Equipment

 

Come on - you didn't expect an equipment list, did you?  😆

CAMERAS

I’ve always thought of myself as an amateur photographer - which might be why I still love it, even 50 years after picking up my first Yashica rangefinder. Photography has never been about clients or income for me. My day jobs paid the bills; the camera fed my soul.

When I take pictures, I see the world through what I call My Desert Lens - a perspective shaped by 40 years of wandering the desert. Most of the photos I share here simply document those experiences. A few turn out quite pretty. And every now and then, one makes me proud. I make no claim to be a world-class photographer - not even close - but that’s never really been the point.  I’m sharing my desert experiences - mostly the memorable ones, often humorous, and occasionally, surprisingly profound.

As a teenager, I learned an important truth: if you can’t take a good photo with a cheap Instamatic (ask your grandfather), no fancy camera will save you. It’s all about understanding the basics and knowing how to work within your gear’s limits. If I ever told my wife that our new frying pan made a great dinner, she’d rightfully hit me over the head with it. The same logic applies to cameras - it’s not the tool, it’s the hand behind it.

Film made us all more intentional. Every click mattered when you only had 24 or 36 shots per roll - plus the cost of development. You had to think before pressing the shutter. Today, people shoot hundreds of digital photos hoping to find one keeper. That’s not skill; it’s spray and pray.

Over the years, I’ve owned many cameras and loved them all - because I took the time to understand their limitations and make the most of them. I still use several I’ve picked up in the last decade. But it all started in the last century (yes, I’m officially old) with my dad’s Yashica rangefinder. Later, I saved up for a Canon FTb SLR and gradually built a lens kit - Canon, Sigma, Tamron, and a few off-brand gems from the local camera store. Having a variety of focal lengths felt like freedom. I tried Nikon for a while, but it never quite clicked for me.

Then came digital. I couldn’t afford one of the first DSLRs, but the early point-and-shoots had potential - especially the ones that let me control shutter speed and aperture. I had a good run with Canon Powershots and Nikon Coolpix models. The Coolpix P310 still gets some use: sharp lens, great range, built-in intervalometer - just plain fun.

For a while, I fell for the convenience of smartphone photography. Always in your pocket, decent resolution, lots of cute (yes, that’s a dig) gimmicks. But come on—tiny sensors crammed with megapixels? No thanks. The day I got my first DSLR, my phone went back to being a phone. DSLRs had real viewfinders, massive sensors, quality glass, fast autofocus, control over depth of field, beautiful bokeh - the whole artistic package. I was hooked.

I started with the original Canon Digital Rebel series: 350D, T2i, T3i, and so on. Over time, I built a solid collection of lenses for the APS-C format. Not wanting the bulk of a full-frame setup, I eventually went looking for the best APS-C camera Canon had to offer - and a couple of months ago I found the Canon EOS R7 mirrorless.

It blew me away.

The R7 came with a razor-sharp 18-150mm lens, and with my existing gear, I now have coverage from 10mm to 250mm. The pro-level features are almost overwhelming: up to 15 fps mechanical shutter (30 fps electronic) - 651 automatic AF zones - in-body image stabilization up to 8 stops, great for handheld shooting even with non-IS lenses - weather-sealed magnesium alloy body - three custom shooting modes - subject and eye detection (for people and animals) - built-in intervalometer - real 4K at 60 fps (none of that smartphone fakery.)  I’ve even started watching YouTube tutorials just to get up to speed with it all. The new RF lenses are phenomenal, and all my EF-S lenses work perfectly with the EF-EOS R adapter. It’s like my entire collection just leveled up.

Still, I like to think I could go out tomorrow and take a pretty good photo with a 1960s Instamatic.

Hopefully this newfangled thing won’t let me down.


PROCESSING


Something that really brought my love of photography back to life is shooting in RAW format. Back in the film days, I had a darkroom in the basement and loved adjusting every little detail of a photo. RAW gives me that same kind of creative control - but with way more flexibility. And when it comes to editing, nothing beats Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. I’ve tried other programs, but honestly, they just don’t measure up. Yeah, Adobe’s Creative Cloud Photography Plan is a subscription, but $14.99 a month? That’s less than a fast food stop - and way better for your body and soul.

By the way, I’m all-in on Mac. The newer models with Apple’s M-series chips are incredibly fast - and Adobe has fully optimized their software for them. Everything runs smooth as silk. I’m loving it, and it gets along beautifully with my iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and AirPods. Yup, after a lifetime of PCs, I've gone fully Apple in retirement - and I couldn’t be happier. 

