NatureScapes.Net - Nature Photography Articles Series: Arizona




PHOTOGRAPHER'S PERSPECTIVE ON LOCATION SERIES: ARIZONA INDEX ANTELOPE CANYON, NORTHERN ARIZONA MADERA CANYON, SOUTHERN ARIZONA MONUMENT VALLEY NAVAJO TRIBAL PARK, ARIZONA / UTAH BORDER ANTELOPE CANYON NORTHERN ARIZONA Text and image copyright E.J. Peiker, all rights reserved ACCESS Antelope Canyon is located in Northern Arizona near Page just south of Lake Powell and the Utah Border. Access from the north, south and west is via US 89, then about 5 miles east on US 98. Traveling from the east, Antelope Canyon is accessed via US 98. Entrances to both the upper and lower Antelope Canyons are just west of the very large Navajo Power Station. Antelope Canyon is located on the Navajo Nation and is part of the Navajo Tribal Park System. A land user permit is required to enter all Navajo Tribal Parks – the current fee is $6.00. In addition, to enter either the lower or the upper canyon, an additional tour fee is required. The lower canyon costs $12.50 for up to two hours and the upper canyon is $15.00 for one hour. For $20, photographers can buy a photo pass, which grants access for two hours in the upper canyon and allows you to go out on your own after a briefing from the guide. The $20.00 photo pass is the recommended option for photographers because it gives you a period between tour groups with fewer people in the canyon. Antelope Canyon is open March through October. AREA LAYOUT The Antelope Canyons are the now world famous slot canyons of Northern Arizona. There are two distinct canyons – the lower canyon that sheds water directly into the Colorado River basin at Lake Powell and the upper canyon which feeds the lower canyon via a large wash. Both are accessible to photographers. The upper canyon is a simple walk-in affair after being transported to the entrance by your Navajo guide. The lower canyon requires you to squeeze through a narrow opening at the south end of the canyon and then traverse down some narrow stairs and ladders to the bottom of the canyon. Photography in both canyons is excellent. WHAT YOU’LL FIND Lower Canyon: After paying your fee and being escorted to the entrance of the lower canyon, you squeeze yourself and your equipment through a crevice in the earth and almost instantaneously enter another world – one of narrow red sandstone walls forming a slot. Photography in the slots is excellent at all times of the day in the lower canyon. Be prepared for long shutter speeds and don’t be hesitant to ask people to wait once you have tripped the shutter. The lower canyon is much less traveled due to its narrow and more treacherous passages. Look for areas that are glowing with sunlight; use fill flash to lighten up the foreground rocks – a setting of -2 to -3 is usually correct. The ambient exposures that work best if there is significant filtered light on parts of the scene are typically in the -1 to -2 compensation range. Focal lengths between 20mm and 70mm are most useful. Upper Canyon: To access the upper canyon, you first have to take a 3 mile ride with your Navajo guide through a river wash to the entrance. At the end of the ride, you will stop at a large slot in the side of a red rock cliff. You simply walk right in and are immediately awed by the red walls with varying intensities of light playing on them. This canyon is much wider and taller than the lower canyon and is not treacherous at all. It is much more conducive to people and photo gear. Unfortunately, this brings with it droves of people. Patience will be your number one best quality if you want to get great shots. Asking people in a friendly manner to stop for a moment is almost imperative to get good photographs. LIGHT The light in both canyons varies greatly by time of year as the angle of the sun plays a large role in what it will look like inside either canyon. In the summer months, there are several spots where light beams reach the ground – this can make for some interesting photographs. In the other seasons, there is a more subtle lighting effect which can make for some beautiful sandstone canyon scapes with varying shades of red. The summertime light beams are visible when the sun is very high in the sky between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. The lower canyon is best photographed in the mornings or afternoons. In general, unless trying to create a certain effect, avoiding the sky in your photos will yield the best shots as it will reduce the contrast. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS The sun in Arizona, especially at higher altitudes, can cause sunburn very quickly in even the most sun-conditioned people. A minimum SPF30 sunscreen is recommended at all times. Bring plenty of water as you can dehydrate very quickly. Please obey all tribal park rules – note that you will be on the Navajo Nation which is governed by its own set of laws. E.J. Peiker has been photographing in Western North America for over 20 years. To see more photographs of Antelope Canyon please visit http://www.ejphoto.com. MADERA CANYON SOUTHERN ARIZONA Text and image copyright E.J. Peiker, all rights reserved ACCESS Madera Canyon is located in southern Arizona, approximately 30 miles from the Mexican Border and 40 miles south of Tucson. It is accessed via Interstate 19. From I-19, take Exit 63, Continental Avenue, in Green Valley, Arizona. Turn east and follow Highway 62. Signs are prominently posted along the route. There is a $5.00 National Forest Parking Permit required which can be purchased from self-service stations in every parking area. If you park at the lodges within the canyon, there is no parking fee. AREA LAYOUT Madera Canyon is located in the Santa Rita Mountain Range of Southern Arizona. As you approach the canyon, the terrain will change from grasslands into mountain forest. There are three primary areas for bird photography. Approaching from north to south, you will first come upon Proctor Road Trail, then Santa Rita Lodge, and finally the Super Trail. Elevation changes from about 3,000 feet to 5,000 feet above sea level from the entry of the area to the end of the road. WHAT YOU’LL FIND Madera Canyon is world famous among birders and bird photographers for its abundance of species, some of which are difficult to see and photograph elsewhere. As you drive along the grasslands, be on the lookout for the occasional roadrunner, and Western and Cassin’s Kingbirds as well as several species of hawks perching on the telephone wires or poles. The first area you will come to is the Proctor Road Trail – this is