweaters at the hotel and it hadn’t warmed up enough yet to be out without them.
Vista From Mount Carmel Tunnel – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F
We left the park feeling a bit defeated and disappointed. We found a combination coffee shop and gift shop in Springdale, which is the small town right outside of the park entrance, and purchased some warmer clothes for the kids and the wife and I sipped on some coffee. We decided to park in town and take the free shuttle to the park. This turned out to be a much better way to get into Zion. The bus dropped us off right outside the park, and a quick walk across a short bridge brought us to Zion’s shuttle stop. Unfortunately, the line for Zion’s shuttle was about 400 people deep, but thankfully there were a lot of buses running and the line moved surprisingly quick.
The bus was completely packed. We rode it to the end, which is where the Riverside Walk trail is located. This trail is about two miles round trip and very easy, even for the kids. It’s also extraordinarily scenic! The draw to this place is quite apparent. It’s a landscape photographer’s playground. It was also packed with people and at times felt like we were strolling through New York City and not a canyon in southern Utah. Even so, we had a good time enjoying the amazing natural sights around us.
After our hike we got back on the bus, which we had to wait in a line for and was again filled to the brim. We had intended to stay in the park longer, but we dared not get off the bus at a different stop because we might not find seats on another bus. So our stay in Zion was short. There is no doubt that this park is one of the most beautiful, but it’s too crowded. Next time I will have to ensure that it’s a less busy time of the year for a visit. I hear the park is beautiful dusted with snow.
For these pictures I used a Fujifilm X100F, a Fujifilm XF10 and a Fujifilm X-T20 with an Asahi Auto-Takumar 55mm f/2.2 lens attached using an M42 adapter. The Asahi lens is fantastic, with just a little corner softness that improves as you stop down, and I paid only $30 for it (and it came with a camera). Despite the crowds, Zion is incredibly beautiful with photographic opportunities literally everywhere. I spent a partial day there and came away with these pictures. I felt like I left many great photographs behind. Zion National Park is a magical place for photography, but it’s not a very good place to find solitude, at least not when I was there.
B&W
Virgin River Through Zion Canyon – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Rocky River – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20
Sun High Over The Canyon – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20
Zion Canyon Sun – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20
Sun Over Bridge Mountain – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Amanda & Johanna Asleep – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Rock Wall – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20
Trunks & Leaves – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20
Monochrome Vista From Mount Carmel Tunnel – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Color
The Family, Zion Bridge In Autumn – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm XF10
A Pine Among The Rocks – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20
Mount Carmel Tunnel & Chevy – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Autumn River – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Virgin River In November – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Strolling Through Zion Canyon – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Rock Ledges – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20
Yellow Tree Against Red Rock – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Yellow Trees Below Bridge Mountain – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Rocks of Zion – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20
Desert Juniper – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Virgin River Through Zion – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Yellow Tree, Zion Canyon – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20
Canyon Tree in Fall – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20
Yellow Leaves in Zion – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20
Autumn Tree & Rock – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20
Sunlight Through The Trees – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20
The Yellow of Autumn – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20
Autumn Along The Virgin River – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm XF10
River Along The Autumn Path – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Flowing Through Zion Canyon – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm XF10
River In The Canyon – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20
River & Canyon – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20
Rushing Virgin River – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20
Vibrant Autumn Forest – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20
The Great Sand Dunes National Park lends itself well to black-and-white photography because of the highlight-and-shadow play that is so prevalent, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a good place for color pictures. While I definitely came away with more monochrome images, a couple of my favorite pictures are in color. I imagine that autumn would be especially nice for color photography at this location, and perhaps late-spring or early summer when there is an abundance of fresh green. Late summer features a lot of brown, tan, and yellow, which can still be alright.
All of the photographs in this article are straight-out-of-camera JPEGs captured using my Fujifilm X-Pro2 with a Fujinon 60mm f/2.4 Macro lens attached to the front. I used my Kodachrome II film simulation recipe for most of them. Enjoy!
In July my family and I visited the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve near Alamosa, Colorado. This national park features the tallest sand dunes in North America. The towering Sangre de Cristo Mountains loom in the background. It’s an impressive and unusual landscape!
During wetter months the Medano Creek flows beneath the sand dunes, and in order to get to the dunes one must get their feet wet. We were there during a dry month and there was no water in the wide creek bed. Unsurprisingly, a visit to the sand dunes requires a significant amount of walking on sand, which means that it takes more effort and more time to get from one point to another. It’s no walk in the park, and it’s best to come prepared with plenty of water and ready for the hike.
While we were there, once on the dunes, the wind was blustery and it kicked up the sand quite fiercely. It pelted our legs and would occasionally blow in our faces and get into our eyes. It was more of an issue for the kids since they’re shorter. It was not a fun experience, so we did not stay on the dunes for very long.
The place offers amazing photographic opportunities. If you like working with shadows and highlights and abstract shapes, this is the place for you! The Great Sand Dunes National Park is one of those special landscapes where it’s difficult to come away with bad pictures. I had with me a Fujifilm X-Pro2 with a Fujinon 60mm f/2.4 Macro lens attached to the front. The X-Pro2 is weather sealed, but the lens is not. Thankfully I did not get dust on the sensor. I would strongly recommend not changing lenses while at the dunes, as you’re just asking for trouble by doing so.
We were only at the sand dunes for a couple of hours. It would have been great if we could have stayed longer. I think that a sunrise hike to the top would have been epic, but time just didn’t allow for it. Even so, we were glad for the opportunity that we did have. I’m happy with the photographs and memories that I came away with.
Great Sand Dunes – Great Sand Dunes NP, CO
Mountains & Sand Across The Valley – Great Sand Dunes NP, CO
Mountain of Sand – Great Sand Dunes NP, CO
Stroller Alone – Great Sand Dunes NP, CO
Sand & Sangre de Cristo – Great Sand Dunes NP, CO
Running In The Sand – Great Sand Dunes NP, CO
It’s A Long Ways To The Top – Great Sand Dunes NP, CO
Mountain, Sand & Sky – Great Sand Dunes NP, CO
Sand & Sierra Sky – Great Sand Dunes NP, CO
Improbability – Great Sand Dunes National Park, CO
I’ve heard it said that at Grand Canyon National Park your widest lens isn’t wide enough and your longest lens isn’t long enough, no matter how wide-angle or telephoto those lenses might be. I’ve been to the Grand Canyon several times, and each time I’ve felt that way. The place is amazing, yet it seems difficult to do it justice with a camera.
The canyon is huge! The national park is almost 2,000 square miles. The Colorado River traverses 277 miles through it. At its deepest point (or, really, the highest part of the rim to the river) is 6,000′. The longest stretch across rim-to-rim is 18 miles. It’s hard to effectively portray this scale in a photograph.
The Grand Canyon is the most photographed landmark in Arizona and one of the most photographed places in America, with tens of thousands of images created within the park daily. The task of creating something that’s photographically unique is nearly impossible. I’m sure that there are hundreds of pictures that look almost identical to mine. One has to spend significant time within the park, as well as exercise the creative mind, in order to capture something different than what’s already been done before.
Watchtower Sky – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
I was attempting art with some of the photographs that I captured at the Grand Canyon. Other images were family snapshots meant simply for memories. There’s a difference between interpreting and documenting. Both are valid and serve different purposes, and they each take a different approach to accomplish. In this article you’ll find both.
I used my Fujifilm X100F for most of these pictures, which are all straight-out-of-camera JPEGs. The Acros Film Simulation makes for exceptional monochrome images, and I used my Acros and Acros Push-Process film simulations for these X100F images. I used my Fujifilm X-A3 with a Jupiter 21M lens for three of these pictures, which are also camera-made JPEGs. I used the Monochrome film simulation, which isn’t as good as Acros, but the X-A3 doesn’t have Acros so I couldn’t use it.
I love black-and-white photography, and Grand Canyon National Park is a wonderful place to create monochrome images. I look forward to returning. Grand Canyon is a special place, and it’s been much too long between visits. Maybe next time I can stay a little longer.
