Theirs no video in the canyon unless you have a "special use" permit then you have to take a photography tour. But we can't tell if you're recording or snapping photos with a gopro.
Also sunny days are the best for colors and light shafts. Now, lower antelope will close down once the temperature hits 105 and monsoon season is creeping on up so if there is rain to the south they will close. So, look at the forecast for Page, AZ and plan to hit the canyon on a sunny day.
they opened up Antelope Canyon tours on July 12, 2021 again -- I was able to get a photo tour booked that week with Taadidiin Tours to see Canyon X -- highly recommend Taadidiin Tours - ask for Leo! Book the photo tour when it covers the 11am-12pm time period for the light beams. Note: Light beams are only in the slot canyons in the area from mid-May through mid-August - call and ask before booking, all the tour operators are knowledgeable and helpful. These tips are wonderful! Luckily I had already done an Upper Antelope Canyon tour in 2018 and I was prepared. Great tips! Thank you for sharing, and beautiful photographs!
I was in Antelope Canyon just last week and I paid extra for the photo tour. We got to spend about 3 hours inside the canyon. Our guide Marco was awesome! He was very knowledgeable and pointed out things We would have missed. There were many times I wasn’t snapping a photo but sitting there admiring everything. The guides will also point out certain things like “The lady in Red” or “The Swan” you’ll look the natural rock formations and then you’d say to yourself that looks like…I had many of those moments. As for the light beams, I went on the 10am tour so about 11am or so the beams were coming through the slot canyon. When you see them. Do not take long to get you4 shot because the sun is moving and the beams won’t last long. They can be really harsh light too. I was able to create a cool silhouette shot using the harsh beam of light for one image. I used a 14mm lens and kept that on the whole time. One thing that wasn’t mentioned was it’s absolutely necessary that you have a blower with you. The dust will get on your lens and you need a blower to blow the dust off. You will see the light beams just fine but the guide will enhance it by throwing dirt/sand towards the beam to make it stand out. Another guide that was with the regular group took a small shovel and scooped up some dirt and through it against the rock so it would fall off. This was good for a slow shutter type of shot. There was only 5 people in my photo group which was perfect. We had free reign inside the canyon pretty much so we were never in each other’s way but they did bring the regular groups of people through and you had to usually stop to let them through or keep shooting and they had to wait. Think of it like you are VIP when you pay for the photo tour and the guides will treat you as such. The walk down to the floor of the canyon was a breeze because you are walking down but let me tell you the walk out of the canyon back up in that heat was no joke. I had to stop 2-3 times to take a quick break. A tripod is a must but I did do some handheld shots with my Sony A7iii and iPhone 13 Pro too. I have an app where I can control my camera with my phone so I was able to easily put me in the image but you can always use your cameras self timer too. There was a husband and wife couple on our tour that only used their iPhones and they were getting amazing images too. There is no video recording inside the canyon although I have seen videos here on TH-cam of videos I respected their wishes and shot photos only. They have big signs posted saying no video recording. I asked the guide why is that and he said people would come through and record the entire tour then monetize the video and they had to put a stop to that. Other than that I had an extreme blast and would do it again!
@@isaacsung336 we were treated like VIP. We did see those large groups come through but they got them in and out pretty quickly and in some cases they made them wait till we were done getting our shots.
Here's tip #6. Go in February (like I did) it was so slow the guide said they are lucky to do 400 people in a day. It was chilly so not hot, went without a tripod, wasn't rushed and had about 10mins or more of picture time and not dusty and went at 12:15pm where there was plenty of light. And I just paid the basic fee of $50.40 per person! We were the only tour at that time, 8 people plus my 2 year old and the guide took our cameras and took the historic pics you see in Microsoft Windows and magazines
That's a great point! When I made this video, the photo tours would go year round, but I was made aware that at lower antelope, they no longer offer photo tours during the summer due to massive crowds. I've gone in summer, which is needed to get the light beams in your photos, and I've gone in the late fall for lower antelope, which was amazing. There was only one other person in my group, much more relaxing than dealing with the huge groups of people during the peak season!
@@KazCanning I just came from there 3 days ago. Me and my family had one more day left after spending a couple of days in Grand canyon. We stayed in Flagstaff and almost went to Sedona, but when we saw we were 2 hrs away from Antelope canyon, we immideatly changed our mind and we're so glad we did. It's beautiful
@@jonathanhernandez3664 It's a tough choice to make between all of those areas! But Page is always a great choice! It really is hard to beat Antelope Canyon. Not to mention, Horseshoe Bend is just a few minutes away. Glad you had a good trip!
@@samilover1015 Apart from the dead of winter, for a photo tour you should book in advance. They limit the number of people per photo tour to avid crowds getting in your shots. From Spring to Fall, I doubt you can walk in and grab a tour.
The non-photo package is fine for most people. We had a great tour without it. It depends on your guide. But photos with my wife's iPhone were pretty comparable to my dslr.
Definitely listen to this man, everything he says is true: I was just there Summer 2019. There was no photo tour of Upper Antelope Canyon anymore, which was very disappointing. Make your plans in advance, tours will fill up fast-- especially for the times with the best light. There are several tour companies who herd hundreds tourists through there every day, they're all usually there at the same time and it's mad crowded. Did I mention that you should make your reservation as soon as you can? Absolutely get the photo tour-- even if you're not a photographer. The photo tour is the VIP experience. They hustle you in past the crowds and make sure you have time to get your shots. They do take you around to predetermined spots and tell you where to set up your tripod, so it is limiting-- but you'll get all the iconic shots of the canyon. Not the most creative experience-- but know this going in and work with it. It's very dusty down there. The floor of the canyon is sand and it blows everywhere. Bring your rocket blower-- you WILL need it. You probably don't want to change lenses unless you like the idea of dust on your sensor. Consider a clear / UV filter to protect your front element from the grit. Since you're probably not changing lenses and it's kind of close down there, mount a wide zoom for the sake of flexibility. 16-35 on FF or 10-18 on APS-C. You'll be fine with the 24-70 or 24-105 on FF or the 18-55 / 18-135 on APS-C. You could get away with a 14, 24, or 35mm prime, but probably not a 50 on a crop sensor camera. I had my Canon 80D and shot mostly at the wide end on the 18-135 at f/8. It's not very bright down there. You need a tripod. Even if you're at f/2.8. Flippy screens are great. Your camera will be pointing at the ceiling a lot and unless you like standing on your knees in the sand, you will appreciate it immensely. On the photo tour, you also get the luxury of being fairly alone down there. You get to experience this amazing place in peace and quiet once the crowd moves on. It's one of the coolest places I have ever been to.
Thank you for tips. We took non photo package and little off season- November. The weather was perfect and not lots of crowd. We also got lucky in witnessing performance by our tour guy. It was great experience.
I just went there last week. There is no light beam definitely but I'm still in love with it. It is not crowded and my friend who went there before said the guide gave us more time which is excellent. ❤. The tour guide also told tips of how to take best photo with your phone. I really like her. 🌟🌟🌟👍😊
Hi, did you go to lower or upper canyon tour? do you have to choose? which tour company did you use and do you still remember the tour guide's name? We're planning to go in June...
I went to upper Antelope with Antelope Navajo Tour. We choose upper as it is not required climbing that might not fit to my friend's mom. th-cam.com/video/1DCXb0jty3M/w-d-xo.htmlsub_confirmation=1
Great video, so helpful! I'm still planning the trip and wondering how much time should I plan on spending in the antelope canyon and horseshoe bend, where to stay, and anything else to check out. Thanks!
To be honest, a day would probably be enough. The canyon tour only takes a couple hours, and horseshoe bend is only a few minutes from the canyons, with a short easy hike to the cliffside. If you have the time, I'd suggest checking out monument valley. It's a pretty far drive from Page, but totally worth it.
Thank you, I'm glad you like it! Yeah, Antelope Canyon is certainly a must see, but I do know how far away it is from everything, so it's definitely not easy to make the drive out there!
