
Antelope canyon
We rattled along the dirt path towards Antelope Canyon on our way to photograph the worlds most captured slot canyon. Made famous by its seasonal light beam, photographers from all over the world make their pilgrimage to Antelope Canyon to capture the spectacular beauty.
Having chosen to shoot Upper Antelope canyon we booked a photography tour. Our Navajo guide assuring us that we would get priority over the hundreds of tourists in the larger groups to get our shots.
The photography tours only take small groups and in this group there was only five of us. This meant we wouldn’t have to jostle for tripod space or walk into each others shot.
Upon arriving inside the canyon, our Navajo Guide speaks to us about the various rock formations and the significance of them to the Navajo people. She is brisk and keeps it brief, pointing out the shots we should be looking to capture. You can tell that with all her years of experience that she knows where to shoot and what to shoot.
Entering the canyon it is quite dark, so a tripod is essential. There is no hand holding in this environment. The canyon floor is quite sandy, so be aware of dust getting in your camera. it is best to choose your lens wisely beforehand to avoid any unnecessary lens changes.
You’ll need a wide angle as there is a lot to capture and the canyon is quite wide.
For my main light beam shot, I began with a 50 mm lens, but switched to a 10-24 to really capture the depth of the canyon when shooting the light beam . I prefer the wider shots, but it really is personal preference.
Moving through the canyon there are a variety of places where you stop and the Navajo guide points out the landmarks. The sandstone rock formations are really quite fascinating.
The best thing to do is to is set up your tripod where the guide suggests. A high ISO is needed, such as 800 or 1600. The guide gives you only a few moments to shoot as getting to the light beam is the priority, as essentially the light beam is what we were there to shoot.
The closer we got to the light beam the more narrow the canyon becomes. Be prepared to be setting up literally on top of each other. Being that we paid extra to be on the photography tour we got first go.
We had ten to fifteen minutes to wait before the light beam became visible so it was enough time to set up, frame the shot and get the settings right. You only get once chance and about five minuets to shoot the light. A Navajo guide throws sand in the air so that the beam is more visible. This isn’t a great time to change lenses here, as it is pretty dusty.
On the way back from the light beam there is a little spot where the guide created a ‘ sand waterfall’. The guide basically threw a whole lot of sand over the rocks and allowed us to shoot, capturing the sand falling over the rocks. This was fun but quite messy and very dusty. The location was quite dark and so you’ll have to change settings to capture the ‘ misty’ effect of the sand falling. The guide gives you several attempts at this so it’s not a drama if you don’t get the settings right the first time. A high ISO is needed here as it was really dark.
There are quite a few interesting shapes and rock formations to capture during your time at Antelope Canyon. It may have been photographed a lot of times, but it is worth it. Just make sure you are well prepared with a good tripod, low shutter speeds and wide lenses. Be prepared to asses the situation fast, shoot fast and get your exposures right. You’ll have to fight crowds and think quick, but at the end of the tour you’ll have images that any photographer would be proud to hang on their wall.
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