Kids Approaching The Rim – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Maricopa Point – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M
Canyon Juniper – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Boy Riding Backwards – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Strapped In Her Stroller – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Joy of Window Shopping – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
From Behind Glass – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Two Young Explorers – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Tree Over Arch – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Of Light & Shadow – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Canyon Grand – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Scraggly Tree At Grand Canyon – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Looking West From Desert View – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
The Watchtower – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Mary’s Watchtower – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Watchtower Sun – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Desert Watchtower – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Telescoping – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Canyon River – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M
Sky Above The Canyon Below – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
The Grand View – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Grand Canyon From Desert View – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
A couple of weeks ago my family and I jumped in the car and made the long drive to Grand Canyon National Park. From my house to the hotel we booked in Williams, Arizona, was nine hours of driving, not including stops. We left early and arrived late, weary from the road. Really, it was too many hours in the car for one day, but we only had a short time for this adventure, so we pushed through to our destination.
The next day we got back in the car and drove 45 minutes to Tusayan, the tiny town right outside the entrance of the national park, and had some breakfast. After our bellies were full, and with cups of hot coffee, we continued the short trek to Grand Canyon Village and to the south rim of Grand Canyon National Park.
I’ve been to the Grand Canyon several times before, and the reaction for first-time visitors, as well as those who haven’t been in awhile, is the same: “Whoa!” That first look is always awe-inspiring and breathtaking. It just appears so impossibly grand! Everything seems so small and insignificant in comparison. It really is the magic of this incredible place.
We walked along the Rim Trail for awhile, stepping into some of the historic lodges and buildings along the way. We encountered the Bright Angel Trail and headed down, but only to the tunnel, which is probably about a mile trek round-trip. Someday I’d like to hike all the way to the bottom, but this wasn’t the trip for that.
Grand Sight – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Lunch was at the Harvey House Cafe. Then we headed to the car to drive around and see more sights. Heading east on Highway 64, we made it to Desert View and saw the Watchtower, which is at the eastern end of the park. On the way back towards the village we stopped at a few overlooks. It was approaching dinner, so we said goodbye to Grand Canyon National Park and traveled back to Williams.
I cannot say enough how amazingly beautiful Grand Canyon National Park is! If I had more time I would have made sure to be there for sunrise and sunset. This was just a quick visit, so I missed both golden hours. Early the next morning we left for home, which is near Salt Lake City, Utah. We encountered some winter weather, so the drive back ended up being longer than the drive out. To say that we were happy to be home when we arrived close to midnight would be a huge understatement. It was two full days of being crammed in the car just to be at the Grand Canyon for one day, but it was completely worth it!
For these photographs I used a Fujifilm X100F and a Fujifilm X-A3 with a Jupiter 21M lens. The X100F was great because it fit into my jacket pocket and captured wonderful pictures with ease. The X-A3 with the Jupiter lens was bulky and heavy and became tiresome carrying around my neck, but it allowed me to capture some images that I simply couldn’t with the other camera. When you travel, smaller and lighter is almost always better, but sometimes something more is needed.
These are all straight-out-of-camera JPEGs, and I used Velvia, Classic Chrome, PRO Neg. Std, and PRO Neg. Hi film simulations. Not editing the pictures saved me tons of time, and both cameras did an excellent job thanks to Fujifilm’s fine JPEG engine, which I rely heavily on. If I had post-processed RAW files instead, the results wouldn’t be much different to what you see here, except that I’d still be sitting in front of the computer editing them. Instead, they were finished before I even got home, and you’re able to enjoy them today.
Kids At The Canyon – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Amanda, Johanna & I – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F – captured by Joy Roesch
Kids On Bright Angel Trail – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Evergreen Tree & Red Canyon – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Canyon Behind The Pines – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Grand Canyon Railway – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M
Lamp In The Lodge – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Hopi Art – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Unforgiving Environment – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M
Colorado River of Green – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M
Red Canyon Walls – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M
Trees, Rocks & Cliffs – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Light Over A Barren Landscape – Valle, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Get Your Gifts On Route 66 – Williams, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Neon Gifts – Williams, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Cheap Room – Williams, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Neon Bistro – Williams, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Drink Coke – Williams, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
Steaks & BBQ – Williams, AZ – Fujifilm X100F
BBQ & Coke – Williams, AZ – X100F
Fire In The Sky – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M
Spiked Cactus – Kanab, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Kids At Moqui Cave – Kanab, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Anderson Mountain – Paragonah, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M
I surprised myself with how few images I captured in monochrome of Canyonlands National Park. During that visit I most often chose color, as the lighting made for wonderful color photographs, and I only went with black-and-white here and there. This is the opposite of what happened at Arches National Park earlier in the day, in which I chose monochrome more often because of the poor light. In general, I’m more drawn towards black-and-white photography, and so it was very unusual for me to focus so much on color.