I am Josh T. I am a tour and photographer guide at Ken's Tours Lower Antelope Canyon. If you plan on doing the photo tour, request me "Josh" as your photo guide. I been working here for two years and I know the canyon top notch to where the light is gonna hit, to where the colors shine and where its going to be crowded. Photo tours start beginning of the first week of November to last week of February.
@MrBaltazar1234 Upper canyon frame is an A frame, so the edge of the canyon has a narrow opening and wider base floor. So I would suggest going around May. You have to book in advance. Lower Antelope Canyon gets light beams around late February. Lower Antelope Canyon is a V frame, edge is wider allowing more light to enter and the floor is narrow.
Outstanding information. I was hoping to see the light beams, but I will be there in February. Saved me a trip. I'll make sure to try in the summer sometime instead...and I'll get the photo package, too! Also helpful, as I hate people in any of my nature shots.
It depends on what you mean. If you mean, are they available two days from now? Maybe not, they get booked up pretty fast. But if you mean "can you book both tours close in time to each other?" yepp! If you book out far enough in advance, you should have no problem doing that, and because they're across the street from each other, you should have no problem getting from one to the other!
I was there about 15 years ago. Is it a lot more crowded now? I don't recall them offering 2 types of tours. I took the standard one with a tripod and got some great shots. I did both upper and lower. I was there about early April
Thanks for doing this video. Well done and lot of good info. My son and I plan to be in that area in mid-September, and we are both photographers (both shoot Pentax). Will definitely check on photo package.
Tom Clemons that's awesome! the southwest is great for photography. obviously, I'd highly recommend getting the photo package, it's a little bit more, but it will be one of the best times you'll have on your trip
For upper antelope, the walk is very short from the waiting area to the trucks which drive you out to the canyon. Once the truck drive you out to the canyon, they drop you off only several yards from the entrance of the canyon. The walk through the Canyon is maybe 100-200 yards both ways. It's very flat in upper canyon the whole way through. Lower antelope again is very accessible with only a short walk from the check in spot, but it is a little more difficult in the canyon. To get down to the bottom there are several staircases which are fairly steep but easily managable. No extreme hiking is required at any point
thank you so much, of all the info I search on the web, yours is the best & I would definitely follow yours' advice, may I also ask, which lens would you prefer, 24-70, or 11-22, those are the only two lens I have ! I thank you !
I'm glad it's helpful for you! First off, what kind of camera do you have? Is it full frame or crop? If you have a full frame, I would suggest the 24-70, because you can get a wider range of shots being able to zoom in, if you have a crop, definitely go with the 11-22 to ensure you get a wide enough shot!
Cool, hope it's a good trip! The entire area over there is incredible. I do have an instagram, it's just @kazcanning. DM me when you get closer to taking a trip out there, I can point you to some cool spots!
Why did you not mention the operators restrictions on publication rights ' Unless you pay a special fee, you can't put any of your photos/Videos on the internet! Do these rights come with the photo package that was already mentioned ?
It's perfectly fine to use your image in almost any way you would like, with the exception of commercial use, which would mostly be defined as use for selling a product. Using it on social media is perfectly acceptable, and you don't need to shell out the $50-200 for the commercial use permit. It does become more complicated when it comes to selling the prints because then it would be considered art, and not necessarily commercial. Video, on the other hand, is pretty strictly prohibited at the canyon without the commercial permits, which is why I don't have any footage from inside the canyon.
That's ridiculous, even though I don't care for any commercial use why would they charge you for something nature made? They can't just claim it and profit from it.
Stiven Guzman it’s because it’s located on native lands. They own the rights to their lands. Any commercial use, ie; advertising always demands a separate contract with payment.
@@stivenguzman3310 Consider that Native American lands, treaties and rights have been exploited for over 500 years by colonists, we should all respect native sacred lands! ☮️
One comment regarding the "photo package". Book the first tour of the day. That group goes to the far end of the canyon and works its way back. That way, you cover half of the canyon before encountering the other tours as they make their way to you. One other thing, you can't book a photo package without a "real" camera.
That's a good point! But if you're going to capture the light beams in the upper antelope canyon, the best time to visit is around noon. But for anything else, definitely agree with you there!
I didn't really do much to protect it. At the time, there weren't too many resources really describing how dirty it really is down there, so I was pretty unprepared! Still though, there's not much you can do to prepare for the dirt and sand except maybe have some sort of plastic covering for your camera, similar to a rain guard
I think lower canyon is great to visit any time of the year. Upper canyon is more known for the light beams, which only really appear around noon in summer time, but lower should be good any time!
I haven't been to lower antelope canyon in the summer, which is when the light beams are best seen, with that being said I think any time would really be great. Lower antelope is more known for its sweeping curves than light beams, and even having some nice indirect light in the mornings and afternoon will be great for some nice cool tones. Upper and lower antelope are one of those rare places where it can be photographed at any time of the day and the results will be amazing.
Your video is so helpful. We just booked a trip in early May this year 2019. What’s the difference between lower and upper canyon? Should we spend a day or two in the area? Plan to have a boat tour on Lake Powell as well. What do you mean by photo package? Do they have a photographer in the tour package? I didn’t plan to buy a new camera! It would be much appropriated if you respond. Thank you.
To be honest, there's not a huge difference between upper and lower. There are different rock formations in both. Upper canyon is famous for the light beams coming down to the bottom of the canyon. For me, a full day was enough, I saw the canyon, and also made a quick drive out to horseshoe bend, which is only about 10 minutes from Antelope Canyon. There are two kinds of tours, one for normal visitors, anyone can go on that tour, no camera needed. Then there's a photography tour which is meant for photographers. That tour is meant to help photographers get better photos, by stopping other tour groups from entering their shots. You will need a camera with you if you intend to go on that tour. If you have time for a second day in the area, it's pretty far out of the way, but monument valley is a several hour drive to the east. Might be too far for you, but it's probably your best opportunity to see it!
Kaz Canning thank you so much. You have been so helpful. We are going to spend 5 nights in the areas.Plan to visit Bryce and Zion National Park then to Lake Powell area/Antelope Canyon, and hopefully your recommendation , Monument Valley. Thanks again for your response.
Yes, they charge per person. However, I would highly suggest trying to book it ahead of time as it does get very busy there and you might not get a spot if you don't book it all far in advance!
Thank you for all your great tips!! I’m personally intrigued by the lower canyon, however I’m planning this trip specifically to be able to take some beautiful senior high school pictures for my daughter. I like the high angles of the upper canyon based of what I have in mind in capturing, but also live the hues your captured at the lower canyon. What do you think? Also, are there trips available to see both on the same day?
Diana Garcia sounds like a good trip! And yes, you would absolutely be able to visit both on the same day, as they are just across the street from each other. I'm not sure if you're planning on taking photos in the canyon for your daughter, but just be aware that it is relatively fast paced down there, and not too much ambient light at times, which can make it difficult!
@@KazCanning Indescribable beauty, The rock surface is as smooth as skin, and its vivid colors vary brown, purple, pink depending on how the sunlight hits it. The site has two sections, Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower. Resembling the inside of a couch shell, the corridor through Upper Canyon, in particular has an indescribable beauty!
Tip # 6 ALL slot canyons are dangerous People have died after being flushed out of Antelope Canyon by flash floods Don't even think about doing this hike during Monsoon Season Btw It's more like a 3 hour drive from the nearest cities of Flagstaff AZ or St.George UT
This is the first summer having no photo tour for peak season. Only people who made reservations a year prior before the new rule. Reason why, no photo tour, because of the crazy amount of people there.
Thanks! Great tips! we are planning to go visit Antelope in June, I am wondering if we need to reserve the tour ahead of the time if we want to go on certain day and time? Also for lower Antelope, do we need to have the photo tour as well? thanks in advance!
