Desert highway stretching toward distant mountains under open sky

Film photography from the desert west

Paul Frederiksen

Quiet roads, hard light, desert edges, and the places that happen between destinations.

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Desert Highway

California / 2024

Selected work

Photographs

A compact edit of film photographs from highways, desert towns, and the edges of Las Vegas.

Desert highway stretching toward distant mountains under open sky
Desert Highway California / 2024
Black and white photograph of an unfinished Las Vegas subdivision with empty roads, streetlights, and the Strip dissolving into haze
Edge of Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada
Roy's Gas station with vintage pumps and price sign in the Mojave Desert
Roy's Gas Amboy, California / 2024
Two-lane highway vanishing into distant mountains with power lines in the Mojave Desert
Saltus Road Saltus, California
Stop sign and power lines at a desert crossroads in black and white
Desert Crossing California / 2024
Iconic Roy's Motel and Cafe neon sign against clear blue desert sky
Roy's Motel & Cafe Amboy, California / 2024
Interpretive sign overlooking a vast desert basin with distant mountains
Desert Overlook Death Valley / 2024
Stop sign with cross traffic warning on a sandy desert highway
Cross Traffic California / 2024
ReciproMeter app icon

iPhone app

ReciproMeter

A privacy-first light meter for film photographers. Meter scenes with your iPhone, apply reciprocity correction, and keep long-exposure timing in your pocket.

Price
$9.99
Data
Official first
Privacy
No saved photos
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ReciproMeter meter screen showing base and corrected exposure
ReciproMeter film library screen

Meter

Live camera metering, exposure lock, and a full-screen framing view.

Reciprocity

Official film data first, with community and experimental estimates clearly separated.

About

Based in Las Vegas, I shoot film because I like the way it makes me slow down. Most of what I photograph is the desert — the highways, the light, the quiet stretches of nothing that somehow feel like everything. I'm drawn to the space between places, the in-between moments that digital tends to rush past.

When I'm not out shooting, I work in tech. This site is a place to share what I see through the viewfinder.

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paul@paulfrederiksen.com