“Shoot Film Drink Beer”

These photographs were taken on a “top-secret” adventure to Yosemite National Park. Good friends Joe and Ana were set to get engaged at Dewey Point, and my friend Tim and I backpacked to scout the location a day in advance and to prepare to take photographs of the engagement from a hidden location.

These photographs were taken on Kodak Tri-X 400, a black and white film stock. I developed these photographs myself at home using…beer. Black and white film development involves a relatively simple chemical reaction (compared to color photography), and instead of harsh chemicals you can actually use beer (along with some other ingredients)! This project was a learning experience and is in an attempt to win some small prizes from a Field Mag photography contest sponsored by Fat Tire. Naturally, I brought some Fat Tire on the adventure to include in the photographs and quench our thirst after the long hike. Developing in beer produces lower contrast images with a natural sepia tone that really gives these images a special nostalgic feeling.

24 hours atop Dewey Point overlooking the grand Yosemite Valley below, in an effort to help our good friends Joe & Ana with some secret engagement photos was an adventure I will never forget. These images are something special…to me at least.