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Author Topic: Antelope Canyon Photo Permit  (Read 5766 times)

StuartOnline

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Antelope Canyon Photo Permit
« on: March 14, 2018, 06:16:22 pm »

Just wondering if anyone recently has been to Page, AZ (Antelope Canyon) and applied for a photo permit with the Navajo Nation. If so how did you go about getting one and what sort of fees did you have to pay? Have heard you need to do all of this before you arrive even with one of the photo tours offered? Even heard you need one in order to post images on social media. Planning a trip the end of April to the first part of May.

Thanks!

Stu
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jwstl

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Re: Antelope Canyon Photo Permit
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2018, 12:56:09 pm »

Just wondering if anyone recently has been to Page, AZ (Antelope Canyon) and applied for a photo permit with the Navajo Nation. If so how did you go about getting one and what sort of fees did you have to pay? Have heard you need to do all of this before you arrive even with one of the photo tours offered? Even heard you need one in order to post images on social media. Planning a trip the end of April to the first part of May.

Thanks!

Stu

I was there a couple of years ago and didn't need a permit to shoot. I did take one of the special Navajo photo tours. As far as I know, you only need a permit for commercial work.
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StuartOnline

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Re: Antelope Canyon Photo Permit
« Reply #2 on: March 15, 2018, 04:40:57 pm »

I was there a couple of years ago and didn't need a permit to shoot. I did take one of the special Navajo photo tours. As far as I know, you only need a permit for commercial work.

Thanks for your input. From what I am finding out you even need the photo permit to post on Social Media. Have sent an email off to the Navajo Nation contact but have not heard anything back.

Stu
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ShawnBK

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Re: Antelope Canyon Photo Permit
« Reply #3 on: March 15, 2018, 05:03:42 pm »

Just call one of the tour operators. They take care of everything. U HAVE to go with one of the authorized tour guide, they are quite efficient. But better be very quick in your shooting.
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StuartOnline

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Re: Antelope Canyon Photo Permit
« Reply #4 on: March 15, 2018, 05:34:19 pm »

Just call one of the tour operators. They take care of everything. U HAVE to go with one of the authorized tour guide, they are quite efficient. But better be very quick in your shooting.

Thanks for the reply.

Just received an email reply and have the application in hand.  Will just cost $50 and the permit will cover the two photo tours I am register for. The tours I'm signed up for are for photographers not the regular tours. These tours cost a bit more but worth it as you have more time and tripods are allowed. 

Cheers,

Stu
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BJL

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Antelope Canyon Photo Tours
« Reply #5 on: March 15, 2018, 07:50:11 pm »

The tours I'm signed up for are for photographers not the regular tours. These tours cost a bit more but worth it as you have more time and tripods are allowed.
Yes, my experience with a photo tour was that it was still a bit crowded and rushed, but surely far better than the regular tours. You might still have to deal with the guide throwing dust up into every light shaft, and his having to help out some enthusiastic but inexperienced photographers (almost half my group had new DSLRs just for the trip!), but overall it was a great experience that produced a few good photos.
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justiny

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Re: Antelope Canyon Photo Permit
« Reply #6 on: March 16, 2018, 07:20:45 am »

I went there with my family a few years ago. I didn't have a photo tour, and I didn't need to buy a permit.
The tour guide I had told me her boss helped Peter Lik when Peter took the famous 'ghost' photo there.
Peter Lik hired two tour guides who blocked people in front and back, and his assistant threw dirt in the air to create the ghost.
I brought Alpa tc12 w/ db so my guide tried to help me a bit more. The place is too dusty and not enough lights and too many people. It was a challenge.
If you can pick time and day, mid day in summer will provide the best situation for photographing. I also brought a canon with an ultra wide angle lens for back up and could get some decent photos from it.

my 2 cents
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jwstl

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Re: Antelope Canyon Photo Permit
« Reply #7 on: March 16, 2018, 12:17:48 pm »


The place is too dusty


You definitely do not want to change lenses in there.
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MattBurt

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Re: Antelope Canyon Photo Permit
« Reply #8 on: March 16, 2018, 12:32:49 pm »

With all this talk of crowds, regulations, and permits, I have to wonder why people don't just go to one of the many other slot canyons in the west. Is Antelope just that much better or is it just the only one people know?
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stevenfr

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Re: Antelope Canyon Photo Permit
« Reply #9 on: March 16, 2018, 05:41:22 pm »

Slot canyons are not my usual subject for my photography, I much prefer the intimate landscape. Typically, forest scenes.

However, last Autumn Phase One asked me and Tim Wolcott to conduct two PODAS workshops in the SouthWest. Phase One arranged to have the participants do four slot canyons. I have to say Antelope was not the one that was my favourite. We were fortunate the other three slot canyons were empt of other photographers. In fact the first one we photographed, Phase One purchased the time in the canyon so we had no one in the canyon but the participants. What a great experience compared to the chaos of Antelope.

Just me two cents - I would try and arrange to see some of the lesser know canyons and than do Antelope last. Just use google there are lots of them. There are some interesting canyons in Utan and Arizona. I had been to many of them over the last 25 years of my photography. When I first went to Antelope there were only about twenty people in the canyon.

Steven

MattBurt

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Re: Antelope Canyon Photo Permit
« Reply #10 on: March 16, 2018, 05:48:58 pm »

I've been in a few in SE Utah and I don't even know if they had names. Never saw anyone outside of my own group in any of them.
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lightseeker

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Re: Antelope Canyon Photo Permit
« Reply #11 on: March 16, 2018, 08:40:47 pm »

I was there in November 2016. Some other considerations to bear in mind are - You are driven out to and back from the upper canyon in open 4 x 4 trucks which can be pretty chilly, dusty and windy. This can be a real problem for contact lens wearers. It was quite crowded with LOTS of people using cell phones, which many would stick up in the air making for challenging shooting conditions. You cannot use a tripod on the standard tours. You cannot wear a backpack as some places are very narrow and you will be in crowds. The extra cost photo tours I saw coming in the other direction still have to deal with the non stop crowds, cell phones up in the air, dust from shuffling feet, etc. It is dusty, and, combined with jostling crowds changing lenses can be risky but not necessarily impossible. You will have both very low, and, very high contrast lighting conditions. A 16-35 f2.8 zoom worked very well for me. I suggest using a wide dynamic range camera and try auto bracketing. The lower canyon is easier to get to but still requires a short hike. There are fairly steep stairs to deal with as well. The stairs were not a problem for me but could be for someone in poor physical condition or quite over-weight. I was told by my very friendly and knowledgeable Navajo guide that the summers are crazy crowded. I will definitely look for other slot canyons on my next visit to this part of the world as this place is being "loved" to death! As always, your mileage will vary.



   
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danielc

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Re: Antelope Canyon Photo Permit
« Reply #12 on: March 21, 2018, 07:13:06 pm »

I went in mid winter and it was cold, relaxed, quiet.

Obviously I wasn't able to get the sun poking right down into the canyon, however I was allowed to use my tripod on a "normal" tour of the lower canyon.

There were about 7 people in my group including my wife, and we had a tour behind that caught up to us near the end as I was going slowly taking my images.

It's an incredible spot for sure.
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mkihne

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Re: Antelope Canyon Photo Permit
« Reply #13 on: March 27, 2018, 09:15:41 am »

Regarding slot canyons in the area,does anyone know if tours are being offered to Canyon X? Charly Moore’s tour company had exclusive rights to it before Charly moved elsewhere in Utah.

It appears Taadidiin Tours now holds rights to Canyon X and Cardiac Canyon, both worth seeing and at least when I was there, no crowds.
« Last Edit: March 27, 2018, 09:51:07 am by mkihne »
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StuartOnline

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Re: Antelope Canyon Photo Permit
« Reply #14 on: April 04, 2018, 07:10:17 pm »

Just a follow up to my original question about photo permit for Antelope Canyon.

I did get the permit with a cost of only $50 total for the two photo tours later this month.
This is above the cost of the tours. From what we were informed from the Navajo Nation Park and Recreations if you are going to post and or sell any images you need this permit.
They have forwarded copies of permits to both tours and a copy to me so I am set.   

If you are interested in more information please view http://www.stuartonline.com/travel-blog/ where we started a new Blog compiling info about the trip.

Stu
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danielc

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Re: Antelope Canyon Photo Permit
« Reply #15 on: April 05, 2018, 08:34:30 am »

Just a follow up to my original question about photo permit for Antelope Canyon.

I did get the permit with a cost of only $50 total for the two photo tours later this month.
This is above the cost of the tours. From what we were informed from the Navajo Nation Park and Recreations if you are going to post and or sell any images you need this permit.
They have forwarded copies of permits to both tours and a copy to me so I am set.   

If you are interested in more information please view http://www.stuartonline.com/travel-blog/ where we started a new Blog compiling info about the trip.

Stu

Nothing against you, but I really detest this rent seeking behaviour that is becoming prevalent.

The Navajo nation didn't create the slot canyon, nature did.

I'm already paying them for their time to take me on a tour of a special area, and also paying them for the infrastructure they created to view it.

Why do I have to pay extra to then do anything with the photos?

It's not just them, the behaviour is becoming increasingly  common worldwide to the detriment of small businesses (photographers)
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tonysiciliano1

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Re: Antelope Canyon Photo Permit
« Reply #16 on: April 07, 2018, 01:09:17 am »

This is America. We are a capitalist country. They learned from us. Even so, I am pretty sure nobody in the Navajo nation is getting rich gouging photographers. I personally am grateful they let us on their land.
« Last Edit: April 07, 2018, 01:18:24 am by tonysiciliano1 »
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FabienP

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Re: Antelope Canyon Photo Permit
« Reply #17 on: April 08, 2018, 05:12:28 pm »

With the announced closure of the Navajo Generating Station, the giant coal-fired power station not far off Page and Antelope Canyon, many Navajo people will lose their job in 2019. I read somewhere that it could affect up to a third of the residents of the Navajo Nation.

So they will have to find new sources of income. If it means charging a bit more for photography related activitites, then so be it.

Cheers,

Fabien
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