Grand Canyon Aerials

kdog

My friend Charlie invited me for a ride in his airplane. Since we live very close to the Grand Canyon, it seemed like a reasonable destination. This afforded me some pretty unique views.

Conditions were very hazy, sky was overcast, and of course I was shooting through a window. That made for extremely flat shots, but they responded well to post processing.

Here's a random collect of the many shots I got, all shot from the west end of the canyon.

1


2


3


4


5


6


7


8


9


10 Grand Canyon West SkyWalk (Indian owned)

As a slight editorial, notice the big scar on the canyon directly under the SkyWalk which was undoubtedly caused by the construction. They are always complaining about the white man desecrating sacred Indian grounds, but have no problem evidently in creating a huge scar on the canyon when it benefits them. If you or I did that, we would probably be in jail.

11 SkyWalk 100% Crop


12


13 Lake Mead


13 Hoover Dam and new Bridge (I've previously posted other views, but not this one)


Full gallery with lots more pictures here: http://www.desertilluminations.com/Landscapes/Flying-with-Charlie/16094200_7Nhkm#1207994961_MnKaj

Thanks for looking.

-joel

oldoval

Very nice! Amazingly sharp considering they were taken from a moving object. #3 is my favorite

dlplumer

Great series, Joel. Cool to see the canyon from the air

annnna8888

Joel, these are spectacular! I love aerial shots to start with, but you did an amazing job considering the visibility and shooting through the glass. I can't pick one single favorite, but 5, 7 and 9 are especially beautiful. I wish I can fly over the Grand Canyon one day.

Ana

ran

Grand just doesn't seam to do it justice. great work
Randall

bryanj87

Wow Joel, these are fantastic, especially considering you were shooting through a window. The detail and textures are great.

pathfinder

There is still snow in some areas re: #9?

Nice series, Joel. Shows what views are available via aircraft.

I love to shoot from balloons as well.

TopCat

Nice shots, really sharp focus, amazing landscapes. Looks like a painting on the cliff face in #4!

Eia

For a second I thought I was looking at Google Earth. I would not have know these were taken through a window; particularly with the first one. That is pretty sharp and clear. agreed with #10. That is a great set! Surely one will make it to a wall?

shawnc

An AMAZING collection Joel, I can't pick a fav. Great job as usual, great opportunity! I have come to expect nothing short of awesome from your work!

eoren1

These are awesome. Fifth one is unreal

shniks

These are great Joel. I have not seen this perspective before. Definitely very unique!!!


Cheers,

Sam

Very nice! I like the detail you were able to get. Good technical skills.

As to the sky walk.........................I can't figure why anyone would spend the money it took to build the damn thing. Then why would anyone spend the money, $43.00 to have the privilege to drive to the sky walk. Then $30.00 to walk on it. That's $146.00 for you and your honey to experience this. Good luck if you have kids, that's even more.

I am surprised you were allowed to take photos without using the official air services of the sky walk. Don't worry they will probably bill you later.

OH and did you want photos? You can't take your camera.

Sorry for the mini rant. I like nature as it is, not distilled, sanitized, and homogenized.

Sam

kdog

oldoval wrote: »

Very nice! Amazingly sharp considering they were taken from a moving object. #3 is my favorite

Thanks, Nate. I tried to keep my shutter speeds up. IS probably helped as well. #3 has nice even lighting. Good choice.

dlplumer wrote: »

Great series, Joel. Cool to see the canyon from the air

Thanks, Dan. The canyon was amazing from air. I was almost too busy snapping pictures to really see it through, if that makes any sense.

annnna8888 wrote: »

Joel, these are spectacular! I love aerial shots to start with, but you did an amazing job considering the visibility and shooting through the glass. I can't pick one single favorite, but 5, 7 and 9 are especially beautiful. I wish I can fly over the Grand Canyon one day.

Ana

Hey thanks, Ana. I always enjoy your shots from Slovenia and the alps. It's great to see new places from exotic lands, isn't it?

ran wrote: »

Grand just doesn't seam to do it justice. great work
Randall

Thanks so much, Randall!

bryanj87 wrote: »

Wow Joel, these are fantastic, especially considering you were shooting through a window. The detail and textures are great.

Thanks, Bryan! I do have quite a few shots that are spoiled by reflections and flare, but all in all I can't complain with how they came out. I'm already planning my next trip with Charlie and we have some great ideas in the works.

pathfinder wrote: »

There is still snow in some areas re: #9?

Nice series, Joel. Shows what views are available via aircraft.

I love to shoot from balloons as well.

Thanks, Jim. Yes, there was some snow on the ground which can be seen in several of my shots. There's probably a whole lot more now actually. Hmm.....

TopCat wrote: »

Nice shots, really sharp focus, amazing landscapes. Looks like a painting on the cliff face in #4!

Thanks, Tom. #4 is definitely one of my favorites. Those rock formations and their colors are really amazing. I wouldn't mind going back to that spot for a closer look. There is some crazy stuff in that canyon.

Wil Davis

Wow!!!!


Nice job!!!


Great shots!!!


I'm v. jealous!!!!



- Wil

Wil Davis

I thought there were restrictions about flying over the Grand Canyon? perhaps it's just that there's no flying below the canyon rim?

