Moab, Utah
Moab photographer
Portraits, couples and elopements in Moab's red rock, from a photographer who sorts the permits first.
Moab is easy to love and carefully regulated. I'd rather sort out the paperwork now than at dawn.
Getting there
Almost eight hours, so it's worth doing right.
That's a full day's drive, so I plan Moab sessions as a trip.
Where we would shoot
Four places, and the rules that come with them.
Arches National Park
National Park Service
The park calls its landscape one of contrasting colors, land forms and textures unlike any other. That's a fair description, and it's the place that comes to mind first when someone says Moab.
Photo rules here: The National Park Service lists filming, still photography and weddings or commitment ceremonies among the activities that may need a special use permit. The park did not require timed-entry reservations for 2026, and nothing had been announced for 2027 when I checked.
Read the official rulesDead Horse Point State Park
Utah State Parks
A state park that's open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. year-round, which suits evening sessions and winter sunrises.
Photo rules here: The park requires a special use permit for weddings and commercial photography, requested at least 30 days ahead. Portrait sessions themselves don't currently need a permit, but the hired photographer does.
Read the official rulesCorona Arch Trail
Bureau of Land Management
A marked trail off US-191 and UT-279 that ends at a big arch. Hiking it costs nothing.
Photo rules here: The Bureau of Land Management decides photography requests on its land one at a time through the local field office.
Read the official rulesCanyonlands National Park, Island in the Sky
National Park Service
The park has four districts and no roads connect them, which is why I pick a district first and plan the day around it.
Photo rules here: The official page lists no photography rule that I could find. Other National Park Service parks, like Arches, may require a special use permit.
Read the official rules
Place rules last checked November 5, 2026. I check them again before we book.
Light
Red rock is best at the edges of the day.
Red rock glows low and warm near sunrise and sunset, then goes flat and hot at midday. I plan sessions at the edges of the day.
In winter the days are short and cold, so a December elopement means warm layers and a short window.
| Date | Sunrise | Best evening light starts | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 20 | 7:21 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:30 PM |
| June 21 | 5:54 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:46 PM |
| September 22 | 7:06 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:15 PM |
| December 21 | 7:32 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:01 PM |
Golden hour is the soft, warm light before sunset. Times are local (MST and MDT).
Weather
What the weather does.
- January high
- 44°F
- January low
- 21°F
- July high
- 99°F
- July low
- 66°F
- Rainiest month
- October
Station: Moab. Figures are NOAA averages for 1991 to 2020. For your date, the shoot planner shows the forecast.
Sessions
What people book in Moab.
Elopements
Ceremonies on the edge of a canyon, with the permit lined up first.
Adventure
Arches, slickrock and desert light for people who came to Moab to be outside.
Couples
An hour at golden hour on the slickrock.
Questions
Fair questions about Moab.
Do I need a permit to be photographed in Arches?
Maybe. The National Park Service lists still photography and weddings among the activities that may need a special use permit. Tell me what you're planning and I'll find out.
Can we elope at Dead Horse Point?
Weddings at Dead Horse Point State Park need a special use permit. It's requested at least 30 days ahead and accepted from one to eighteen months in advance, The hired photographer needs a permit too, so the permit comes before the date.
Is Arches the only option?
No. Dead Horse Point is open every day of the year, and the Corona Arch Trail is free to hike. We choose by season and permit.
Tell me when you'll be in Moab.
Send the dates you'll be in Moab and I'll tell you which permits to start on.
Inquire