a tough place for photography and is better for birders who do not need their subjects so close. The trail starts by the rest-rooms and follows a creek bed. After rains, when there is some water in the creek, bird life can be abundant. The premier photography spot is at the Santa Rita Lodge. Recent changes at the lodge have limited how close photographers can get to some of the best shooting areas, but there are still plenty of great spots that can yield excellent photos. Mexican Jay, White-breasted Nuthatch and Acorn Woodpecker are year-round residents. Bridled Titmouse, Black-headed Grosbeak, Scott’s Oriole, and Lesser Goldfinch are prevalent in the summer months. A large summer attraction is the various species of Hummingbirds that can be photographed – as many as 12 species have been observed here with the more common ones being Broad-billed, Black-chinned, and Magnificent Hummingbirds. Winter months add several races of Dark-eyed Junco and the rarer Yellow-eyed Junco as well as Cassin’s Finch. A special treat is the Elf Owl that nests in the telephone pole right outside of Cabin One – he makes his nightly appearance after sunset in the summer months. The end of the road brings you to the Super Trail – another area better for birding than photography, but it is one of the few areas in the US where you might be able to see Elegant Trogan. LIGHT Since Madera Canyon is in a canyon between mountains – the sun has usually risen an hour or more before hitting the canyon floor and stops illuminating the canyon an hour before official sunset. The times when the sun has not yet cleared the canyon walls is a great time for photography – use flash as fill or main light. Once the sun comes up, the light can be quite harsh, especially in the summer months, but there are plenty of heavily shaded places where you can photograph as well. Cloudy days are especially good because you can shoot in the area all day and not have to worry about the extremely harsh Southern Arizona sun. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS The sun in Arizona, especially at higher altitudes, can cause sunburn very quickly in even the most sun-conditioned people. A minimum of SPF30 sunscreen is recommended at all times. Bring plenty of water as you can dehydrate very quickly. As there is very little available in the way of food or other amenities, plan on bringing in what you need. If you wish to stay for more than a day, contact the Santa Rita Lodge at www.santaritalodge.com or, there are several places to stay in Green Valley. MORE INFORMATION The most complete reference for the birds in Madera Canyon and Southern Arizona is A Birder’s Guide to Southeastern Arizona by Richard Cachor Taylor. E.J. Peiker has been photographing in Western North America for over 20 years. To see more of his photographs please visit his website at www.ejphoto.com. MONUMENT VALLEY NAVAJO TRIBAL PARK ARIZONA / UTAH BORDER Text and image copyright E.J. Peiker, all rights reserved ACCESS Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is located in the heart of the Navajo Nation on the eastern portion of Arizona/Utah border on US 163 between Kayenta, AZ and Mexican Hat, Utah. Lodging is available at several hotels in Kayenta or at Goulding’s just outside the park. Camping facilities are available at the park entrance. The closest airport with regularly scheduled air carrier service is in Farmington, New Mexico, about two and a half hours to the east. AREA LAYOUT Approaching the park on the access road off US 163 you see a number of red rock formations but it leaves you wondering where the good stuff is. You come to the entrance station where you pay the $5.00 fee and suddenly, without warning, the valley unfolds in front of you and the view is absolutely breathtaking. From here, a groomed dirt road drops steeply into the valley and follows a driving loop that leads you to some spectacular sights. Many of the sights at Monument Valley are inaccessible by private car and require hiring a Navajo guide. This has developed into quite a guide business, and guides may charge between $50.00 and $100.00 for a half day. Several of the guides are photographers and offer tours at sunrise/sunset for the best light. WHAT YOU’LL FIND After you pay your entrance fee and stop in the parking lot by the visitor center, you will see one of the most famous views in the southwest – Mitten View – the view of West Mitten, East Mitten and Merrick Butte that is well photographed. Sunrise and sunset are the best times to photograph in this location. In early morning the rock formations are silhouetted against the colorful desert sunrise. In the evening, the rocks turn a deep red as they reflect the last rays of sun. Driving down the steep hill into the valley is best done with a four-wheel drive vehicle but is passable in cars in all but the worst weather. The loop takes you to numerous other rock formations. Be on the lookout for puddles from recent rains to use as reflection pools. Ripples in the sand can often also be used as great foreground subjects. Hiring an Indian guide will give you access to anywhere inside the park boundaries. Many of them have intimate knowledge of the best time of day to be at certain places to maximize your photo opportunities. Any season of the year is good for photography in Monument Valley. You will be in the desert and weather can change rapidly. It is not unusual for the weather to change from 105 degrees and sunshine to torrential flash floods in a matter of minutes. Monument Valley is in the high desert so snow showers are possible in the winter which can make for some very dramatic photos. LIGHT The most spectacular photographs in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park are often taken from a half-hour before sunrise to two hours after sunrise. In wintertime, the sweet light lasts significantly longer due to the lower angle of the sun. Afternoons can bring dramatic clouds and thunderstorms. Some formations have better light in certain seasons than others. Probably the best time to visit the park is in April/May and August/September due to the angle of the sun. E.J. Peiker has been photographing in Western North America for over 20 years. To see more photographs of the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park please visit http://www.ejphoto.com/monument_valley_page.htm. Feel free to send your comments on these location reviews to the editors at NatureScapes.Net. All content on this site is copyrighted material as indicated. Unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited.