The best cure for a creative slump is to get back to basics and jump into Mother Nature. My friend, Alex, had traveled this road many times before and had our day-trip all mapped out, so all I had to do was load the film camera up (with expired film!) and hop in his car to explore some things I've never seen before!
Who better to test some film shots before a trip than my man, Murphy?
It was one of those perfect California days. Big Blue skies, amazing weather. Some of the landscape on our way to I-395 looked almost painted or surreal, but when we came across Red Rock Canyon, I gasped out loud! It's off the 14 and the mix of red/orange rocks against that cloudless blue sky had me in an absolute twist! Alex was already half way up the rocks by the time I was able to shut my jaw in amazement!
These two shots are on 12 year expired Kodak Portra 400 Film.
Also on the 14 is Robber's Roost. A very quirky spot indeed!
Every 30 minutes the landscape completely changed. I adore California for this reason, it has a little bit of everything!
As we headed towards the outskirts of Death Valley the road turns a little red and for some reason that thrilled me. California was just starting to get the hints of a Super Bloom and I was so excited to see some signs of life popping up through the desert!
Same crazy exposure shifts from that expired film!
The stop off at Father Crowley Point off the 190 is just on the edge of Death Valley. The colors of the rocks missed with that sky had me at hello, once again!
When the landscape shifted once again I was in absolute awe. Snow capped mountains of the Eastern Sierras started forming in our view as we headed towards the Mount Whitney Portal.
Gotta love that funky expired film look!
we turned a corner and boom! We were in these tiny little sand dunes all of a sudden! This is the lowest point in America and we were looking at Mount Whitney, which is the highest point!
Sandy and happy I ran back to the car to keep onwards to the Alabama Hills to catch Golden Hour.
My gaze was solidly fixed on Mount Whitney, but I started noticing these smaller brown rocky hills rising up below the larger mountains. Just when I thought things couldn't get any prettier we entered the land of the Alabama Hills and took a little trek in to see the Mobius Arch.
The Mobius Arch with the view of Mount Whitney in her frame. Absolutely amazing and we landed the timing perfectly.
At some point I just put down my camera and looked around. A photograph wasn't going to do it justice. It's just that amazing.
It's easy to feel small out here, like an ant scurrying around the prehistoric bounders and being practically the only people around. Realizing we were starving we stopped back into Lone Pine to grab a delicious pint and meal from Whitney Restaurant.
This expired film has my heart!
The Final Stop - Diaz Lake.