I've closed all of my Windows for good...  😆

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Life in the Desert

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  • Beam Me Up, Nevada: Valley of Fire Is Out of This World

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    A fleeting moment of magic on the North Rim - one lightning strike, a stormy night, and a reminder that the Grand Canyon’s wonder never fades.

  • A Thousand-Year Connection

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    Within the cliffs of Comb RIdge, ancient fingerprints and a distant handshake trace a quiet thread through time - linking a desert builder, an astronaut, and the wonder that binds us all.

  • Beam Me Up, Nevada: Valley of Fire Is Out of This World

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    Exploring Nevada’s Valley of Fire feels like hiking on Mars - if Mars had slot canyons, Star Trek filming locations, and the most photogenic rocks this side of the galaxy.

  • Beware the Bucket List: Finding Meaning Beyond the Crowds

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    A cautionary tale about the pitfalls of chasing ‘bucket list’ destinations, told through decades of experience at Delicate Arch. This post encourages travelers to look beyond the Instagram-famous spots and discover the quieter, more rewarding corners of our national parks.

  • Bryce Canyon Sticks to Your Shoes

    Bryce Canyon Sticks to Your Shoes

    Mud-clogged boots turn a rainy Bryce hike into a sticky adventure.

  • Bryce Canyon: A Place That Never Stops Surprising Me

    Bryce Canyon: A Place That Never Stops Surprising Me

    Even after decades, Bryce still delivers breathtaking surprises daily.

  • Caineville Desert: A Black-and-White Dreamscape

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    Discover the haunting beauty of Utah’s Caineville Desert badlands, where Mancos Shale formations create perfect scenes for striking black-and-white photography.

  • Canyonlands: The Plateau with a Plot Twist

    Canyonlands: The Plateau with a Plot Twist

    A plateau photo session takes an unexpectedly epic turn.

  • Cathedral Valley: More Than a Place

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    In Cathedral Valley, you don't find answers - you find the kind of stillness that changes the questions.

  • Cedar Mesa - Where Stillness Comes Alive

    Cedar Mesa – Where Stillness Comes Alive

    An oasis of quiet where the desert seems to hold its breath.

  • Bryce Canyon: A Place That Never Stops Surprising Me

    Chasing Shadows in the Valley of the Gods

    A peaceful afternoon in Valley of the Gods turned into a time-lapse experiment fueled by clouds, coffee, and a very patient wife.

  • Chasing Stormlight in Dinosaur Land

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    Thunder-chased skies set the prehistoric landscape ablaze.

  •  Cruising Canyon Country: Dead Horse Point to Moab

    Cruising Canyon Country: Dead Horse Point to Moab

    Take a scenic drive through Dead Horse Point State Park, perched high above the Colorado River. Then follow the winding route back to Moab past overlooks for the La Sal Mountains and iconic red rock formations.

  • Embracing Timed Entry at Arches National Park

    Embracing Timed Entry at Arches National Park

    Buckle up for a scenic ride through Arches National Park, from the Entrance Booth to Devils Garden, and learn about how well the Timed Entry Reservation System is working.

  • Fishmouth Cave: A Walk Into the Past

    Fishmouth Cave: A Walk Into the Past

    We spotted a cave and followed our curiosity. What we found was a landscape rich in ancient dwellings and untold history.

  • From Skylines to Summits

    From Skylines to Summits

    Urban horizons give way to wild mountain summits in one epic journey that ultimately led to the desert.

  • Getting High in Cedar Breaks

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    Altitude and meds combine for a dizzying Cedar Breaks experience.

  • High Elevations and Unexpected Guests

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    A mountain hike in Nevada turns social when wildlife decides to tag along.

  • Hoh Rainforest: Trading Sand for Moss (and a Load of Laundry)

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    A construction worker walks into a seaside laundromat - what happens next might surprise you, but it all happened because of the desert.

  • Joshua Tree: A Desert Adventure with a Side of Classic Sci‑Fi

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    Retro sci‑fi vibes meet desert dunes on an unforgettable Joshua Tree trek.

  • Mist and Memories at Bryce

    Mist and Memories at Bryce

    Foggy moments and nostalgic echoes float through Bryce’s rimlands.

  • Monitor, Merrimac, and My Feet

    Monitor, Merrimac, and My Feet

    Canyonlands buttes and my hiking boots steal the spotlight.

  • Naked Truths About the Desert

    Naked Truths About the Desert

    My naked path to the desert, where nothing is hidden and everything is real.

  • Photography Is Dead (Just Kidding)

    Photography Is Dead (Just Kidding)

    A playful poke at photography’s woes ends in heartfelt celebration.

  • Push‑Ups and Postures: Canyon Country’s Flashiest Lizards

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    Some desert lizards show off more than attitude on sunlit rocks.

