Buckskin Gulch along the Arizona/Utah border is the longest slot canyon in the United States. I’ve never completed the whole thing but just a few miles into this abyss is enough to gather some good images. I dragged some friends along who made for some pretty good models(No Royalties Due) and for a good sense of scale. It’s about 13 miles and ends at the Paria River which together make a great backpacking trip.
If you can only do one of these, I would do Lower Antelope Canyon. Why?
Antelope Canyon is an amazing slot canyon near Page Arizona on Navajo Tribal Land. During the off season, the people at Lower Antelope Canyon will let me go on my own for 2 hours. It’s called the photographers permit. It’s about $35. The Lower is about a mile long and you can walk to the entrance in a minute. At the Upper, you have to be driven out to the trailhead and be guided through the canyon which is only a 1/2 mile at most.
These images and more can be purchased as prints or downloadable files at dawn2dawn photography
The other thing I don’t like about The Upper is that you have to return the same way you came in. That means bumping into all the people going in to the canyon. That can be a problem when you have that perfect shot lined up and people get in the way. And then you’re probably in some else’s way. In the Lower Canyon, you enter in one spot and exit at the other end. Usually everyone is moving in the same direction.
If you’re claustrophobic, then maybe the Lower isn’t for you. You have some tight spots to squeeze through and ladders to negotiate.
If you are going to seriously photograph Antelope Canyon, don’t go during the busy season from Mid-March through October because you won’t have fun as the guides will rush you through. Although this is the season you are more likely to see the beams of sunlight at midday. And remember to shoot with a tripod and bracket all of your shots. You don’t want to ruin this opportunity.
I will be conducting photo workshops the week beginning October 27th in and around the Coyote Buttes area on the Utah/Arizona border. This is a remote area that that is famous for The Wave but there are also other great landscapes to capture. Below are some images of places I will take you to. You will also learn how to turn that photo into a work of art using Photoshop, Camera Raw and Lightroom. Contact me for details.
It’s September and time to make the trek up the Virgin River at Zion National Park, Utah. The water was warm and refreshing on a 95 F degree day. I lugged 2 cameras, 2 lenses, a tripod and my hiking pole amongst other gadgets and some energy. If you’ll be doing The Narrows yourself, you can rent the necessary gear at Zion Outfitter. In case you missed it, see the time lapse video from The Narrows by clicking on link Narrows Time Lapse. Following are the images I captured. Click on image for larger view.