I would HIGHLY recommend booking the tours in advance! If you're going in June, I would say to try to book the tour right now. And since I made this video, the tours for the lower canyon during summer have discontinued doing the photo tours (which are available only during off season now) so you won't be able to get the photo tour, but you should still be able to take photos.
larry raffaelli it would work perfect for some good wide shots. the 18-300 would work better for a wide range of photos because you could get some wides and detail shots. I'd say the best thing to do is to go check out photos of the canyon you're going to go to, and see which photos you like to get an idea of what you'd like, only wides, or a mixture of photos
Great tips. I have a few questions. I'm coming to Antelope at the end of December. Should I do the upper or lower canyon. I have a choice between the 2. Also, you mentioned wide angle lens. I'm using an APS-C camera, Sony a6400 with etiehr the 10-18 or 18-105 lens. They are both f4. What aperture did you use for your shots?
Both would be great choices. Between the two, I think lower canyon is less crowded overall, and may be a better experience. Its hard to say between those two lenses, I would say to look at images of antelope canyon, and see which kind of images you really enjoy the most and want to try to take. The 10-18 is definitely the better choice for the wide shots, but it will be limiting if you want anything else. One thing I will say is that because you're not going during the busy season, and there aren't going to be any light beams, it will be much less dusty in the canyon ( they throw sand in the air to help the light beams become more visible) so I would say start off with your preferred lens, and if you deem it to be clean enough down there, you might be able to get away with a really fast lens swap!
@@KazCanning Thank you for your time I look at antelope photos and I tend to like my pictures wide. I probably will only use the 10-18 mm but I'll keep your suggestions in mind
I was using 100 ISO to ensure the best quality photos with minimal noise. Then for my aperture, I was shooting around f5.6-f.8, setting your camera to that aperture will generally create the sharpest image of whatever you're focusing on. Then I adjust my shutter speed to fit the scene, usually the shutter speed was anywhere from 2-6 seconds. Your 18-1400 should work perfect! It'll be a great lens to help you get wide photos and also detail shots.
Hi !! Thanks for this video and the tips. I will be there in two weeks, and i've booked a photographer tour (upper and rattlesnake canyon). I'm waiting for this moment for more than 10 years (i'm from Europe) About the lens, you said 16mm, but is it for full frame or aps-c ? I will have to choose (on a full frame) between Canon 16-35mm f/4 IS and Canon 24-105mm f/4 IS... Thanks again !
Hi, glad you liked the video! Yes, the focal lengths that I was mentioning are all in Full Frame terms. That's a tough choice between those two lenses! Both would be great, I think it's more up to you what you'd like to photograph. The wide angle will allow you to get more of the canyon, but the 24-105 will work better if you want to get detail shots of individual features. I'm guessing that you're trying to get the light beams in your photos, which I would recommend shooting with the 16-35. I shot with a 24-70, but I was shooting panoramas inside the canyon because I wanted those wide shots, it was much more time consuming per shot, and definitely, more that can go wrong trying to do it that way!
Thanks for your quick answer. I think I will choose 16-35 for the upper antelope to catch the lights and I will change and put the 24-105 for the rattlesnake canyon to have some details. Thanks again for your advice.
Everything you would shoot in this canyon will be 10-50 feet away from you, so macro isn't needed here. However, most macro lenses don't have any problems focusing normal distances like that, so as long as it can do that, it should be fine. Again, the most important thing is to have a lens that is wide enough to capture everything
Thanks. I have been researching, too. Great info. Online i read that May is the beginning month for light beams....do you agree? I was planning on going out there the first week in May.
Eileen Conragan that sounds accurate. Just make sure you go during the noon tour, that's when the light beams are visible. You can also try to give a call to the tour company you're going with to double check, they may be able to give you pretty accurate information
It really depends on your budget. You could get a nikon 10-24mm, which is pretty inexpensive. A nikon 18-200 would also be good for you to still be able to get wide shots and also zoom in for good details
I'm thinking of shooting a short independent film and would like to shoot with the Antelope Canyons as a backdrop. It seems that this will be impossible. Do you have any comparable spots that could be viable?
Thanks for the photo tips. My question is do they offer a photo package for BOTH upper + lower canyons? I'm eager to shoot both. Waiting for your response.
MrBaltazar1234 hey! I'm still looking around, but I'm not immediately seeing a tour company that takes you to both upper and lower. However, there are companies that will take you to multiple canyons that are lesser known. For example, you can go to upper and owl canyon, or rattlesnake canyon. Which are incredible as well
I'm going to look around a little bit. I've heard from several people that they may have discontinued photo tours permanently. I will check with some people I know and see if they still have tours
I deleted an earlier comment after discovering that the Navajo Tribe no longer offers/allows the "photo tours". This service is now cancelled to enable the tourist tours to the maximum, as they are more profitable. Based on my past experience and the apparent volume of people getting packed into these tours, photography in either Upper or Lower Antelope Canyons is now limited to snapshots, selfies and cell phones. it seems that another canyon in the same area, "Canyon X", is now the only option available for photography. Videos of it look promising.
My husband and I are both photographers. We will be in Page in late April. We currently have a photography tour to Upper antelope and Rattlesnake Canyon scheduled but we are considering changing to Canyon X due to fewer people, more time and good reviews we have read. Any comments would be appreciated.
I know Canyon X is less travelled and may be more relaxing in terms of having to deal with the crowds, because Antelope is definitely far from relaxing! If there are good reviews with the company you're looking at, I would trust that it's a good tour group to go with!
Great tips, thanks, but i wished you would tell something about the camera settings: which white balance setting, which aperture, ISO, to get the best possible pictures. I have been there, shot in RAW but still it is difficult to edit the pictures in such a way that they really look amazing.
I was there last week and I started off with ISO 500 F8-F11 to keep everything sharp and shutter was on 1/10. Now I began with those settings but I changed the settings based on the light. You might have light or light beams in one area then walk around the corner and it’s super dark and you will have to do a long exposure. Advice for anybody going on this tour is to know how to quickLy adjust your camera settings on the fly. You do have time because you have 2.5-3 hours in the canyon but you don’t want to waste unnecessary time fooling with your camera.
The prices have gone up significantly since I first went to upper antelope, it looks like it's about $160 per person. I would suggest booking as soon as possible, I know the groups fill up pretty fast. Here's the link that you can actually book it at. navajotours.com/tour-packages/#book-a-tour
Richard Cervellone if you're going for the light beams in the upper canyon, definitely book it as far I'm advance as possible, it fills up fast! otherwise, I'd say just book it as soon as you can, just to ensure that you're able to get a spot
I went to the lower canyon last fall, and in the photo tour, there was only one other photographer, so I would've been okay to book the trip right when I got there. So you might be okay depending on how busy the season is that you're going to go. I'd say if you know a few days in advance, try to book it then, just to make sure. I'm looking at some of the tours for Lower Antelope right now (link in the description) and the tours are completely sold out for quite a while.
I am about to go to Page specifically for the Slot canyons. There are quite a few tours for photographers. The prices wildly vary and the amount of time looks like it does too. How should I choose one? I'd like to do upper Antelope when the sun is high, but the lower Antelope later in the afternoon when the sun in the slots is not so harsh. I do not see any options for that. Please advise. I am going the beginning of November 2017.
If you check the description in for this video, I linked the two companies that I used for my tours at antelope canyon. I'd say in November, the light beams might not be as visible in the upper canyon, but it will still be a great trip. It looks like they've raised their prices since I last went, but it's still worth it. Kens Tours is the company I used for the lower canyon and I had a great experience there, check their website to see what the time options are, they might only offer morning and noon trips for their photography tours
I am confused. You say as #1 to take a "Photo Tour" that allows tripods. This is EACTLY what I want. Yet the links you provide don't have photo tours it appears. Both specifically say "no tripods". Where to I get the photo tours ?
I honestly think any time of year is great to go. You might not get sunbeams shining through the canyon, however, it will still be an amazing experience. The only thing I would be aware of, is there might be some spring showers that time of year, but it is the desert, so rain is pretty uncommon.
