| Author | Thread |
|
|
01/02/2006 11:07:48 PM · #1 |
I'd love to go sometime. My in-laws live in Phoenix and I'd like to make a weekend out of it. A few questions:
1) What hour is optimal photographing time?
2) Is there a season that is less busy than others?
3) Is it too busy in general these days?
4) Are there other slot canyons worth visiting or worth visiting instead?
I'd love to know your general experience... |
|
|
|
01/02/2006 11:21:28 PM · #2 |
I've been down the Buckskin Gulch and Paria Canyons on the Utah side of Page, Az. These slot canyons are marvelous and have some incredible light. You have to watch for storms, since any rain within 50-100 miles can cause flash floods and there is nowhere to go when you are miles into a slot canyon. That means that generally late spring is historically the best.
Depending on the canyon, the sun must be high in the sky to get the shafts of light coming down. The contrast is very high. I'm guessing ND filters may help or lots of bracketing and combining the images in PP. The cliffs range from 50 feet to over 200 feet, so the light is limited to midday-ish. Since these canyons twist and turn, that is even inconsistant.
Permits are required for Paria Canyons and Buckskin Gulch, if you're staying over night. They were available on a web site. I imagine the same is true for Antelope Canyon. I understand it is even more restricted and requires guides for access, although I'm not sure about that.
Good luck. I would love to shoot that area myself. Let us know what you find out.
Becky
Edited to correct permit info.
Message edited by author 2006-01-03 00:10:45. |
|
|
|
01/02/2006 11:24:06 PM · #3 |
I am not familiar with the area but one question that I can offer general advice in is question 1.
Generally, early morning hours (6 a.m. to 8 a.m.) and very late afternoon hours (4 p.m. +) will tend to give richer warmer hues and tones. Taking photos at the peak of the sun around noon tends to have harsher light. Again I don't know the area so a late afternoon shot might yield challenges with lighting specifically deep shadows so if you have an opportunity to come back to the site twice you want to visit the area first and stake out the potential areas. |
|
|
|
01/02/2006 11:29:07 PM · #4 |
| From the few sites I saw, it seems like Antelope is getting more and more popular. I would hate to pay my $20 extortion fee and get to the site and not be able to snap some photos without people. This may be even worse if I'm limited to midday... |
|
|
|
01/02/2006 11:30:55 PM · #5 |
1. Depends on the canyon, season and the location, but anywhere from 10am-2pm is peak lighting.
2. Summer is better for photography because the sun is higher in the sky and you get beams of light. WInter is the off season for Page and the place is a ghost town (hotels are dirt cheap too). Lighting is still great, but beams are hard to find.
3. In the summer you have to be patient and wait for tourist, most of the rest of the year is no problem.
4. Yes and maybe!
You need a wide angle lens. With your Rebel you will want at least a 17mm wide.
You also need a tripod and a lot of patience. SHoot at the highest aperture you dare.
Look for spots of light on the ground, that's a beam. You'll need to kick up some dust to make the beam visible.
There is upper and lower Antelope. Upper is bigger, lower is less crowded, I've heard people argue both are better. |
|
|
|
01/02/2006 11:32:43 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by DrAchoo:
From the few sites I saw, it seems like Antelope is getting more and more popular. I would hate to pay my $20 extortion fee and get to the site and not be able to snap some photos without people. This may be even worse if I'm limited to midday... |
In the off season the entry fee can be negotiable depending on who is working that day. |
|
|
|
01/02/2006 11:39:27 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by rjkstesch:
Permits are required for Paria Canyons and Buckskin Gulch. They were available on a web site. I imagine the same is true for Antelope Canyon. I understand it is even more restricted and requires guides for access, although I'm not sure about that. |
Permits are not required in buckskin/paria unless you are spending the night. But... if you do not know where to watch the weather I'd stay out of there. Flashfloods happen more often then you'd think there.
edit to add Antelope has a entry fee of $17 for the day and they only let you stay in for 4 hours (but I haven't seen them enforce that). Part of that is a Navajo Nation fee so if you want to hit upper and lower on the same day you save some cash. They monitor the weather and won't let you in if there is a threat of flooding. 11 people died there a few years ago.
Message edited by author 2006-01-02 23:51:39. |
|
|
|
01/03/2006 11:16:36 AM · #8 |
| bump for the morning crowd to share their experience... |
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 08/27/2025 04:45:08 PM EDT.
