anelope canyon

[teethgator]

<p>Hi all,<br />I am planning on a trip to Anelope Canyon and Monument Valley. I have checked past post and came up with these thoughts:<br />1)best times( less crowds and bearable temps) is April,May, Sept. or Oct.<br />2)I have decided to use a workshop and came up with the following:<br />a-wildlife photo tours<br />b-Ian Whitehead southwest workshops<br />c-Diane Kelsay and Bob Harvey workshops<br />d-Travel Images<br />Has anyone taken tours with any of the above groups? My goal is to fit this trip within a few days. 4 at most. That is why I thought the workshops would be best-get me to the right spots with the least grief. Please let me know your thoughts.<br />Paul</p>

[laura_irwin]

<p>Hi Paul - I visited Monument Valley 2 years ago, and did a "sunrise-sunset" tour with Tom Phillips (Kéyah Hózhóní Monument Valley Tours). The tour started about an hour before sunrise and went until lunch. We reconvened late afternoon for the sunset portion, leaving the middle part of the day free to explore, rest, etc. I would highly recommend. I came back with some beautiful photos.<br>

As far as Antelope Canyon, try to find a photographer's tour. The tour guides for those tours know what you are looking for, and do their best to get you the best photos. The canyon is usually crowded, but on the photographer's tours, they will make sure you have photos without all the tourists in them!<br>

Laura</p>

[teethgator]

<p>Thanks Laura I will check Tom out. Is there a preference on the date April/May or Sept/Oct? <br>

Paul</p>

[john e v bailey]

<p>Beware of some of the photographers tours, someone I know took a guide book with a friend and drove round in a car and at lots of points this same bus would turn up after them. They spoke to some people on the bus and they had paid $$$ to go on a special photographers tour that "took them to the best photographic spots that aren't in the guide books"....but it seemed that particular photographic bus tour was in fact straight out of a guide book! <br>

Personally, depending on time, I think the convenience of not having to organise things for yourself can be worth paying for, just don't necessarily assume you are getting anything you couldn't get any other way.</p>

[laura_irwin]

<p>Paul - I was there in April and the weather was perfect. I can't comment on Sept/Oct as all of my trips to the southwest have taken place in April. <br>

Laura</p>

[teethgator]

<p>Laura-April sounds good to me. I will plan for both Anelope and Monument Valley in 2010. I agree with you John that is why I am trying to find out as much as possible. I don't get a chance to get out there often so I feel it is worth it to pay extra to make sure I get to the spots. I am also thinking of uping my camera to more pixels so I can enlarge these photos. Thinking full frame. </p>

[santo_giorno]

<p>Hi Paul:<br>

We took the same photo tour with Tom Phillips that Laura suggested above. It was excellent. There were a few spots where we ran into tours run by Gouldings, but we just waited until they left. Tom also took us to spots that are way off the self-guided route, and we were completely alone for most of the time.<br>

What I would suggest is that you drive the self-guided route yourself, then take a private tour with Tom or another one of the Navajo guides. If you're in rental car, most contracts specifically exclude driving on dirt roads, so there's some risk involved. The route is a bit sandy in spots, but otherwise not too bad.<br>

I would also suggest that you plan on two days in each location in case the weather doesn't co-operate. We went on the self-drive tour the first afternoon after we arrived, but there was a howling sandstorm making photography very difficult. We left after a short drive.<br>

At Antelope Canyon, you can book a photo tour of the Upper Canyon with one of the outfits based in Page. They stay in the canyon a bit longer. We went with one of Chief Tsoie tours. The guide didn't give much photo advice, but she did help in keeping other people out of the way. There were two other couples on the tour, so we were six of us in total. We walked to their store in Page, which was only a block from our hotel, but she picked the other's up at the campsite where they had parked their RV. Here's a link to their website....<br>

<a href="http://www.antelopeslotcanyon.com/index.html">http://www.antelopeslotcanyon.com/index.html</a><br>

From what I understand, the lower canyon is self-guided during the summer season. But in winter, the entry kiosks are closed and the only way in is with one of the tour groups based in Page. I'm not sure what the setup is in April. We went in early May, and the kiosks were open so we went into the lower canyon on our own after paying the entrance fee.<br>

It's definitely worth the time to visit both canyons.<br>

While in Page, don't miss the Horseshoe Bend on the Colorado. It's only a few miles south of town, and very easy to get to.<br>

It terms of gear, a wide angle lens really comes in handy. I had a 24 - 120 mm (equivalent); 120 mm was plenty at the tele end, but I wished I had something wider a number of times.<br>

cheers<br>

Santo</p>

[nigel_fuller]

<p>Paul,<br>

Reading that a Monument Valley "Photo Tour" seemed to be following a good guidebook, I wonder if it was one of these :<br>

Author : Laurent Martes<br>

Title 1 : A Guide to the Natural Landmarks of Arizona - Photographing the Southwest<br>

Title 2 : A Guide to the Natural Landmarks of Southern Utah - Photographing the Southwest<br>

Title 3 : A Guide to the Natural Landmarks of Colorado & New Mexico - Photographing the Southwest<br>

Publisher : Phototripusa<br>

See the enthusiastic reviewer's description at Amazon.co.uk.<br>

Armed with these you just might take better pictures travelling ALONE, selecting YOUR locations and in your OWN time.<br>

Nigel</p>