Canyonlands was a joy to photograph and I felt like I came away with some print-worthy exposures. The pictures in this post were mostly captured using my Fujifilm X-A3 with a Jupiter 21M lens attached, which is a good telephoto combination. I used the Monochrome+R film simulation, which isn’t as good as Acros, but the X-A3 doesn’t have Acros and so I couldn’t use it (the lone Fujifilm X100F image was captured using Acros). All of these photographs are straight-out-of-camera JPEGs, which I prefer because it saves me tons of time. A couple of them could have been slightly improved if I had edited the RAW exposure, but the JPEGs are certainly good enough in this case.
If I ever have the chance, I’d love to spend a week at Canyonlands National Park. I feel like I barely touched the surface of the potential photo opportunities there. It seems like a place that could provide plenty of portfolio material. It was just so breathtakingly beautiful and peaceful. I just can’t say enough about Canyonlands! If you ever have the chance to go, definitely go, you won’t be disappointed.
La Sal Moon – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fuji X-A3 & Jupiter 21M
La Sal From Island In The Sky – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M
Mountains Through Mesa Arch – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M
Tree at Grand View Overlook – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M
Canyon Pinion – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F
On the same day that I visited Arches National Park in Utah, I also made it to Canyonlands National Park, which is right around the corner. Even though these two national parks are quite close, they are very much different places. Arches is known for unusual and seemingly impossible rock formations, while Canyonlands, which also has some unusual rock formations, is more known for amazing vistas and seemingly endless canyons.
My visit to Arches was marked by poor midday light. On the other hand, since I arrived at the park entrance about 90 minutes before sunset, I managed to catch Canyonlands under much better late-evening light. Even though I spent twice as much time at Arches National Park, I felt that my best pictures on this trip were captured inside Canyonlands National Park.
Another difference between Arches and Canyonlands is that one park had many tourists and the other had only a few. Canyonlands seemed more open and peaceful, and I felt a deeper connection with this place. I enjoyed Canyonlands immensely, and my biggest regret was not spending more time there.
Canyonlands National Park is huge, and I only did the Island In The Sky tour, which is a small portion of the park. Because my time was limited, I missed out on some great locations within the Island In The Sky quadrant. I imagine that one could spend a few weeks at Canyonlands and not see and experience everything.
I love America’s national parks, and one of my favorites is Canyonlands National Park. It has a peaceful yet draw-dropping beauty that begs you to explore and experience. I’ve never been to the north rim of the Grand Canyon, but I image it to be a similar experience. It’s a place where you can relax, reflect and restore. It’s a great place to photograph. I will return, camera in hand.
As I mentioned in part one, the lighting for photography was pretty terrible during the few hours that I was at Arches National Park. Still, the place was nothing short of amazing! I wanted to capture it all, and found that black-and-white was often a better choice than color. I think if I had been there closer to sunrise or sunset, color would have been the way to go. Because I was up against the harsh midday sun, monochrome seemed to better express the abnormally stunning landscape.
On the X100F I used my Acros and Acros Push-Process film simulations, except that I had the dynamic range set to DR400. I often chose Acros+R to simulate the use of a red filter (making the blue sky darker), although the results are closer to what one would get with an orange filter in real black-and-white film photography and not a red filter. On the X-A3 I primarily used the B&W+R film simulation with the highlights and shadows set to +2, which seems to give the right amount of contrast in most situations.
All of the photographs in this article are camera-made JPEGs. If I had relied on RAW and used Lightroom or some other software on my computer, I’d probably still be editing the pictures. Instead, I saved a ton of time and relied on the camera’s great JPEG processor. I’m happy with the results. I didn’t capture any portfolio worthy pictures, but all things considered, I managed at least a few decent photographs that I’m proud to show here. I just hope for the opportunity to return and photograph Arches National Park in better light.
