Location advice, Glacier, Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon

bhambham Registered Users Posts: 1,303 Major grins
edited June 9, 2012 in Location, Location, Location!
Well this summer I get to hit a number of cool photo places.

Then on July 11th I will be leaving Richland and driving to Salt Lake stay the night and then head to Bryce on the 12th.

I have until the morning of the 18th, when I need to be on the road to Amarillo, TX.

So from the 12th to the 17th I will be in So Utah and N Arizona.

I have been spending time on here looking at some of the landscape stuff, and as with other landscape stuff I have shot in the past it seems all the truly good stuff is pretty much around sunrise and around sunset.

I am also now planning to go to the Antelope Canyon's.

I have spent a good amount of time on the national parks website for the Grand Canyon and have identified a number of spots I would like to shoot from around the rim, both North and South. I don't plan to walk to many trails this time, next year I am planning on coming back with a group that spends 5 days and goes from south rim to north rim hiking and camps in the Canyon, but want to hit a number of the spots around the rim.

So give me any ideas, feedback, suggestions you can on locations, or links to threads, etc.
"A photo is like a hamburger. You can get one from McDonalds for $1, one from Chili's for $5, or one from Ruth's Chris for $15. You usually get what you pay for, but don't expect a Ruth's Chris burger at a McDonalds price, if you want that, go cook it yourself." - me

Comments

  • SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited May 22, 2012
    With regard to Antelope Canyon, I have only been to Lower Antelope Canyon so take that into consideration. Unfortunately I think your going to be right in the middle of tourist season. Not good for photographers.

    That said I have been led to believe the Lower canyon although smaller might be better than the larger upper canyon. Hopefully some one how has been to both will chime in.

    When I was there we bought a 4 hour photographers pass, and (eat your heart out) we saw only one other person the whole time we were in there. clap.gif

    It will be dusty, and if there are lots of people touring even worse. If you have two cameras I would take them both with different lenses attached to eliminate any temptation to change lenses once inside.

    There are great opportunities for both wide angle and more telephoto. I have quite a few at 17mm on a full frame camera. I think if you had something like a 17to 40 on one camera and say 24 to 105 on the other you would be set. It seemed to me a lot of shots were at 35 to 40 as well. But I only had the 17 to 40 on the one camera and really did want more reach. If I had to have one lens on a full frame I might take the 24-105, but on a cropped camera I would be concerned 17 (27mm) would not be wide enough for some shots.

    My shutter speeds seemed to range from about 1/2 second to 13 seconds so a tripod is mandatory.

    Good luck!!!

    Sam
    www.samlinvillephotography.com
  • anwmn1anwmn1 Registered Users Posts: 3,469 Major grins
    edited May 22, 2012
    What kind of vehicle are you driving? There are lots of locations which are easy to get to and a ton more that require something with clearance or even 4wd.

    Here is a list of easy to get to:
    Bryce
    Zion National Park- including hiking the narrows
    Coral Pink Sand Dunes
    Grand Canyon North Rim
    Vermillion Cliffs- California Condor release point
    Marble Canyon- Lee's Ferry
    Horseshoe Bend
    Lower Antelope - purchase photographers pass - 4hrs
    Upper Antelope- requires Navajo guide- purchase a photographers tour and check on crowds
    Toadstools- located North side of Hwy 89 just West of Cottonwood Canyon Rd
    Buckskin Gulch- House Rock Rd (dirt road) - is the entrance to Paria Canyon
    Alstrom Point- need good tires and decent clearance- 2wd is okay

    Leaving Page heading to Amarillo:
    Monument Valley, AZ
    Canyon De Chelly, AZ
    Mesa Verde, CO
    Chaco Canyon, NM
    Sky City, NM
    Very Large Array- Magdalena NM

    Outside of Gallup NM there is a wolf sanctuary- you can reserve a photo tour where you get in the enclosure with a wolf. http://www.wildspiritwolfsanctuary.org/


    Couple of tips:
    July will be HOT. Be prepared with lots of water, full brim hat, sunscreen, etc.
    Sun also comes up early and sets late in July which means limited shooting time- very early mornings and late evenings. If you are okay sleeping in your vehicle that gives you the best opportunity to get to good locations in good light. There are multiple lodging options throughout the area but July is peak season for Lake Powell and North Rim. There is a RV/Campground in the city of Page and for around $12 a night you get a tent site, picnic table, electricity, showers, bathrooms, and a pool.

    Grab some Mexican food and a margarita at Fiesta Mexicana. It is a dgrin tradition. deal.gif

    Slot canyons are good throughout the day so they make a good filler between sunrise and sunset locations. Pack light for slot canyons- most important object is a tripod.

    If you are going in any slots other than Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons CHECK THE WEATHER REPORT. July is the start of monsoon season and some of the slot canyons are fed from as far away as 50 miles. If there is rain any where in the area do not go in a slot canyon.
    "The Journey of life is as much in oneself as the roads one travels"


    Aaron Newman

    Website:www.CapturingLightandEmotion.com
    Facebook: Capturing Light and Emotion
  • bhambham Registered Users Posts: 1,303 Major grins
    edited May 23, 2012
    Yes I have multipe camera bodies, so a wide and a mid range zoom is doable on different cameras. Someone else had already told me to be prepared for a ton of superfine dust. I am thinking about getting a rain cape that Ewa-Marine makes, might be a little overkill, but there have been a few times in the past I could have used it, so it wouldn't hurt to have one anyway. And I had just assumed about the tripod.

