rusty_ray1 Posted June 12, 2004 Share Posted June 12, 2004 My family and I are heading to the Moab area in the next week. Justchecking to see if anyone has been there recently to see what toexpect. I am also interested in your recommendations for sunrise andsunset locations to photograph. Are the slot canyons near Page, Az.good this time of year, easy access? I have never been to the slotcanyons. Thanks in advance. Rusty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbq Posted June 12, 2004 Share Posted June 12, 2004 I was there 3 weeks ago. I'm not sure where there best places at to explicitly photograph sunrise or sunset (the plateau rims on the way to dead horse point sounds like a good candidate for either, depending on where you stop). I've been in a few places that look better in the morning or in the afternoon. At sunrise: dead horse point (the vista point looks straight south, and the nicest bend in the river is west from the vista point). The park opens at 6am. Have a very wide angle, 28mm (on 35mm film) isn't wide enough by a long shot. Around 9-10am: castle rock, from the southern end of the valley. Lenses moderately wide to moderately long. Arches: throughout the day (e.g. the petrified dunes are better in the afternoon, sheep rock in the morning, etc...). The best views on delicate arch from the top at late in the afternoon (the park closes at 6:30, so you won't get sunset in there). Lenses: moderately wide to long (you'll use a 300mm on 35mm film). If you have an SUV, truck, or anything with a high clearance (heck, I did it with a normal car), you can go up long canyon (follow the colorado river toward potash, turn right "at the right spot". You can drive up the canyon for about 4 miles on a dirt road. The final stretch (a few hundred feet after you drive through a small tunnel) is steep deep dry sand, don't attempt it unless you're very confident with your off-roading skills - there's a good spot to U-turn after the tunnel, before the sandy part. That's a good place to go when the sun is high, it'll shine on the norther canyon wall. Carry plenty of water. If you're coming from Salt Lake City, take the time to go to goblin valley on the way back. Be warned that it is very dusty and windy, and that you'll end up with dust everywhere in your equipment. There are some very good topo maps of the area, which will help give you a good idea of what to expect in terms of light. The sun is east at 7:20pm, south at 1:20pm and west at 7:20pm. I found that I never needed a tripod, but I only took pictures during the day. Be sure to visit Tom Till's gallery while in Moab. www.tomtill.com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doug andrews Posted June 12, 2004 Share Posted June 12, 2004 Just a slight correction to Jean-Baptiste Queru's post. Arches NP does not close at 6:30. It is open 24/7. It is quite possible to get sunset shots at Delicate Arch. As for Deadhorse Point State Park, I arrived there for a sunrise shoot well before the entrance booth was manned and had no problems accessing the overlook. The slot canyons near Page, AZ are not exactly close to Moab. If you wanna to both areas, expect to do some considerable driving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty_ray1 Posted June 12, 2004 Author Share Posted June 12, 2004 A little more info might help. We will be traveling from Texas to Moab and possibly back down to Texas through Page, Az. We are taking 2 weeks, so I hope we can fit it in. Your experiences and suggestions are appreciated. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_proud Posted June 12, 2004 Share Posted June 12, 2004 Rusty, Not sure what kind of info you are seeking. Jean Baptiste's suggestion for sunrise at Deadhorse Point is the best scenic vista in the Moab area. Could you give a little more detail on what you need? Campgrounds in Arches and Canyonlands will probably be filled but there are more in Moab. Many motels in Moab. Slot canyons in Page, Az. should be dry and safe to enter this time of year. Both upper and lower Antelope are just east of town on 98. Lower Antelope will have fewer people, upper will have the ray of light that is very popular to shoot but wall-to-wall people. Ray of light occurs about 11:30-1:30. cheers, Bill Proud, Stock Artists Alliance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty_ray1 Posted June 13, 2004 Author Share Posted June 13, 2004 Thanks for the input. Bill I have never been to the area and am looking for locations to take landscape images and learning more about the area. Anything about the area would be appreciated. Thanks Again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_proud Posted June 13, 2004 Share Posted June 13, 2004 Rusty, I'm sure you would find tons of info doing a search. I'd highly recommend Laurent Martres' book, "Photographing the Southwest", which has a detailed section on Arches and Canyonlands. you should be able to pick one up when you arrive in Moab. There is a visitor center with an excellent book store in town. Mesa Arch is the only great photo spot that is not good this time of the year, although, south window at Arches may also be a problem. You shouldn't have to worry about flash flooding in the slots until the monsoons start, usually mid-July, but plenty of people. You might start at Lower Antelope at 8:00 A.M., then drive across the road to get into upper for the sunbeam shot around 11:00. Then, come back to lower to finish the day. best regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick_wong Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Here is a link to someone that had just gotten back from page. http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1021&message=9179425 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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