- Wil

TreyHoff

Excellent! You did a great job with the processing. Nice comps and color. Thanks for sharing these.

kdog

Eia wrote: »

For a second I thought I was looking at Google Earth. I would not have know these were taken through a window; particularly with the first one. That is pretty sharp and clear. agreed with #10. That is a great set! Surely one will make it to a wall?

Thanks, Eia! I do have a number of shots with flare from the window, but overall I'm pretty pleased. Yeah, that's a shame about the big scar on the canyon.

shawnc wrote: »

An AMAZING collection Joel, I can't pick a fav. Great job as usual, great opportunity! I have come to expect nothing short of awesome from your work!

Thanks, Shawn! Very kind of you to say.

eoren1 wrote: »

These are awesome. Fifth one is unreal

Thanks, Eyal. Isn't that a cool area? I took several shots of that mesa.

shniks wrote: »

These are great Joel. I have not seen this perspective before. Definitely very unique!!!

Cheers,

Thanks, Nikhil! I hadn't seen those perspectives either, not many people have.

Sam wrote: »

Very nice! I like the detail you were able to get. Good technical skills.

As to the sky walk.........................I can't figure why anyone would spend the money it took to build the damn thing. Then why would anyone spend the money, $43.00 to have the privilege to drive to the sky walk. Then $30.00 to walk on it. That's $146.00 for you and your honey to experience this. Good luck if you have kids, that's even more.

I am surprised you were allowed to take photos without using the official air services of the sky walk. Don't worry they will probably bill you later.

OH and did you want photos? You can't take your camera.

Sorry for the mini rant. I like nature as it is, not distilled, sanitized, and homogenized.

Sam

Thanks, Sam! I hear ya, bro'. Still, I'd rather the Indians scalp us this way, than the old way.

Wil Davis wrote: »

Wow!!!!


Nice job!!!


Great shots!!!


I'm v. jealous!!!!


I thought there were restrictions about flying over the Grand Canyon? perhaps it's just that there's no flying below the canyon rim?

- Wil

Thanks, Wil! There are restrictions on certain parts of the canyon that are clearly spelled out on the flight charts, and Charlie follows them explicitly. For example, you can fly anywhere you want over 14,500'. All it takes is a longer lens.

Doug Solis

These are some really great shots of the canyon for positions noone else has.

Sexy6Chick

Jealous!! I love #5! Such cool vantage points and you got some AWESOME shots!

jttphoto

#3 is my favorite of the bunch. Seeing the river and the layers of rock brings back fond memories. For some perspective for those that have never been to the Grand Canyon...to hike from the river to the South Rim takes you up 4800 vertical feet and 9 miles of trail (at least from where I did it).
Wil - Unless things have changed only the National Park Service can fly below the rim on search and rescue missions. This is usually for medevac purposes or to rescue stranded boaters. It's amazing how many people get in trouble in the Grand Canyon each year because they underestimate how dangerous it can be.

Wil Davis

Joel, your pic (#13 Hoover Dam & New Bridge) shows the level of Lake Mead to be seriously low, especially when compared with a couple of shots I took of the lake back in the mid 1980s:





The difference in level looks staggering!!

- Wil

kdog

TreyHoff wrote: »

Excellent! You did a great job with the processing. Nice comps and color. Thanks for sharing these.

Thanks, Trey. Glad you like 'em.

Doug Solis wrote: »

These are some really great shots of the canyon for positions noone else has.

Thanks, Doug. That thought did occur to me. I'm inspired to take some more now.

Sexy6Chick wrote: »

Jealous!! I love #5! Such cool vantage points and you got some AWESOME shots!

Thanks, Natalie! A friend with a plane turns out to be a handy thing to have.

jttphoto wrote: »

#3 is my favorite of the bunch. Seeing the river and the layers of rock brings back fond memories. For some perspective for those that have never been to the Grand Canyon...to hike from the river to the South Rim takes you up 4800 vertical feet and 9 miles of trail (at least from where I did it).
Wil - Unless things have changed only the National Park Service can fly below the rim on search and rescue missions. This is usually for medevac purposes or to rescue stranded boaters. It's amazing how many people get in trouble in the Grand Canyon each year because they underestimate how dangerous it can be.

Thanks, JTT. I'd love to hike to the bottom of the canyon some time. My wife has done rim-to-rim.

Wil Davis wrote: »

Joel, your pic (#13 Hoover Dam & New Bridge) shows the level of Lake Mead to be seriously low, especially when compared with a couple of shots I took of the lake back in the mid 1980s:





The difference in level looks staggering!!

- Wil

Hey Wil, you're right. The water level has been way down like this for the past 5 years I've been here. Your pictures really drives the point home. It would be amazing to see the water that high again. I wonder if it will ever happen.

anwmn1

Nice shots!

Jealous of a friend with a plane and in such close relation to the GC.

kdog

anwmn1 wrote: »

Nice shots!

Jealous of a friend with a plane and in such close relation to the GC.

Thanks, Aaron. We're already planning our next trip. We're going to go east this time over Havasupai, Horseshoe Bend, South Coyote Buttes, Possible overnight in Page with a land tour, then on to Lake Powell, and Monument Valley and Canyon Lands. Should be a good one.

anwmn1

kdog wrote: »

Thanks, Aaron. We're already planning our next trip. We're going to go east this time over Havasupai, Horseshoe Bend, South Coyote Buttes, Possible overnight in Page with a land tour, then on to Lake Powell, and Monument Valley and Canyon Lands. Should be a good one.

:soapbox


Is there room for a stowaway?