If you ever have the chance to go, I highly recommend this place. It’s so unusual, filled with seemingly impossible formations and brilliant colors. It’s a landscape photographer’s playground. Or just a great place to wander in the wonder of nature. I enjoyed my short visit to Arches National Park, and I cannot wait to return, hopefully sooner than later.
North Windows Arch – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F
I moved from California to Utah almost two years ago. One reason that my wife and I chose Utah was its proximity to many great National Parks. So far we’ve made it to a few, but not nearly as many as I would like. Last week the opportunity came to take my family to Moab, Utah, to see Arches National Park, and so we went.
When I was a kid my family visited Arches National Park, but it had been nearly three decades since I was last there. In fact, I was near the age of my two oldest children. Even though it had been a long time, the park seemed familiar, and I was constantly saying, “Oh, I remember this!” It was really good to return, and to share the experience with my family.
The weather was quite pleasant. It was sunny with blue skies. The temperature was little cool but not cold, far from scorching hot like it gets in the summer and not freezing cold like it was that same day at my house near Salt Lake City. We were there midday, so the lighting was about as awful for photography as one could find. The shadows were deep and the light-colored rocks were reflecting the brilliant sunlight. Trying to balance the exposures was a tricky task, because it was easy to have blocked-up shadows or blown highlights or both.
Arches National Park is simply amazing! The odd red rock formations seem like something from another planet. The place looks fragile and even sometimes impossible. It’s a grand landscape in a harsh and barren desert. It’s worth seeing, if you ever find yourself in southern Utah. If you do go, make sure you download onto your phone the GyPSy automated tour guide app. It’s the best few dollars I’ve spent on an app ever.
I don’t believe that I captured any great color images at Arches National Park, but I do think I got a few decent exposures. It just wasn’t a good lighting, and photography is about light perhaps more than anything else. I do hope to return sometime in the near future, and maybe I’ll be able to photograph the place under better conditions.
It’s very difficult to capture anything remotely unique when visiting a heavily photographed location. Thousands of pictures are made inside Arches National Park every day. I always attempt at unique, knowing full well that I will probably fail. Are these pictures art? Maybe a couple of them. Mostly they’re snapshots, simple memory aids for my family. I hope you appreciate what I captured and that you enjoy these pictures.
Close Knit Rock Family – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M
In late December, just a couple days after Christmas, I had a chance to visit Kolob Canyon in Zion National Park. Zion is the sixth most visited national park in America and is the most visited national park in Utah. Kolob Canyon is a lesser known section of the park that’s isolated from the rest. We found a little snow on the ground from a storm the week before.
Access to Kolob Canyon is easy because it’s right off of Interstate 15 between St. George and Cedar City. A quick five-mile dead-end road curves through the scenic canyon. Because those on the freeway are just passing through and it’s a bit out of the way for those visiting the main part of the park, it just gets overlooked. It really is a hidden gem!
Kolob Canyon is full of impressive red-orange cliffs, finger canyons and sweeping vistas. It’s higher in elevation than the more-visited sections of Zion, so the landscape is little more green and a little less desert. It’s easy to see why this area was included in the national park, it’s just chocked full of natural beauty!
My short visit to the park was not during ideal light conditions for photography. The sky was a deep blue, but the sun was harsh and nearly overhead. My family and I arrived at 12:40 in the afternoon and we left about an hour-and-a-half later. Undeterred by the problematic light, I used my Fujifilm X100F to capture the grand sights that were before me. I used my wide-angle conversion lens for many of the exposures.
All of these photographs are camera-made JPEGs; however, I used Fujifilm’s X RAW Studio to process the RAW files (click the link if that statement is confusing to you). I used my Velvia Film Simulation recipe, but adjusted shadows to -1 and sometimes -2 because the shadows were harsh. I adjusted highlights to -2 in a few of the images, as well. In retrospect, I wonder if using DR400 would have worked better. Either way, I’m pretty happy with the results, all things considered.
Beatty Point – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Paria Point – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Paria & Beatty Points – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F
The Zion Desert – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Timber Top Mountain – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Old Log In Zion – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Sunlight Over Shuntavi Butte – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Orange Cliffs – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Kolob Canyon In December – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F
Trees, Rocks, Canyons & Hanging Valleys – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F
