Grand Canyon Rafting

I've just returned from an 8 day rafting trip on the Colorado River

through the Grand Canyon. It really was a landscape photographer's

delight.

I've written some commentary and put up a portfolio at

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/grand_canyon_rafting.htm

If anyone has any questions about how to go about taking such a trip

or issues related to landscape and wildlife photography while

rafting / camping, I'll be pleased to respond to them here.

It also was an inaugural trip for my new Canon EOS-1V which survived

the very harsh water and sand conditions without a problem. I also

used the Canon 24mm f/3.5L Tilt/Shift lens extensively in the narrow

canyons and it did a great job, as seen in some of the images on my

site.

Michael

For the first couple of days on the raft I would put the EOS-1V and 100~400mm IS zoom (which is what was mostly on the camera while rafting) back in the waterproof case any time we came near a rapid.

One time I wasn't paying attention and we began to enter a rapid before I had time to get to the case, so I simply wrapped the body and lens in a waterproof rain jacket that I had handy, hugged it to my chest, and it survived nicely.

This worked well until we came to a really big rapid (Hance) and both the body and lens got completely soaked, even though they were tightly wrapped. (It's like being under Niagra Falls.)

No harm was done though.

On hikes and climbs I had the body and 28~70mm zoom around my neck and the 24mm T/S in a pocket of my shooting jacket, along with film and filters. The tripod was on a sling over my shoulder.

This all worked well except for some places where we had to hike up river beds through narrow canyons where the water was as much as chest deep. Then I'd take everything off and hold it all over my head, looking like a refuge from African Queen.

Michael