2010 SOUTHWEST PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

Transcription

1 2010 SOUTHWEST PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP DATES: April (Thursday through Sunday) PRICE: $ per person (Limited to 8 participants) The 2010 SOUTHWEST PHOTOGRAPY WORKSHOP will feature some of the most simply amazing places found on the planet. A whirlwind 4 day photography workshop will cover some of the icons of the southwestern part of the United States. We will base out tour in Page Arizona along the Colorado River and the Arizona Utah border. Page is about 275 miles north of Phoenix. The drive up to the Colorado Plateau country from the desert in Phoenix is about 5 hours. We will also spend one night in Monument Valley. There are so many well known areas within a days drive of Page it s hard to put everything into one three day workshop.

2 Some of the areas that we will photograph include: UPPER and LOWER ANTELOPE CANYON Lower Antelope Canyon Located on LeChee Navajo lands near Page, Arizona, Upper Antelope and Lower Antelope are breathtakingly beautiful and quite easy to reach and explore. Both slot canyons are open to visitors by permit, as conditions allow. A small fee is charged. The Corkscrew. (Upper Antelope) isn t as long or as deep as many slot canyons, but it is amazingly beautiful! Its sensuously sculpted walls twist and wind along, glowing in unbelievable shades of red, orange, and yellow as the sun passes overhead. Upper Antelope is also one of the easiest slot canyons to visit, since you ll be driven right up to the entrance, there are no drop-offs inside, and the ground is sandy and fairly level throughout. It does get very, very dark toward the end, where the walls are tightest. Lower Antelope is a long, very deep slot canyon of mesmerizing beauty. A more challenging slot than Upper Antelope, this one is entered through a slit in the rocks at ground level, where a series of ladders take you to the bottom of the gorge. The ground is rocky and uneven, there are usually muddy areas here and there, and the canyon s twists, bends, and narrow passageways trap debris in piles that can be difficult to get through. You need hiking boots and a good sense of adventure to fully enjoy this slot canyon.

3 April is prime time for light beams in Upper Antelope Canyon DEPENDING ON THE WEATHER: We may go to Water Holes Canyon. This is 7 miles S of Page on HWY 89. Randy Zack, from 2007 Climbing into Lower

4 BIG WATER UTAH Big Water is located near Lake Powell, on highway 89, in Southern Utah. The town is surrounded by some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. North of Big Water is the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and to the east is Lake Powell in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Big Water is about 6 miles from the northern border of Arizona and about 20 miles from Page, AZ. Turn right at the gas station (FISH HATCHERY ROAD) Make rights onto Warm Creek Road then bear right. I strongly suggest a hand held GPS there are lots of off road places to shoot and you can easily get lost trying to get back to Hwy 80. You can access great images of Lake Powell from this area. 4 wheel drive is suggested. We will not go out here if it s raining

5 Old Pariah Movie Set Road Painted hills and lots to shoot

6 VERMILLION CLIFFS The Vermilion Cliffs themselves must be one of the most spectacular and extensive cliff faces in the US - unusually colorful because of the especially variegated Chinle Formation that forms the lower strata, the escarpment runs for over 30 miles and reaches heights of 2,000 feet. Further to the southeast, the land is quite flat for 100 miles or more though is split by the Colorado River, at the start of its Grand Canyon. At Marble Canyon, Arizona you will cross over the Colorado River and you can stop at the Navajo Bridge to walk out and look at the river below. Take United States Highway 89 South toward Tuba City. The massive boulders you see along the highway and across the desert were placed there by the same erosion forces that created the Grand Canyon. Lee s Ferry is a tiny settlement next to the Colorado River at the end of a side road 6 miles from ALT US 89, not especially interesting itself but surrounded by some remarkable scenery. The village is named after John D. Lee, a Mormon settler with 17 wives who established a ferry there in 1871 whilst in exile following his role in the massacre of 70 emigrants near St. George, Utah. The ferry provided the only crossing of the river for nearly 60 years until a bridge was built a few miles downstream, where the present day route 89 crosses now.

7 Vermillion Cliffs Jack Graham Colorado River, Vermillion Cliffs (Yes those are photographers in the picture!) Jack Graham Vermillion Cliffs Jack Graham

8 HORSESHOE BEND Tamed by the Glen Canyon Dam, the emerald-green Colorado River makes a gigantic bend more than a thousand feet below the overlook, swinging first to the east, and then curving back to the west. It's a spectacular place, where shadows shift by the minute and new details drift constantly into your awareness. Horseshoe Bend, Arizona As seen from the lookout point I ve shot this many times and there is only a few ways to shoot it right. I ll wok with you al & share my technique to get THE Shot. FYI this image made one of the 250 final images in NANPA S Expressions 2008 Book! But it s a 900 foot drop off! Horseshoe Bend is the name for a horseshoe-shaped meander of the Colorado River located near the town of Page, Arizona, in the United States. It is located slightly downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell, about four miles or 6 km south of Page. Accessible via a 3 4 -mile (1.2 km) hike from U.S. Route 89, it can be viewed from the steep cliff above, forming a spectacular vista.

