Adventures in the Ozarks is my long-term color film study of the places and people that shape the Ozarks. I photograph historic mills, lone trees, creeks and rivers, small-town life, old barns, farm scenes, backroads, and the wild horses that still move to an older rhythm.
I shoot Kodak Portra because it fits how the Ozarks feels: gentle light, weathered surfaces, and color that doesn’t demand attention. I use Portra 400 when I’m working handheld and moving fast, and Portra 160 when I can slow down on a tripod and let the scene settle. Both films give me a quiet palette and smooth tones that match this place—faded paint, winter grasses, river reflections, and the last light of day.
This series isn’t about trying to win awards. It’s about returning, paying attention, and earning a deeper understanding over time. Each photograph is made to hold what it felt like to be there: the hush of a creek bend, the patience of an old mill, the steady dignity of a town that keeps going, and a lone tree holding its ground against a wide sky.
I’d love for you to follow along as Adventures in the Ozarks takes shape. I’ll be sharing new photographs, field videos, and the stories behind the places that keep pulling me back—mills, rivers, backroads, small towns, and more. If you’re a Darkroom Diary Premium member, you’ll also get the full behind-the-scenes workflow: film exposure choices, development notes, and my scanning process, shared in a practical way so you can learn right alongside me.
Follow along on YouTube in my dedicated Adventures in the Ozarks playlist.
Ready to go deeper with your photography? – Join the Darkroom Diary Premium Membership—a creative refuge for film photographers working with 35mm, medium format, or large format. Whether you’re scanning and sharing or crafting fine art prints, you’ll find expert guidance, meaningful conversation, and a supportive community focused on vision, process, and emotional impact. Join today and start creating work that truly matters.
Adventures in the Ozarks Technical Info
This series is special to me, both personally and creatively. I haven’t committed to a long-term color project in decades.
In late 2025, I began building a cargo trailer and turning it into a mobile darkroom and camper. I wanted the freedom to stay out longer—photographing our local wild horses, and taking longer trips to explore deeper into the region.
I’m a long-time transplant to the Missouri Ozarks, and this place has become home. The more time I spend here, the more I feel pulled to share its quiet beauty and lived history—its mills, rivers, backroads, farms, and small towns—with the respect they deserve.
Most images in this new series will be photographed with my Canon 1V 35mm camera using Kodak Portra 400 rated at EI 200.
Why the EOS-1V? I need three things from my camera for this project: portability, speed, and flexibility.
First, it’s portable. The EOS-1V handles like a modern digital 35mm camera—small, fast, and easy to carry all day. I love my medium and large format systems, but they’re too big and slow for the pace of this work.
Second, it’s effortless on the technical side. Some moments happen in a split second. I need reliable autofocus and metering so I can react quickly and still come home with consistently strong negatives.
Third, I need flexible focal lengths with as few lenses as possible. The EOS-1V paired with the Canon EF 24–105mm f/4L IS II is my everyday workhorse. It’s fast enough at f/4 and covers most of what I see.
For reach, I use the Canon EF 100–400mm f/4.5–5.6L IS II. That lens takes me from compressed landscapes to wildlife without changing my approach.
In practice, I run two EOS-1V bodies: the 24–105mm on one and the 100–400mm on the other. It keeps me ready without swapping lenses.
For Ozark wild horses, I also use a Sigma EF 120–300mm f/2.8. It’s heavy, but it has produced some of the best wild horse images of my career.
I suspect most of the images will be handheld. If a subject or scene would benefit from large format, then I will use my 4×5 Chamonix large format camera with either Kodak Portra 400 or Portra 160. I am guessing at this time that 90% of the images will be created with the Canon 1V 35mm system.
I will be scanning my film with the Nikon ES-2 35mm scanning attachment using my Canon R5 II 45MP (8192×5464 pixels) that will allow me to easily create very high quality prints up to 17×22 on my Epson P800 or P900 printer. I plan to mostly create 8×10 archival prints for photo books.
Kodak Portra is the film I trust for the Ozarks because it renders the world the way it feels here—quiet, natural, and unforced. Its wide latitude holds detail in bright skies and deep shade, while keeping color restrained and believable instead of loud. Portra’s smooth transitions and gentle contrast match weathered wood, winter grasses, river reflections, and late-day light—so the photograph looks lived-in, not polished.
I’d love for you to follow along as Adventures in the Ozarks takes shape. I’ll be sharing new photographs, field videos, and the stories behind the places that keep pulling me back—mills, rivers, backroads, small towns, and more. If you’re a Darkroom Diary Premium member, you’ll also get the full behind-the-scenes workflow: film exposure choices, development notes, and my scanning process, shared in a practical way so you can learn right alongside me. Follow along on YouTube in my dedicated Adventures in the Ozarks playlist.