    Sam, thank so much for the info. I will have more questions.
    "A photo is like a hamburger. You can get one from McDonalds for $1, one from Chili's for $5, or one from Ruth's Chris for $15. You usually get what you pay for, but don't expect a Ruth's Chris burger at a McDonalds price, if you want that, go cook it yourself." - me
  • bhambham Registered Users Posts: 1,303 Major grins
    edited May 23, 2012
    I will be driving a Toyota Avalon, not something that would be great for off roading. Yeah, I am expecting the heat, but I am just thankful there won't be the humidity I am used to. That tip on the campground is awesome. I think I found the one online, is it Page Lake Powell Campground? Sounds like a great deal, all that and wifi. So they provide the tent, or just a space for a tent? I don't mind staying in the vehicle some, to be at a great spot, to be able to get the shot.

    I will have to do some searches on many of those other locations. Not sure I can stop to do them all. Plan to stay in Amarillo and see Cadillac Ranch.

    Aaron, thanks for the answer. That is a ton of good info.
    "A photo is like a hamburger. You can get one from McDonalds for $1, one from Chili's for $5, or one from Ruth's Chris for $15. You usually get what you pay for, but don't expect a Ruth's Chris burger at a McDonalds price, if you want that, go cook it yourself." - me
  • anwmn1anwmn1 Registered Users Posts: 3,469 Major grins
    edited May 23, 2012
    That is the campground. They do not provide a tent- just the site, but you could just park your car at the site and take advantage of all the other features. Hotels in the area will probably run you $89-189 a night depending on the accommodations. Those will be your rates throughout your trip in the Southwest.

    Given your vehicle- scratch Alstrom off the list. You can make it Buckskin Gulch easy enough provided it hasn't been raining. That dirt road is maintained.

    Rain cape is overkill for slot canyons in my opinion. I have been in both Upper and Lower at least four times each. You can change your lenses as long as you are not a moron about it. Find an area without a lot of dust (away from crowds and the light tubes), as soon as you separate body and lens point them both down, and be quick. If you have two bodies than go that route and you will be fine.
    "The Journey of life is as much in oneself as the roads one travels"


    Aaron Newman

    Website:www.CapturingLightandEmotion.com
    Facebook: Capturing Light and Emotion
  • bhambham Registered Users Posts: 1,303 Major grins
    edited May 23, 2012
    Thanks Aaron, as I see more and more pictures, etc I am realizing even though I have a number of days, this is only going to wet my appetite for traveling here many times over the next decade.

    I definitely will be going the camping route a decent bit. I enjoy it and I would rather use the cash for large prints once I return.
    "A photo is like a hamburger. You can get one from McDonalds for $1, one from Chili's for $5, or one from Ruth's Chris for $15. You usually get what you pay for, but don't expect a Ruth's Chris burger at a McDonalds price, if you want that, go cook it yourself." - me
  • bhambham Registered Users Posts: 1,303 Major grins
    edited May 27, 2012
    Ok, I changed plans slightly not gonna hit Glacier, gonna go to the western side of Washington.
    "A photo is like a hamburger. You can get one from McDonalds for $1, one from Chili's for $5, or one from Ruth's Chris for $15. You usually get what you pay for, but don't expect a Ruth's Chris burger at a McDonalds price, if you want that, go cook it yourself." - me
  • ELSELSELSELS Registered Users Posts: 346 Major grins
    edited May 28, 2012
    bham wrote: »
    Ok, I changed plans slightly not gonna hit Glacier, gonna go to the western side of Washington.


    Hello:

    Please check and respond to your PM's that I have sent you,
    regarding interest in purchasing the LowePro backpack and the
    SanDisk 2GB CF memory cards? deal.gifne_nau.gif

    Thanks,

    Have a nice day...

    Ed
  • squirl033squirl033 Registered Users Posts: 1,230 Major grins
    edited June 3, 2012
    bham wrote: »
    Ok, I changed plans slightly not gonna hit Glacier, gonna go to the western side of Washington.

    i'm afraid i can't be much help with info on the Grand Canyon, never been there. but if you're planning to stop off in W. WA, i can definitely suggest some places to visit. will you be looking mainly at mountains and alpine landscapes, or more toward the coast?
    ~ Rocky
    "Out where the rivers like to run, I stand alone, and take back something worth remembering..."
    Three Dog Night

    www.northwestnaturalimagery.com
  • Logic 7Logic 7 Registered Users Posts: 89 Big grins
    edited June 9, 2012
    These helped us immensely.
    http://www.amazon.com/Photographing-Southwest-1--Southern-Utah-2nd/dp/0916189120/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339221979&sr=1-1

    http://www.amazon.com/Photographing-Southwest-2--Arizona-2nd-Ed/dp/0916189139/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339221979&sr=1-2
    Jeff
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