9 LAKE POWELL Lake Powell is the 2 nd largest reservoir in the United States, capable of storing over 24.3 million acre-feet of water. In addition it is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. Large sandstone rock creations are everywhere. This surrealistic landscape of crystal-clear lake surrounded by colorful canyons, peaks and buttes makes for some simply amazing photography Tip of Gun site Butte, Lake Powell, Utah/Az Border Jack Graham MONUMENT VALLEY We will travel on Saturday afternoon over to Monument Valley (about 100 miles from Page), in time for sunset. Monument Valley is part of the Navajo Nation tribal park, straddling the border of northeastern Arizona and southeastern Utah of the Colorado Plateau. It preserves the Navajo way of life and some of the most striking and recognizable landscapes of sandstone buttes, mesas and spires in the entire Southwest. The area is entirely within the Navajo Indian Reservation near the small Indian town of Goulding, established in 1923 as a trading post, and now has a comprehensive range of visitor services. We will stay in Goulding s Hotel at the entrance to Monument Valley. Other accommodations are available in Kayenta, about 20 minutes away. Sunday will be spent in the park photographing with a Navajo guide (required)

10

11 Depending on weather conditions and time factors, other areas that we may visit could be: Coral Pink Sand Dune State Park, Utah Big Water, Utah (Dramatic Landscape) Lees Ferry (close to Vermillion Cliffs) Goosenecks (just outside Medicine Hat, Utah neat Mon. Valley TENATIVE ITINERIES (These may change due to weather and light conditions) Thursday PM Apr 15 Meet and discuss objectives and shooting locations- Sunset Shoot Friday Apr 16 ALL DAY FIELD WORK (Vermillion Cliffs, Horseshoe Bend, Old Parra Movie Set Road, Lake Powell) PM IMAGE REVIEW Saturday Apr 17- AM FIELD WORK/ NOON-3pm DRIVE TO MONUMENT VALLEY SUNSET SHOOT/ PM Dinner IMAGE REVIEW Sunday Apr 18 Sunrise-1PM-- GUIDED TOUR WITH GUIDE/ MONUMENT VALLEY----Workshop ends 1-2 PM TRAVEL INFORMATION By AIR: I recommend flying into Phoenix, (PHX). I recommend arriving no later than mid afternoon on Thursday. I ll be in Page by Wednesday afternoon. It s about a 5 ½-6 hr scenic drive from Phoenix. You can fly to Flagstaff (fares much higher) and drive 2 ½ hrs to Page.

12 LODGING: PAGE: I ll be staying at the Best Western in Page. The rooms are nice and almost ½ as expensive as the Marriott Courtyard. We will depart the Best Western location VERY early on Friday and Saturday mornings for a sunrise shoot. We will meet on Thursday evening, for a discussion on what to expect and outline our photographic objectives. We will depart daily from the Best Western Saturday AM we will check out and drive over to Monument Valley, following our shoot in Upper Antelope Canyon. Goulding s ( is the place to stay. It is only about 5 minutes from the Monument Valley parking lot. Less expensive accommodations are found in Kayenta AZ, about 20 minutes from Monument Valley. As the workshop will end on Sunday about 1PM. If you may want to extend your trip, please let me know and I can direct you in lots of ways! It s about a 6 hour drive back to Phoenix from Monument Valley. For those flying out Sunday night I recommend not booking flights earlier than 8PM. I would highly recommend staying by the airport and flying out Monday AM. PHONE NUMBERS ARE FOUND BELOW: I have room for two other photographers in my vehicle. This may eliminate you from having to rent a vehicle. This offer is on a first come, first serve basis. I ll be flying into Phoenix early on Wed morning (probably getting in around 9-10AM, then driving to Page. 2 way radios are provided for communication. COURTYARD by MARIOTT GOULINGS FAIRFIELD INN, MARIOTT BEST WESTERN PAGE AZ PAGE AZ MV UTAH PHOENIZ APT PHX PAGE AZ

13 FOOD/DINING During the day, we should carry energy bars and maybe a few candy bars. We will be able to grab a quick bite certainly on Thursday and Friday in Page before or after our trips into the slots. We can do the same on the way to Monument Valley on Saturday. Eating is not a problem on this workshop. We will eat in the Navajo restaurant (fry bread!! YES!) On Saturday night. However, we are here to photograph and often the best light is at breakfast and dinner. Please know this in advance. WEATHER The weather is generally good in the area this time of year. High temp s average 78 to 82 and low s around 50. At this elevation, you can get sunburned so make sure to bring a hat or maybe even some sunscreen for your arms. More details will follow after registration prior to the tour dates. REGISTRATION FORMS ARE LOCATED ON MY WEBSITE ( ) Or, I can send them to you via mail or by if you request them: T I can be contacted at or via: jack@jackgrahamphoto.com

14 The cost of this workshop is It does not include, travel, meals, lodging, guide fees and permits. ESTIMATED EXTRA COST: Lodging: Thursday, Friday ---Page AZ $ $ per night Lodging Saturday night-- Goulding s $ Lower Antelope Canyon Permit $22.00 Upper Antelope Canyon Permit, transportation from Page AZ and Guide (required) $70.00 GUIDED MONUMENT VALLEY tour & Shoot Sunrise-1PM Approx $ More information is available by contact Jack at jack@jackgrahamphoto.com Or at I hope Andre from Ottawa, Canada and Greg Duncan from San Diego will be returning for another dose of the Southwest. Andre has done this workshop twice already! Also: Remember the Grand Canyon is not very far away. You may want to schedule a visit there either before or after the workshop!