Page, Arizona, is most famously known for being the home of Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon. Did you know that there is more to see and do than both of these locations?
While I was in the planning stages for this trip back in 2019, I researched different tours that left from Page. I was looking for an experience that was different than the typical Antelope Canyon tour. What I found was a tour company that I would use again. Horseshoe Bend Tours is, without a doubt, the best option to see a slot canyon near Page. They have access to a slot canyon as well as access to private land that overlooks Horseshoe Bend from a different angle. By the way, this is not a sponsored post in any form. Shelley and I were not paid or compensated by the company. We paid the full price for the tour and would do so again. For more information about Horseshoe Bend Tours, please visit their website by clicking here.
Slot Canyon #1
While Shelley and I were walking through the slot canyon, I came upon this composition. I loved the way that the canyon’s layers added to the sense of depth. I also love how the striations of the walls pull you into that depth. The light falling into the canyon was perfect. I made this photograph with my Nikon D600 at ISO 100, 14mm, f/11, and at 4 seconds.
Slot Canyon #2
For this composition in the slot canyon, I decided to go wide. I wanted the width of the canyon to become exaggerated by my wide-angle lens. I loved all the lines in the walls of the canyon. The light falling into the canyon and illuminating the walls with varying degrees of brightness increased the contrast in the composition. I made this photograph with my Nikon D600 at ISO 100, 14mm, f/16, and 1/8 of a second.
Slot Canyon #3
For this composition, I chose to photograph the canyon’s wall in landscape orientation. I came to this decision due to the striations on the canyon walls. In the field, I saw a wave running from left to right across the wall, accompanied by varying colors based on the amount of light filtering into the canyon. I made this photograph with my Nikon D600 at ISO 100, 14mm, f/16, and 1/25 of a second.
Sand Falling the Slot Canyon
The typical photograph of sand falling into a slot canyon is made by a guide, person, throwing scoops of sand upon the canyon wall. While this is visually appealing to the eye, it does not happen naturally, with the exception of extreme weather events above these types of canyons. While Shelley and I were photographing in the canyon from time to time, the wind would kick up, and sand would fall into the canyon. The winds outside the canyon were not enough to create the flowing rivers of sand seen in some photographs. It was, however, sufficient to sand to show up in my photographs. I made this photograph with my Nikon D600 at ISO 100, 15mm, f/16, and 0.8 of a second.
Horseshoe Bend 2019
After a short off-road drive, our group was within a very short walk of Horseshoe Bend. I will say that the experience of being at Horseshoe Bend with so few other people was simply amazing. Not to mention that fact, there were so many different compositions of the Bend. Ones that I have never seen. The only drawback of that day was the wind. As I made my way to the edge, the wind died down. I framed up my composition and took a test shot. After reviewing the image on the back of my camera, I noticed that I had very little room between the edge and the far bank of the Colorado River. As I moved closer to the edge, the winds picked up and blew me backward. They did not decrease in speed again. I took this as a sign that I had made the best photograph possible on that day. I made this photograph with my Nikon D600 at ISO 100, 14mm, f/22, and 1/320 of a second.
If you would like to read about my last experience photographing at Horseshoe Bend, please click here. If you would like to see the video of the trip to the slot canyon and Horseshoe Bend, please visit my YouTube Channel by clicking here.