  • Sea of Clouds, Stone Spires, and a Desert Puffball

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    Misty skies frame towering rocks and a lone puffball photobomb.

  • The Hidden Heart of Comb Ridge

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    A secret desert ridge reveals its wild, rugged core.

  • The Path to Enlightenment Can Be Loud

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    Even quiet desert hikes can echo with unexpected noise and wisdom.

  • Utah’s Secret “Eye” in the Desert Sky - The Eye of Sinbad

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    A hike in Utah’s San Rafael Swell leads to a massive cave with a natural skylight shaped like an eye - offering stunning views, ancient pictographs, and incredible photo ops in a truly hidden desert gem.

  • Watching the Sky: How I Use Webcams for Photography Around Moab

    Watching the Sky: How I Use Webcams for Photography Around Moab

    Desert weather is unpredictable - so I let a handful of webcams tell me when it’s worth grabbing the camera and heading out.

  • Welcome to My Desert Lens

    Welcome to My Desert Lens

    An invitation into a world shaped by light, lens, and desert wonder.

  • When Time Is Yours: Rediscovering the Enjoyment of Photography

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    Savoring slow photography brings renewed joy and discovery.

  • Willis Creek: A Gothic Journey

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    Narrow stone canyons rise like desert cathedrals in Willis Creek.

Archive: A collection of memorable posts from my old blog

  • Moving On With No Regrets

    Moving On With No Regrets

    December 2002: A reflective journey that embraces change with an open heart.

  • Reflections on The Ineffable

    Reflections on The Ineffable

    Reflections on Ward J. Roylance’s “The Ineffable”.

  • Sightings in the Desert

    Sightings in the Desert

    January 2000: Unexpected desert encounters spark wonder under open skies.

  • Ward J. Roylance – A Personal Remembrance

    Ward J. Roylance – A Personal Remembrance

    November 1993: A personal tribute to a life that shaped my appreciation of the desert.

The Lighter Side of Life in the Desert

The desert Southwest can be brutal - heat, bugs, cliffs, and no water in sight. So if you're not having fun, what's the point? Chasing the same bucket-list hikes that a million other people do, just to recreate what’s available as a 1973 gift shop poster misses the mark. Blaze your own trail, stumble on it, and laugh. The best thing to pack? A sense of humor. If you're looking for us out here, just follow our laughter.


  • The Path to Enlightenment Can Be Loud

    The Path to Enlightenment Can Be Loud

    A humorous and heartfelt hike turns into an unexpectedly noisy path to personal insight in the desert Southwest.

  • A Date in the Desert

    A Date in the Desert

    A sweet and cinematic desert rendezvous unfolds under the vast open sky, blending golden twilight, warm conversation, and the serene beauty of the Southwest.

  • Photography is Dead (Just Kidding)

    Photography is Dead (Just Kidding)

    A tongue-in-cheek reflection on the state of photography, ultimately celebrating its resilience and the joy of creating images in a changing world.

  • High Elevations and Unexpected Guests

    High Elevations and Unexpected Guests

    A scenic mountain hike takes an unexpected turn when the local wildlife crashes the party - proving once again that even at 10,000 feet, you're never really alone.

  • Joshua Tree: A Desert Adventure with a Side of Classic Sci-Fi

    Joshua Tree: A Desert Adventure with a Side of Classic Sci-Fi

    A Joshua Tree desert adventure that’s part hike, part retro sci-fi romp—because why just explore when you can time travel and dodge cheesy monsters as well?

  • Hoh Rainforest: Trading Sand for Moss (and a Load of Laundry)

    Hoh Rainforest: Trading Sand for Moss (and a Load of Laundry)

    A construction worker walks into a seaside laundromat - what happens next might surprise you, but it all happened because I stepped out of the desert.

  • Canyonlands: The Plateau with a Plot Twist

    Canyonlands: The Plateau with a Plot Twist

    A performance one million years in the making meets a two minute review.

  • Getting High in Cedar Breaks

    Getting High in Cedar Breaks

    A lighthearted, altitude-fueled adventure at Cedar Breaks mixes stunning high-elevation views with a dose of oxygen-deprived humor.

  • Monitor, Merrimac, and My Feet

    Monitor, Merrimac, and My Feet

    A scenic hike at Canyonlands' Monitor and Merrimac Overlook turns into a hilarious flashback to a forgotten TV cameo - where only my ankles made the cut.

  • Bryce Canyon Sticks to Your Shoes

    Bryce Canyon Sticks to Your Shoes

    Turns out Bryce Canyon doesn’t just stick with you emotionally - it literally clings to your shoes.