I have 3 questions, first: selecting the photo package means they will take you pictures? Or why exactly that means? 2: will the light beams work on September? Or just until mid August?. 3. I have two different lenses I want to use, will they be affected if I change the lenses there? I only have 1 camera 📷. Thanks for the video, 👍🏻👌👌 you are amazing
Hey! The photo packages are the only ones where they will allow you to bring a tripod into the canyon. There might be light beams in September, but I would guess they are not quite as visible as they are during the mid summer months, and you would also certainly still need to be there around noon for your best chances of seeing them. For the lenses, I would highly recommend not switching lenses in the canyon as it's very sandy in there, sand is constantly falling from the top of the canyon to the bottom. If you must switch, I would say walk all the way to the end of the canyon where you will come out the other side and switch lenses outside to reduce the possibility of sand getting in your camera.
@@KazCanning thanks so much, that is wise, will use one lense for sure to avoid any accident to the camera. And yes I would do the photo package so I can bring my tripod.
Kaz, we are going in the beginning of August. Will we be able to get a guide? and do we need reservations to just see canyon. Also, is there a lot of hiking, my wife may have an issue if it's long. Thanks
I think it might depend on the Canyon. Upper should be no problem at all, Summer season is the best season for the photos there. However, for lower canyon, I'm a little bit confused because I can't really tell if they've discontinued the summer photography tours or not. I would be surprised if they have. A simple call to Ken's Tours will be able to answer that question though. You need reservations even if you're just going to see the canyon. They are located on Navajo territory, so they will not allow you to visit without a guide. And as far as the hiking goes, there is basically none, with the exception of walking though the canyon, which is short and easy. Lower canyon is located only about 100 feet from the parking lot, and upper canyon includes a truck ride to the mouth of the slot canyon. Let me know if you've got any more questions!!
Hi! Great Tips, I thank you for that information. Now, I’m in Michigan, I can fly there and drive there, but what’s the closest city and what is the website I can look up something? Thanks in advance. Kaioshin
I think the biggest "city" that's close to this area is Flagstaff, which is still pretty small and might not be serviced by too many airlines. Phoenix might be your best bet in terms of flying in, and then driving to the area. If you want to look it up on a map, the canyons are located in Page Arizona, which is pretty far from any major city, maybe a 5 hour drive from Phoenix.
I can't really say without knowing the exact date you're going. But try searching "antelope canyon photography tour" and check some of the different websites. I haven't used the other tour guides, so I can't say for sure how good they'll be (however, I'm sure they'll be fantastic) You can try this one, I just clicked a random date in September and they still had photography tour openings www.navajoantelopecanyon.com/Photo.asp
You have to pay to actually go in the canyon regardless of which tour. There is no way to get into these canyons without paying. So your permit will either be for the photography tour (the one you want) or the standard tour. You will be allowed to take photos in the canyon without a photography tour permit, but you will not be allowed to use a tripod, and you will not get very many good photos of the things you want.
Hey, I'm a photographer and i'm going to Las Vegas in september. Please help me to figure out how to to this! Do you know a tour that come from: Las Vegas to Upper Antelope and after go to back to vegas The tour that you suggest do that?
Hi Leo! I'm not aware of any tours that drive that far. Antelope canyon is roughly a 5 hour drive from Las Vegas, so that would be a 10 hour drive round trip. I'd say that it would probably be more financially feasible and more friendly for your schedule if you rented a car for a day to drive there. Most tours in Las Vegas will visit the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, and the Colorado River. However, I will look around a little bit and see if I can find anything like what you're asking for.
You honestly might not even be allowed to get the photo package with only an iphone. One of the requirements for the photo package is that you have a DSLR and a Tripod with you.
You didn't mention anything about the terrain and how physically challenging it is. I'm active, but not a rock climber. Will I do okay if I can walk 5 miles a day?
Absolutely. There is zero rock climbing. Upper Antelope is like walking on the beach for a half mile, just a sand bottom. Lower has a few sets of stairs, but not much at all, maybe 50 steps total, and it is also almost completely sand bottomed. You shouldn't have any issues at all!
And I hiked it at night under the full moon but very carefully and vigilantly when we spotted fresh mountain lion tracks,lol but i know to handle those too.
I would say that the actual tour lasts about an hour or an hour and a half. I think it's a good amount of time for you to get the photos you need while you're in the canyon. And the photo package is for a single person, so you would have to purchase two photo packages if you want two people to go.
Listen to this guy I was a tour guide here!!! Message still applies. Very crowded like Disneyland, this guy is a very patient photographer!
Good to know! Planning to go next week!
MicBergsma you planning on doing a GoPro tip video?
Theirs no video in the canyon unless you have a "special use" permit then you have to take a photography tour. But we can't tell if you're recording or snapping photos with a gopro.
Also sunny days are the best for colors and light shafts. Now, lower antelope will close down once the temperature hits 105 and monsoon season is creeping on up so if there is rain to the south they will close. So, look at the forecast for Page, AZ and plan to hit the canyon on a sunny day.
That's interesting. I only took stills, but I know there was some people on our tour with Go Pros. Didn't know about the video rule.
they opened up Antelope Canyon tours on July 12, 2021 again -- I was able to get a photo tour booked that week with Taadidiin Tours to see Canyon X -- highly recommend Taadidiin Tours - ask for Leo! Book the photo tour when it covers the 11am-12pm time period for the light beams. Note: Light beams are only in the slot canyons in the area from mid-May through mid-August - call and ask before booking, all the tour operators are knowledgeable and helpful. These tips are wonderful! Luckily I had already done an Upper Antelope Canyon tour in 2018 and I was prepared. Great tips! Thank you for sharing, and beautiful photographs!
I was in Antelope Canyon just last week and I paid extra for the photo tour. We got to spend about 3 hours inside the canyon. Our guide Marco was awesome! He was very knowledgeable and pointed out things We would have missed. There were many times I wasn’t snapping a photo but sitting there admiring everything. The guides will also point out certain things like “The lady in Red” or “The Swan” you’ll look the natural rock formations and then you’d say to yourself that looks like…I had many of those moments. As for the light beams, I went on the 10am tour so about 11am or so the beams were coming through the slot canyon. When you see them. Do not take long to get you4 shot because the sun is moving and the beams won’t last long. They can be really harsh light too. I was able to create a cool silhouette shot using the harsh beam of light for one image. I used a 14mm lens and kept that on the whole time. One thing that wasn’t mentioned was it’s absolutely necessary that you have a blower with you. The dust will get on your lens and you need a blower to blow the dust off. You will see the light beams just fine but the guide will enhance it by throwing dirt/sand towards the beam to make it stand out. Another guide that was with the regular group took a small shovel and scooped up some dirt and through it against the rock so it would fall off. This was good for a slow shutter type of shot. There was only 5 people in my photo group which was perfect. We had free reign inside the canyon pretty much so we were never in each other’s way but they did bring the regular groups of people through and you had to usually stop to let them through or keep shooting and they had to wait. Think of it like you are VIP when you pay for the photo tour and the guides will treat you as such. The walk down to the floor of the canyon was a breeze because you are walking down but let me tell you the walk out of the canyon back up in that heat was no joke. I had to stop 2-3 times to take a quick break. A tripod is a must but I did do some handheld shots with my Sony A7iii and iPhone 13 Pro too. I have an app where I can control my camera with my phone so I was able to easily put me in the image but you can always use your cameras self timer too. There was a husband and wife couple on our tour that only used their iPhones and they were getting amazing images too. There is no video recording inside the canyon although I have seen videos here on TH-cam of videos I respected their wishes and shot photos only. They have big signs posted saying no video recording. I asked the guide why is that and he said people would come through and record the entire tour then monetize the video and they had to put a stop to that. Other than that I had an extreme blast and would do it again!
what tour service did you use? (Name of the company) that offers a photo package
I thought photo tour was gone because how crowded/popular these canyons got?
@@paulcaron6007 I used Taadidiin Tours for my photo tour.
@@isaacsung336 we were treated like VIP. We did see those large groups come through but they got them in and out pretty quickly and in some cases they made them wait till we were done getting our shots.
which canyon did you visit? Lower, upper or the X? Tks
Recommendations for iPhone settings in upper canyon. Thanks for the tips.
Here's tip #6. Go in February (like I did) it was so slow the guide said they are lucky to do 400 people in a day. It was chilly so not hot, went without a tripod, wasn't rushed and had about 10mins or more of picture time and not dusty and went at 12:15pm where there was plenty of light. And I just paid the basic fee of $50.40 per person! We were the only tour at that time, 8 people plus my 2 year old and the guide took our cameras and took the historic pics you see in Microsoft Windows and magazines
That's a great point! When I made this video, the photo tours would go year round, but I was made aware that at lower antelope, they no longer offer photo tours during the summer due to massive crowds. I've gone in summer, which is needed to get the light beams in your photos, and I've gone in the late fall for lower antelope, which was amazing. There was only one other person in my group, much more relaxing than dealing with the huge groups of people during the peak season!
@@KazCanning I just came from there 3 days ago. Me and my family had one more day left after spending a couple of days in Grand canyon. We stayed in Flagstaff and almost went to Sedona, but when we saw we were 2 hrs away from Antelope canyon, we immideatly changed our mind and we're so glad we did. It's beautiful
@@jonathanhernandez3664 It's a tough choice to make between all of those areas! But Page is always a great choice! It really is hard to beat Antelope Canyon. Not to mention, Horseshoe Bend is just a few minutes away. Glad you had a good trip!
Did you have to buy and book the entrance fee ahead of time or you can do as you get there?
@@samilover1015 Apart from the dead of winter, for a photo tour you should book in advance. They limit the number of people per photo tour to avid crowds getting in your shots. From Spring to Fall, I doubt you can walk in and grab a tour.
The non-photo package is fine for most people. We had a great tour without it. It depends on your guide. But photos with my wife's iPhone were pretty comparable to my dslr.
Thank you for your tips. Looking forward to going there in Sept.
Great tips and I did not know about he photo package :) Thank you
I did it without a tripod. My Sony A9 and the Sony 24-105mm f4 worked fine. Got great shots, even with a model.
Thank you!
I really wanna go, where can I get the photo tour reservation? Thank you!
Thanks for the tips! I took notes. I’ll be heading there in 10 days! I can’t wait. 😬
Awesome! I hope you have a good time out there!!
How was it?
Definitely listen to this man, everything he says is true:
I was just there Summer 2019. There was no photo tour of Upper Antelope Canyon anymore, which was very disappointing. Make your plans in advance, tours will fill up fast-- especially for the times with the best light.
There are several tour companies who herd hundreds tourists through there every day, they're all usually there at the same time and it's mad crowded. Did I mention that you should make your reservation as soon as you can?
Absolutely get the photo tour-- even if you're not a photographer. The photo tour is the VIP experience. They hustle you in past the crowds and make sure you have time to get your shots. They do take you around to predetermined spots and tell you where to set up your tripod, so it is limiting-- but you'll get all the iconic shots of the canyon. Not the most creative experience-- but know this going in and work with it.
It's very dusty down there. The floor of the canyon is sand and it blows everywhere. Bring your rocket blower-- you WILL need it. You probably don't want to change lenses unless you like the idea of dust on your sensor. Consider a clear / UV filter to protect your front element from the grit.
Since you're probably not changing lenses and it's kind of close down there, mount a wide zoom for the sake of flexibility. 16-35 on FF or 10-18 on APS-C. You'll be fine with the 24-70 or 24-105 on FF or the 18-55 / 18-135 on APS-C. You could get away with a 14, 24, or 35mm prime, but probably not a 50 on a crop sensor camera.
I had my Canon 80D and shot mostly at the wide end on the 18-135 at f/8.
It's not very bright down there. You need a tripod. Even if you're at f/2.8. Flippy screens are great. Your camera will be pointing at the ceiling a lot and unless you like standing on your knees in the sand, you will appreciate it immensely.
On the photo tour, you also get the luxury of being fairly alone down there. You get to experience this amazing place in peace and quiet once the crowd moves on. It's one of the coolest places I have ever been to.
Another TH-cam video says tripod is no longer allowed in lower Antelope canyon as of January 2018.
Thanks
this video is great. I already did my trip but I had this on my watch later and was like this is great information.
Read the news about this place. There will be no more photo package tours starting in 2020. And, tripods are not allowed anymore
@@RichardsWorld awwww! well I am glad I went when i did then. thanks for the update.
Thank you for tips. We took non photo package and little off season- November. The weather was perfect and not lots of crowd. We also got lucky in witnessing performance by our tour guy. It was great experience.
Great video! Thank you from all of us at Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours.
Thanks for the tips. I am afraid I was not able to find the photography tour. Would you be able to share a link for the tour you booked?
Thanks for the tips. Will go there tomorrow. Upper.
Thank you for your idea about it ❤️
I just went there last week. There is no light beam definitely but I'm still in love with it. It is not crowded and my friend who went there before said the guide gave us more time which is excellent. ❤. The tour guide also told tips of how to take best photo with your phone. I really like her. 🌟🌟🌟👍😊
Hi, did you go to lower or upper canyon tour? do you have to choose? which tour company did you use and do you still remember the tour guide's name? We're planning to go in June...
I went to upper Antelope with Antelope Navajo Tour. We choose upper as it is not required climbing that might not fit to my friend's mom.
th-cam.com/video/1DCXb0jty3M/w-d-xo.htmlsub_confirmation=1
@@allhappyliving thank you :)
Great video, so helpful!
I'm still planning the trip and wondering how much time should I plan on spending in the antelope canyon and horseshoe bend, where to stay, and anything else to check out. Thanks!
To be honest, a day would probably be enough. The canyon tour only takes a couple hours, and horseshoe bend is only a few minutes from the canyons, with a short easy hike to the cliffside. If you have the time, I'd suggest checking out monument valley. It's a pretty far drive from Page, but totally worth it.
Kaz Canning thanks a lot! I'll check that out:)
Hi!!! If we are after family photo and not the light beams, do you suggest upper or lower antelope? Will be going in May. Thanks!!!
Great tips and gorgeous photos! I'm totally jealous- antelope canyon is on my bucket list.
Thank you, I'm glad you like it! Yeah, Antelope Canyon is certainly a must see, but I do know how far away it is from everything, so it's definitely not easy to make the drive out there!
I am Josh T. I am a tour and photographer guide at Ken's Tours Lower Antelope Canyon. If you plan on doing the photo tour, request me "Josh" as your photo guide. I been working here for two years and I know the canyon top notch to where the light is gonna hit, to where the colors shine and where its going to be crowded. Photo tours start beginning of the first week of November to last week of February.
Joshua Tsinnijinnie cant i just use my phone to take pictures or are we not allowed to take out phones?
LittleDUDEchris yes you can use phones on tour. Mostly everyone who visits uses their phone as a camera.
Are there adequate light beams in February + March in the upper canyon?
@MrBaltazar1234 Upper canyon frame is an A frame, so the edge of the canyon has a narrow opening and wider base floor. So I would suggest going around May. You have to book in advance. Lower Antelope Canyon gets light beams around late February. Lower Antelope Canyon is a V frame, edge is wider allowing more light to enter and the floor is narrow.
The website says photo tours are no longer being offered. Is that the case?
You think an 11-20mm zoom lens will work or do I need more zoom?
Outstanding information. I was hoping to see the light beams, but I will be there in February. Saved me a trip. I'll make sure to try in the summer sometime instead...and I'll get the photo package, too! Also helpful, as I hate people in any of my nature shots.
Thank you for sharing. This is really helpful. It will be the firdt time for me in there...
They are all things I didn’t know. Thanks
Thank you Kaz. Definitely excellent tips.we will use these in our future travels. 😀
I'm glad this will be useful for you!!
You are so right about getting the Photo pakage! 📸📷⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️
Have you been to Antelope canyon on the photo tours??
I'm going to Antelope Valley thanks for your tips.... are both upper and lower photo tours available let's say in a day or two period.
It depends on what you mean. If you mean, are they available two days from now? Maybe not, they get booked up pretty fast. But if you mean "can you book both tours close in time to each other?" yepp! If you book out far enough in advance, you should have no problem doing that, and because they're across the street from each other, you should have no problem getting from one to the other!
I was there about 15 years ago. Is it a lot more crowded now? I don't recall them offering 2 types of tours. I took the standard one with a tripod and got some great shots. I did both upper and lower. I was there about early April
WHERE DO YOU BY THE PHOTO PACKAGE AND DO YOU PURCHASE THIS WITH A TOUR GUIDE SERVICE OR IT HAS TO BE PURCHASED ONCE YOU ARRIVE AT THE DESTINATION?
Thanks for doing this video. Well done and lot of good info. My son and I plan to be in that area in mid-September, and we are both photographers (both shoot Pentax). Will definitely check on photo package.
Tom Clemons that's awesome! the southwest is great for photography. obviously, I'd highly recommend getting the photo package, it's a little bit more, but it will be one of the best times you'll have on your trip
Thank you so very much for the information; that's on my bucket!
Hi! May I know what time did you go there? Im still confused on what time should I choose. Planning to go this April.
Great tips, how far of a walk is it for you typically? I'm an AK amputee so I'm not super fast lol
For upper antelope, the walk is very short from the waiting area to the trucks which drive you out to the canyon. Once the truck drive you out to the canyon, they drop you off only several yards from the entrance of the canyon. The walk through the Canyon is maybe 100-200 yards both ways. It's very flat in upper canyon the whole way through.
Lower antelope again is very accessible with only a short walk from the check in spot, but it is a little more difficult in the canyon. To get down to the bottom there are several staircases which are fairly steep but easily managable. No extreme hiking is required at any point
thank you so much, of all the info I search on the web, yours is the best & I would definitely follow yours' advice, may I also ask, which lens would you prefer, 24-70, or 11-22, those are the only two lens I have ! I thank you !
I'm glad it's helpful for you! First off, what kind of camera do you have? Is it full frame or crop? If you have a full frame, I would suggest the 24-70, because you can get a wider range of shots being able to zoom in, if you have a crop, definitely go with the 11-22 to ensure you get a wide enough shot!
mine is canon 100d, so is not a full frame, so I will go for 11-22 ? thanks a lot !
Thank you for your info. I have booked the photo tour in April 2018 from your link .
Thank you! I really appreciate you being so honest.
can you get to the good slot canyon spot if you kayak or paddle board in?
Not these particular canyons. These are miles away from the nearest water source
Can we buy the package right at the area? Thank you for your guide!
Thank you so much for all this info this is so cool of you!
SIUFER GONZALEZ no problem!! I hope this video can help you out if you ever take take a trip to antelope canyon!
Kaz Canning definitely planning it! Do you have an Instagram?
Cool, hope it's a good trip! The entire area over there is incredible. I do have an instagram, it's just @kazcanning. DM me when you get closer to taking a trip out there, I can point you to some cool spots!
What is the best camera to bring to AnteLoPe Canyon?
Why did you not mention the operators restrictions on publication rights '
Unless you pay a special fee, you can't put any of your photos/Videos on the internet!
Do these rights come with the photo package that was already mentioned ?
It's perfectly fine to use your image in almost any way you would like, with the exception of commercial use, which would mostly be defined as use for selling a product. Using it on social media is perfectly acceptable, and you don't need to shell out the $50-200 for the commercial use permit. It does become more complicated when it comes to selling the prints because then it would be considered art, and not necessarily commercial. Video, on the other hand, is pretty strictly prohibited at the canyon without the commercial permits, which is why I don't have any footage from inside the canyon.
That's ridiculous, even though I don't care for any commercial use why would they charge you for something nature made? They can't just claim it and profit from it.
Stiven Guzman it’s because it’s located on native lands. They own the rights to their lands. Any commercial use, ie; advertising always demands a separate contract with payment.
@@stivenguzman3310 Consider that Native American lands, treaties and rights have been exploited for over 500 years by colonists, we should all respect native sacred lands! ☮️
One comment regarding the "photo package". Book the first tour of the day. That group goes to the far end of the canyon and works its way back. That way, you cover half of the canyon before encountering the other tours as they make their way to you. One other thing, you can't book a photo package without a "real" camera.
That's a good point! But if you're going to capture the light beams in the upper antelope canyon, the best time to visit is around noon. But for anything else, definitely agree with you there!
Thanks for the information
I was planning on visiting this canyon in late March. Any suggestions for 1st timers that time of year?
how did you prepare your gear for the trip? did you try and protect it from the sand outside of the canyon? - in places like joshua tree
I didn't really do much to protect it. At the time, there weren't too many resources really describing how dirty it really is down there, so I was pretty unprepared! Still though, there's not much you can do to prepare for the dirt and sand except maybe have some sort of plastic covering for your camera, similar to a rain guard
Kat... thanks for these tips... I wanna go to the lower canyon... you say summer... like late May, June or July??? what do you think is best?
I think lower canyon is great to visit any time of the year. Upper canyon is more known for the light beams, which only really appear around noon in summer time, but lower should be good any time!
Thanks these tips are fantastic! You said upper is better mid day. Is there any particular time of day that's better for lower canyon? Thanks!
I haven't been to lower antelope canyon in the summer, which is when the light beams are best seen, with that being said I think any time would really be great. Lower antelope is more known for its sweeping curves than light beams, and even having some nice indirect light in the mornings and afternoon will be great for some nice cool tones. Upper and lower antelope are one of those rare places where it can be photographed at any time of the day and the results will be amazing.
Your video is so helpful. We just booked a trip in early May this year 2019. What’s the difference between lower and upper canyon? Should we spend a day or two in the area? Plan to have a boat tour on Lake Powell as well. What do you mean by photo package? Do they have a photographer in the tour package? I didn’t plan to buy a new camera! It would be much appropriated if you respond. Thank you.
To be honest, there's not a huge difference between upper and lower. There are different rock formations in both. Upper canyon is famous for the light beams coming down to the bottom of the canyon. For me, a full day was enough, I saw the canyon, and also made a quick drive out to horseshoe bend, which is only about 10 minutes from Antelope Canyon. There are two kinds of tours, one for normal visitors, anyone can go on that tour, no camera needed. Then there's a photography tour which is meant for photographers. That tour is meant to help photographers get better photos, by stopping other tour groups from entering their shots. You will need a camera with you if you intend to go on that tour.
If you have time for a second day in the area, it's pretty far out of the way, but monument valley is a several hour drive to the east. Might be too far for you, but it's probably your best opportunity to see it!
Kaz Canning thank you so much. You have been so helpful. We are going to spend 5 nights in the areas.Plan to visit Bryce and Zion National Park then to Lake Powell area/Antelope Canyon, and hopefully your recommendation , Monument Valley. Thanks again for your response.
@@amaraedin497 Nice! All those places are incredible! Hope you have a good trip!
Kaz Canning thanks
Are photography tours still operational during off season months like February for Lower Antelope Canyon?
According to Wikipedia, the photo package was discontinued in 2019!!!!!
I'm going with my 3 siblings and 1 adult son , if I get the photo package how they charge us? Individually? Sorry for my English ✌
Yes, they charge per person. However, I would highly suggest trying to book it ahead of time as it does get very busy there and you might not get a spot if you don't book it all far in advance!
@@KazCanning thank you
Thank you for all your great tips!! I’m personally intrigued by the lower canyon, however I’m planning this trip specifically to be able to take some beautiful senior high school pictures for my daughter. I like the high angles of the upper canyon based of what I have in mind in capturing, but also live the hues your captured at the lower canyon. What do you think? Also, are there trips available to see both on the same day?
Diana Garcia sounds like a good trip! And yes, you would absolutely be able to visit both on the same day, as they are just across the street from each other. I'm not sure if you're planning on taking photos in the canyon for your daughter, but just be aware that it is relatively fast paced down there, and not too much ambient light at times, which can make it difficult!
@@KazCanning Indescribable beauty,
The rock surface is as smooth as skin, and its vivid colors vary brown, purple, pink depending on how the sunlight hits it. The site has two sections, Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower. Resembling the inside of a couch shell, the corridor through Upper Canyon, in particular has an indescribable beauty!
Tip # 6
ALL slot canyons are dangerous
People have died after being flushed out of Antelope Canyon by flash floods
Don't even think about doing this hike during Monsoon Season
Btw
It's more like a 3 hour drive from the nearest cities of Flagstaff AZ or St.George UT
where can I book a photo package?
In the words of Arnold: Thanks for the tip
Just found out that neither company at the lower antelope canyon offers the photo tour during the peak season.
This is the first summer having no photo tour for peak season. Only people who made reservations a year prior before the new rule. Reason why, no photo tour, because of the crazy amount of people there.
Yeah I just looked too. Nothing. Super disappointing.
Thanks! Great tips! we are planning to go visit Antelope in June, I am wondering if we need to reserve the tour ahead of the time if we want to go on certain day and time? Also for lower Antelope, do we need to have the photo tour as well? thanks in advance!
I would HIGHLY recommend booking the tours in advance! If you're going in June, I would say to try to book the tour right now. And since I made this video, the tours for the lower canyon during summer have discontinued doing the photo tours (which are available only during off season now) so you won't be able to get the photo tour, but you should still be able to take photos.
I have a 10-20 mm canon Lens for my camera! Would this work in the canyon to take pictures or should I use a 18 to 330 canon lens???
larry raffaelli it would work perfect for some good wide shots. the 18-300 would work better for a wide range of photos because you could get some wides and detail shots. I'd say the best thing to do is to go check out photos of the canyon you're going to go to, and see which photos you like to get an idea of what you'd like, only wides, or a mixture of photos
Great tips. I have a few questions. I'm coming to Antelope at the end of December. Should I do the upper or lower canyon. I have a choice between the 2. Also, you mentioned wide angle lens. I'm using an APS-C camera, Sony a6400 with etiehr the 10-18 or 18-105 lens. They are both f4. What aperture did you use for your shots?
Both would be great choices. Between the two, I think lower canyon is less crowded overall, and may be a better experience. Its hard to say between those two lenses, I would say to look at images of antelope canyon, and see which kind of images you really enjoy the most and want to try to take. The 10-18 is definitely the better choice for the wide shots, but it will be limiting if you want anything else. One thing I will say is that because you're not going during the busy season, and there aren't going to be any light beams, it will be much less dusty in the canyon ( they throw sand in the air to help the light beams become more visible) so I would say start off with your preferred lens, and if you deem it to be clean enough down there, you might be able to get away with a really fast lens swap!
@@KazCanning Thank you for your time
I look at antelope photos and I tend to like my pictures wide. I probably will only use the 10-18 mm but I'll keep your suggestions in mind
What camera settings did you use?
High or low ISO?
Shutterspeed?
Aperture?
I'll be bringing my Nikon 18-140mm for this trip, hope it would work...
I was using 100 ISO to ensure the best quality photos with minimal noise. Then for my aperture, I was shooting around f5.6-f.8, setting your camera to that aperture will generally create the sharpest image of whatever you're focusing on. Then I adjust my shutter speed to fit the scene, usually the shutter speed was anywhere from 2-6 seconds. Your 18-1400 should work perfect! It'll be a great lens to help you get wide photos and also detail shots.
Kaz Canning Thankyou!
Hi !! Thanks for this video and the tips. I will be there in two weeks, and i've booked a photographer tour (upper and rattlesnake canyon). I'm waiting for this moment for more than 10 years (i'm from Europe)
About the lens, you said 16mm, but is it for full frame or aps-c ? I will have to choose (on a full frame) between Canon 16-35mm f/4 IS and Canon 24-105mm f/4 IS... Thanks again !
Hi, glad you liked the video! Yes, the focal lengths that I was mentioning are all in Full Frame terms. That's a tough choice between those two lenses! Both would be great, I think it's more up to you what you'd like to photograph. The wide angle will allow you to get more of the canyon, but the 24-105 will work better if you want to get detail shots of individual features. I'm guessing that you're trying to get the light beams in your photos, which I would recommend shooting with the 16-35. I shot with a 24-70, but I was shooting panoramas inside the canyon because I wanted those wide shots, it was much more time consuming per shot, and definitely, more that can go wrong trying to do it that way!
Thanks for your quick answer.
I think I will choose 16-35 for the upper antelope to catch the lights and I will change and put the 24-105 for the rattlesnake canyon to have some details.
Thanks again for your advice.
Would a macro lens work?
Everything you would shoot in this canyon will be 10-50 feet away from you, so macro isn't needed here. However, most macro lenses don't have any problems focusing normal distances like that, so as long as it can do that, it should be fine. Again, the most important thing is to have a lens that is wide enough to capture everything
Helpful! Thanks for the info!
Thanks. I have been researching, too. Great info. Online i read that May is the beginning month for light beams....do you agree? I was planning on going out there the first week in May.
Eileen Conragan that sounds accurate. Just make sure you go during the noon tour, that's when the light beams are visible. You can also try to give a call to the tour company you're going with to double check, they may be able to give you pretty accurate information
Hi Can you recommend wide angle zoom lense for Nikon D 7000 model . I am planning to Antelope Canyon during thanksgiving
It really depends on your budget. You could get a nikon 10-24mm, which is pretty inexpensive. A nikon 18-200 would also be good for you to still be able to get wide shots and also zoom in for good details
great video, ill be vlogging there this summer
Awesome! I hope you have a good time there, it's the perfect place for a vlog!
I'm thinking of shooting a short independent film and would like to shoot with the Antelope Canyons as a backdrop. It seems that this will be impossible. Do you have any comparable spots that could be viable?
I am planning to go there with husband and friends, where can i get there tour and how much the cost for photo tour? Thanks for ur tips.
Thanks for the photo tips. My question is do they offer a photo package for BOTH upper + lower canyons? I'm eager to shoot both. Waiting for your response.
MrBaltazar1234 hey! I'm still looking around, but I'm not immediately seeing a tour company that takes you to both upper and lower. However, there are companies that will take you to multiple canyons that are lesser known. For example, you can go to upper and owl canyon, or rattlesnake canyon. Which are incredible as well
Is there any photo tour package of lower antelope canyon? I couldn't find it at google
I'm going to look around a little bit. I've heard from several people that they may have discontinued photo tours permanently. I will check with some people I know and see if they still have tours
The Lower Antelope Canyon doesn't sell the Photography Package in the Summer months, so bummer about your 1st tip. Thanks for the advice!
I deleted an earlier comment after discovering that the Navajo Tribe no longer offers/allows the "photo tours". This service is now cancelled to enable the tourist tours to the maximum, as they are more profitable. Based on my past experience and the apparent volume of people getting packed into these tours, photography in either Upper or Lower Antelope Canyons is now limited to snapshots, selfies and cell phones. it seems that another canyon in the same area, "Canyon X", is now the only option available for photography. Videos of it look promising.
My husband and I are both photographers. We will be in Page in late April. We currently have a photography tour to Upper antelope and Rattlesnake Canyon scheduled but we are considering changing to Canyon X due to fewer people, more time and good reviews we have read. Any comments would be appreciated.
I know Canyon X is less travelled and may be more relaxing in terms of having to deal with the crowds, because Antelope is definitely far from relaxing! If there are good reviews with the company you're looking at, I would trust that it's a good tour group to go with!
Do they allow monopod on regular tour?
I am going to visit this place on September 1st. Please suggest me some tour packages.
Great tips, thanks, but i wished you would tell something about the camera settings: which white balance setting, which aperture, ISO, to get the best possible pictures. I have been there, shot in RAW but still it is difficult to edit the pictures in such a way that they really look amazing.
I was there last week and I started off with ISO 500 F8-F11 to keep everything sharp and shutter was on 1/10. Now I began with those settings but I changed the settings based on the light. You might have light or light beams in one area then walk around the corner and it’s super dark and you will have to do a long exposure. Advice for anybody going on this tour is to know how to quickLy adjust your camera settings on the fly. You do have time because you have 2.5-3 hours in the canyon but you don’t want to waste unnecessary time fooling with your camera.
How much is the photograph tour? I be there last two weeks of August
The prices have gone up significantly since I first went to upper antelope, it looks like it's about $160 per person. I would suggest booking as soon as possible, I know the groups fill up pretty fast. Here's the link that you can actually book it at.
navajotours.com/tour-packages/#book-a-tour
Absolutely helpful. Thank you
Did you have to book the photography tour in advance or were you able to do it day of? Thanks!
Richard Cervellone if you're going for the light beams in the upper canyon, definitely book it as far I'm advance as possible, it fills up fast! otherwise, I'd say just book it as soon as you can, just to ensure that you're able to get a spot
Actually I was planning on doing the lower Canyon.
I went to the lower canyon last fall, and in the photo tour, there was only one other photographer, so I would've been okay to book the trip right when I got there. So you might be okay depending on how busy the season is that you're going to go. I'd say if you know a few days in advance, try to book it then, just to make sure. I'm looking at some of the tours for Lower Antelope right now (link in the description) and the tours are completely sold out for quite a while.
I am about to go to Page specifically for the Slot canyons. There are quite a few tours for photographers. The prices wildly vary and the amount of time looks like it does too. How should I choose one? I'd like to do upper Antelope when the sun is high, but the lower Antelope later in the afternoon when the sun in the slots is not so harsh. I do not see any options for that. Please advise. I am going the beginning of November 2017.
If you check the description in for this video, I linked the two companies that I used for my tours at antelope canyon. I'd say in November, the light beams might not be as visible in the upper canyon, but it will still be a great trip. It looks like they've raised their prices since I last went, but it's still worth it. Kens Tours is the company I used for the lower canyon and I had a great experience there, check their website to see what the time options are, they might only offer morning and noon trips for their photography tours
I am confused. You say as #1 to take a "Photo Tour" that allows tripods. This is EACTLY what I want. Yet the links you provide don't have photo tours it appears. Both specifically say "no tripods". Where to I get the photo tours ?
I’m planning on going in mid March is that a good time to go?
I honestly think any time of year is great to go. You might not get sunbeams shining through the canyon, however, it will still be an amazing experience. The only thing I would be aware of, is there might be some spring showers that time of year, but it is the desert, so rain is pretty uncommon.
Your video helped out. I'll be bringing my 16-35mm for this trip. Also going to bring the wife. Thanks!
Denmark Vea Take the camera-leave the wife! Lol
Denmark Now that you are sleeping on the porch, is it cold? Hell hath no fury like that of a woman scorned!
I have 3 questions, first: selecting the photo package means they will take you pictures? Or why exactly that means? 2: will the light beams work on September? Or just until mid August?. 3. I have two different lenses I want to use, will they be affected if I change the lenses there? I only have 1 camera 📷. Thanks for the video, 👍🏻👌👌 you are amazing
Hey! The photo packages are the only ones where they will allow you to bring a tripod into the canyon. There might be light beams in September, but I would guess they are not quite as visible as they are during the mid summer months, and you would also certainly still need to be there around noon for your best chances of seeing them. For the lenses, I would highly recommend not switching lenses in the canyon as it's very sandy in there, sand is constantly falling from the top of the canyon to the bottom. If you must switch, I would say walk all the way to the end of the canyon where you will come out the other side and switch lenses outside to reduce the possibility of sand getting in your camera.
@@KazCanning thanks so much, that is wise, will use one lense for sure to avoid any accident to the camera. And yes I would do the photo package so I can bring my tripod.
Kaz, we are going in the beginning of August. Will we be able to get a guide? and do we need reservations to just see canyon. Also, is there a lot of hiking, my wife may have an issue if it's long. Thanks
I think it might depend on the Canyon. Upper should be no problem at all, Summer season is the best season for the photos there. However, for lower canyon, I'm a little bit confused because I can't really tell if they've discontinued the summer photography tours or not. I would be surprised if they have. A simple call to Ken's Tours will be able to answer that question though. You need reservations even if you're just going to see the canyon. They are located on Navajo territory, so they will not allow you to visit without a guide. And as far as the hiking goes, there is basically none, with the exception of walking though the canyon, which is short and easy. Lower canyon is located only about 100 feet from the parking lot, and upper canyon includes a truck ride to the mouth of the slot canyon. Let me know if you've got any more questions!!
Hi! Great Tips, I thank you for that information. Now, I’m in Michigan, I can fly there and drive there, but what’s the closest city and what is the website I can look up something? Thanks in advance.
Kaioshin
I think the biggest "city" that's close to this area is Flagstaff, which is still pretty small and might not be serviced by too many airlines. Phoenix might be your best bet in terms of flying in, and then driving to the area. If you want to look it up on a map, the canyons are located in Page Arizona, which is pretty far from any major city, maybe a 5 hour drive from Phoenix.
Thanks for these awesome tips !
No problem! I hope the tips help!
Thank you for the video, I'm planning to go in September but I see is already sold out for Navajotours. Any other recommendation?
I can't really say without knowing the exact date you're going. But try searching "antelope canyon photography tour" and check some of the different websites. I haven't used the other tour guides, so I can't say for sure how good they'll be (however, I'm sure they'll be fantastic) You can try this one, I just clicked a random date in September and they still had photography tour openings www.navajoantelopecanyon.com/Photo.asp
Thanks, I will try Adventourus Navajo and see. Also I will try another canyon Rattlesnake and Upper Antelope. Thanks for the tips.
Cool, I hope you have a good time out there! I want to head out to some of the other lesser known canyons in that area at some point!
Sure I will! One last question: do you need the special permit to make personal photography or only the park entrance and the tour?
You have to pay to actually go in the canyon regardless of which tour. There is no way to get into these canyons without paying. So your permit will either be for the photography tour (the one you want) or the standard tour. You will be allowed to take photos in the canyon without a photography tour permit, but you will not be allowed to use a tripod, and you will not get very many good photos of the things you want.
thanks for the heads up
I'm glad it was able to help you out!!
Great tips! Thanks!
Thank you for sharing!
No problem! Hopefully these tips can help you if you make it out there!
Thanks for this, going next week
Awesome! I hope you have a great time out there
Hey, I'm a photographer and i'm going to Las Vegas in september.
Please help me to figure out how to to this!
Do you know a tour that come from:
Las Vegas to Upper Antelope and after go to back to vegas
The tour that you suggest do that?
Thanks for the Tips! :)
Hi Leo! I'm not aware of any tours that drive that far. Antelope canyon is roughly a 5 hour drive from Las Vegas, so that would be a 10 hour drive round trip. I'd say that it would probably be more financially feasible and more friendly for your schedule if you rented a car for a day to drive there. Most tours in Las Vegas will visit the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, and the Colorado River.
However, I will look around a little bit and see if I can find anything like what you're asking for.
Is it pointless getting the photo package if you only have an iphone? I hate crowds lol
You honestly might not even be allowed to get the photo package with only an iphone. One of the requirements for the photo package is that you have a DSLR and a Tripod with you.
@@KazCanning oh bummer, i just dont want crowds! Thank you so much
You didn't mention anything about the terrain and how physically challenging it is. I'm active, but not a rock climber.
Will I do okay if I can walk 5 miles a day?
Absolutely. There is zero rock climbing. Upper Antelope is like walking on the beach for a half mile, just a sand bottom. Lower has a few sets of stairs, but not much at all, maybe 50 steps total, and it is also almost completely sand bottomed. You shouldn't have any issues at all!
And I hiked it at night under the full moon but very carefully and vigilantly when we spotted fresh mountain lion tracks,lol but i know to handle those too.
This is Rajendra. I have some questions that how much duration is allowed in photo package? In one photo package how many persons can go?
I would say that the actual tour lasts about an hour or an hour and a half. I think it's a good amount of time for you to get the photos you need while you're in the canyon. And the photo package is for a single person, so you would have to purchase two photo packages if you want two people to go.