Photographing in Antelope Canyon?

I've read that a tripod is needed there, but can I get by with higher ISO and/or image stabilization (IS)?
I'd appreciate any advice of someone who've been there.

Regards,
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Oved

I've never been there, but I think the reason a tripod is recommended is so that you can bracket your shots and get exact dupes at the different settings. The reason for that is because there's a very high dynamic range and it's difficult not to clip at one end or the other. If you can shoot RAW you may be able to work around it, but otherwise it's hard to create two exactly identical images to use for digital blending.

Oved...

I visited Antelope Canyon a couple of months ago...amazing. I took many pictures with an Olympus C-2100UZ handheld....you can see one example at http://www.flickr.com/photos/mastergator57/143057793/ . I now have a Canon S3 and hope it is close to being as good as the Olympus.

Have a great time and let me see some of the picts you took when you return.

I visiited Antelope Canyon in October last year and took many photo's with a Canon A95. The shutter speed ranged between 1/300 and 1/4 of a second and the aperture F2.4 to F5.6. I used a small pocket bendy leg tripod that I could adjust to the correct position and lightly held it with the upper leg on the Canyon wall. I also used the self timer set at two seconds to ensure there was no movement. While it may be possible to hand hold I would recommend a tripod of some sort.

The part of the Canyon I visited was the lower Anetlope Canyon, there is the upper section on the other side of the road which I understand may be deeper and hence less light but I did not go through it. Hope this may be helpful - it is a fascinating place, allow plenty of time to really get the most from it.

Conchita said:

I've never been there, but I think the reason a tripod is
recommended is so that you can bracket your shots and get exact
dupes at the different settings. The reason for that is because
there's a idynamic rangedynamic range and it's difficult not to clip at
one end or the other. If you can shoot RAW you may be able to work
around it, but otherwise it's hard to create two exactly identical
images to use for digital blending.

Click to expand...

Thank you for your comment. I'm sure the dynamic range is very high there, but I doubt most people using film would bracket the exposure and merge ... Anyway, there are some techniques to open up the shadows to get a better picture in such cases (when shooting digital).

Regards,
--
Oved

mgator said:

Oved...
I visited Antelope Canyon a couple of months ago...amazing. I took
many pictures with an Olympus C-2100UZ handheld....you can see one
example at http://www.flickr.com/photos/mastergator57/143057793/ .
I now have a Canon S3 and hope it is close to being as good as the
Olympus.

Have a great time and let me see some of the picts you took when
you return.

Click to expand...

Thank you! and quite a good example! I have S1IS, and I'm sure you'll get excellent pictures with th S3.
Regards,
--
Oved

Posco said:

I visiited Antelope Canyon in October last year and took many
photo's with a Canon A95. The shutter speed ranged between 1/300
and 1/4 of a second and the aperture F2.4 to F5.6.

Click to expand...

Now this is intersting; I assume you used ISO 50? If so there is a good chance image stabilization will help here. Certainly with the shutter speeds you ranged...

Posco said:

I used a small
pocket bendy leg tripod that I could adjust to the correct position
and lightly held it with the upper leg on the Canyon wall. I also
used the self timer set at two seconds to ensure there was no
movement. While it may be possible to hand hold I would recommend a
tripod of some sort.

Click to expand...

Yep, but I was trying to avoid carrying a tripod with me

Posco said:

The part of the Canyon I visited was the lower Anetlope Canyon,
there is the upper section on the other side of the road which I
understand may be deeper and hence less light but I did not go
through it. Hope this may be helpful - it is a fascinating place,
allow plenty of time to really get the most from it.

Click to expand...

Thanks a lot. I've found how to get to the parking lot where the trucks take you with an Indian guide (it's on an Indian Reserve) to the upper canyon. Someone said they reached the lower canyon with their car, but gave no details. Could you, please, explain how do I get to the lower canyon?

regards,
--
Oved

For the benefit of anybody:

Searching the web for Antelope Canyon only gets to a Page company selling tours to there. Here is what I gathered from a touring forum (freely translated):

"going to Page AZ on US89, turn to local road 98. Pass the signal light, a couple of miles you'll see a big plant ahead. Shortly before the plant there are signs and a parking lot (you pay $6). A truck takes you to the canyon, with a guide ($15)."

I'd still be grateful to get directions to lower Antelope Canyon... (tried maps.yahoo beta, maps.google, and only saw the "Upper Antelope Rd" to the south of road 98).

Regards,
--
Oved

Oved said:

I'd still be grateful to get directions to lower Antelope Canyon...
(tried maps.yahoo beta, maps.google, and only saw the "Upper
Antelope Rd" to the south of road 98).

Click to expand...

OOPS! Never mind, I've just found out about that... Seems a typo in the search strings can get you in trouble

Regards,
--
Oved

Just got back a few weeks ago. Upper & Lower are across the road from each other. Head toward the Power Plant and they both are nearby. Can't miss it. As others have said about this great place, VERY sandy, had to send the camera out to be cleaned even though it was kept in a large baggie.
All of my shutterspeeds were very slow, so good luck! Exif data available;
http://www.fredmaurer.smugmug.com/gallery/1573627/1/79333097

Have fun it is a great place.



P.S. Take the longest tour available around 11:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Magnificent picture Fred. Antelope Canyon is a truely unique experience. I know Oved will enjoy his excursion....and you are right about taking as much time as you can bracketed around noon.

I've recently purchased an S2-IS and it comes close to taking the quality of photos that my Oly C4000 does.

Went to both Upper Antelope & Lower Antelope last month. I couldn't find my tripod the day before we left, so I purchased a "cheapie" one in Las Vegas at Ritz Camera. It was definitely needed. The best colors were in the Lower Canyon in the early A.M. We went about 8:30 a.m. and there were only about 8 people in the entire canyon. The Upper one is more popular, but is crawling with people. This is where you get the "lightbeam" around noon or so (as evidenced by the other poster's shot - which is very nice!). You don't need a tour. Just drive directly to either canyon (they're across the street from each other). You pay a $6 permit fee good for one day and $15 to enter either canyon. In the Lower, they let us go without a guide, so this was great. It gets very narrow in some spots - it's hard to fit through some gaps with a photobackpack and camera on a tripod, but what a great photo op! My wife got claustrophobic and had to turn back about 1/2 way through, where it gets narrow.You can do some handheld shots in the Upper, but in the lower (which is underground), all my shots were on a tripod (anywhere from 1/2 second to 15 second exposures). I don't know how to post photos here, but would be happy to email you some. It is truly a unique experience and I would encourage visiting both!

Great pictures you took there. I'm flying into the US, that's why I'm reluctant to take my tripod with me A short time after I posted my inquiry regarding the lower part, I've found ton's of web sites with information on both... (had a typo in my first search
Regards,
--
Oved

Thank you, miatamich, for that information and your offer to send pictures!

We'll be arriving to Page at noon, and will just visit the upper canyon. I've read that the lower involves decsending and climbing laders, and is deeper and less easy going than the upper.

BTW, posting images here is easy if your pictures are hosted on some site, just write the URL (See "Embedding images" under the writing space when you post)...

Regards,
--
Oved

I recently put up an article on my website on photographing both the Lower and Upper Antelope Canyons at http://www.bobestrin.com/antelopecanyon . The article contains suggestions and helpful hints that will help prepare you for your first visit.

I recommend a tripod for both canyons, but it is necessary for the more popular Upper Antelope Canyon since it is much darker than Lower Antelope Canyon.

Bob Estrin