Shepard took this outstanding photograph looking east from Fra Mauro Research Site, in order to show its location relative to the LM Antares. Tracks of the MET gleam in the harsh lunar Sunlight and show the route taken by the two astronauts on their traverse to the Research Site. The Modular Equipment Transporter (MET) was a two-wheeled, hand-pulled vehicle that was used as an equipment hauling device on traverses across the lunar surface. The pattern reminded the Texas-born Mitchell “of driving a tractor through a plowed field.” His companion was less lyrical: “nothing like being up to your armpits in lunar dust,” according to Shepard (Mason, p. 186). The inverted umbrella of the S-band antenna is to the left of the LM Antares.

[original NASA caption for the photograph] APOLLO 14 EVA - The Apollo 14 Lunar Module as seen by the two moon-exploring crewmen of the Apollo 14 lunar landing mission, photographed against a brilliant sun glare during the first extravehicular activity (EVA-1). A bright trail left in the lunar soil by the two-wheeled Modularized Equipment Transporter (MET) leads from the LM. While Astronauts Alan B. Shepard Jr. and Edgar D. Mitchell were exploring the Moon, Astronaut Stuart A. Roosa was maneuvering the Command and Service Modules in lunar orbit.

From the mission transcript when the photograph was taken: 117:19:27 McCandless (Mission Control): Al, this is Houston. What are you photographing now? Over. 117:19:37 Shepard: Right now, I’m taking the ‘distance’ shot back to the LM from the RTG (Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator).