Gear/general advice for Lower Antelope slot (Page, AZ)

[NashvilleMike]

Quick gear related question.

I plan to be out in the Page, AZ area at some point this year. I've been through Arizona and Utah several times and do not need the usual "where do I go" advice as I'm quite familiar with most of the general vicinity. However, I've never done the Antelope Slot canyons, and from the looks of it, I will be concentrating on Lower Antelope.

My question is about what is realistic to carry down into Lower Antelope. I'll have my Gitzo with me, no doubt on that, but I'm not sure, given the space, how much body/lens gear I should haul along. I have about everything Nikon makes from the 14-24 on up to the 200 in both the fast primes and the pro zooms, so the question is what to carry in tight quarters in order to get the shots and have some flexibility without carrying too much stuff. I'll have both D700 and D7000 bodies with me on this trip. I'm also curious if people are most comfortable down there with backpack, shoulder bag, or waist pack (I'll have all three available)

I'm curious what those of you who have shot lower Antelope have found the most useful and the most practical given the nature of this particular slot, and any practical tips about lower Antelope that you might wish to pass along.

Thanks!

-mike

[Jon Meddings]

Mike, I've been down there twice with Canon gear. I'm sure you'll get great advice from many here but for what its worth here is mine.

1. This is mostly a wide angle venue and the light is critical. It comes from the top and bounces down the sides. It is brighter as you go up and therefore you need to be careful with a wide angle lens.  I tended to shoot many bracketed images and was very happy I did as the blended images were spectacular. Hence, a solid tripod is a must and a good system for exposure and/or focus blended shots.

2. I don't see any point in 2 cameras. Things are slow down there, no need for speed - stick with resolution.

3. Lenses - I would go with a wide and a middling telephoto (80-100 range). I would not worry about lens speed - you will be on a tripod and a time delay shot anyhow. Frankly, on my second visit I wore a vest with one lens in the pocket (24-105) and a 16-35 on the camera I had over my shoulder. I carried the tripod and left the rest of the stuff up top.

Good luck, this is a marvelous place to spend some time.

[Lonnie Utah]

3. Lenses - I would go with a wide and a middling telephoto (80-100 range). I would not worry about lens speed - you will be on a tripod and a time delay shot anyhow. Frankly, on my second visit I wore a vest with one lens in the pocket (24-105) and a 16-35 on the camera I had over my shoulder. I carried the tripod and left the rest of the stuff up top.

This is good advice.  When I was there, I used my 16-35, and my 24-70.  In a couple of situations, a could have switched to something a little longer, in the 100mm range, but there is so much to shoot there, and so many ways to do it, you won't be hurt for lack of composition no matter what you chose to shoot with.  Be careful changing lenses in the slots, there is a lot of dust and sand flying around...

And for your viewing pleasure, here is a shot from upper antelope...   

 

[NashvilleMike]

2. I don't see any point in 2 cameras. Things are slow down there, no need for speed - stick with resolution.

Good luck, this is a marvelous place to spend some time.

Thanks for the tips!
I would be bringing both cameras to minimize lens changes. I might run with a 14-24 on the full frame body and a 60 on the crop frame body, thus approximating a wide and close to mid tele, based upon what I'm hearing so far.

Thanks again...

-mike

[aross007]

Just back from Page - spent a day in canyon X and a morning in Lower Antelope.  A selection from Canyon X is up on my zenfolio site (aaross.zenfolio.com)

My brother and I were together, both using Canon 7D's.  In the canyons, he used a 17-85, and I used a 24-105.  You might experiment with something longer, but you'll be so busy you won't need to.  You can carry any kind of pack you want, but at Lower you are so close to the car you can go back and get anything you decide you have to have.

The photo "tour" is self-guided, and is $26 for four hours ($5 for extra hours.)

The best light in Upper Antelope is close to noon (the famous light beams,) but Lower seems to be more open at the top, so we were advised that the best light was "first thing in the morning."  Which meant around 0800 when it opened.  We also went all the way down the canyon and worked our way back up, which effectively de-conflicted us from the other half dozen photographers who were in the canyon.

A half dozen tour groups came through, but didn't impact most of our photography.  If the guide with the wooden flute is there, ask him to play in the canyon - mystical experience!

Have fun,
Alan

[louoates]

I shot there a few years ago and agree with the comments about gear here. One thing for certain: CALL THE TOUR FOLKS IN PAGE BEFORE YOU GO. The canyon is often "reserved" for special events, filming, etc. so you don't want to just show up and be disappointed. Ask about the light conditions. I believe the sunlight comes down into the canyon very nicely in the Spring and not so good other times. The canyon is about 1/4 to 1/2 mile long and each turn in the meandering yields wildly different light. And because the canyon "slot" above is so narrow the light changes by the second. You might want to forgo light meter readings and just bracket like crazy and shoot lots of exposures--think machine gun fast--yes the light changes that fast. Bring big memory cards. Your guide will know the light conditions and where to take you along the canyon floor. I'd also recommend you do lots of bracketing for later HDR experimenting. I'm attaching a composite of three of my best shots from that day. Have a great time. It's a special place.

Special caution: The guides often toss sand up into the air where the sun is so you can see the light beams better. That's okay....BUT...it is sand (very fine sand)  and it will get into your lenses and camera if you are not very careful. So keep your gear as sealed up or covered as much as possible until you're ready to shoot. Previous groups may have been there recently and their guides threw the sand up also so you will be walking through that sand mist.

[Mjollnir]

I just got back from LAC two weeks ago, and you're not going to need any more than one camera.  My g/f used a 5D, and I used a Panasonic LX5 on a tripod, and it's FAR narrower than UAC and more trouble getting around in, esp. w/the ladders (especially the last one before exiting).

She altered between her wide angle and a 70-200 TP, and it was a pain in the butt for her, esp given the amount of ambient dirt and dust.

There are, however, far less people, and the photographers pass should get you more time than you'll ever need.

Whatever you do, however, LOOK UP.  There are all kinds of odd angles and interesting effects the light makes on stone right above your hear.  Lastly, both she and I use detachable viewfinders, mine electronic, hers a Canon right angle job.  Highly recommended.  That, and we were there at what's usually thought of as a crappy time of day (after 1100 in the morning) and while not ideal, there was plenty to look at/shoot.

This was looking straight up.  I just wish I'd taken a shot of the entrance.  When you first see it, you'll wonder how it's going to lead into what it eventually does.

[Lonnie Utah]

My sandfall pic was selected as the "pic of the day" on onedaily shot last week!

http://onedailyshot.com/2011/03/

[NashvilleMike]

Thanks (to everyone) again for the continued advice.

I suppose Lower Antelope isn't the place to bring a 20x24" view camera, eh? 

You guys have talked about the ladders a lot - looking at the various youtube videos, they look more like steep stairs. I'm assuming I can get up that last series (which looks 20-30 feet high) one-handed since I'll be carrying a big 5 series Gitzo tripod (no strap), right?

That's about the only thing that might concern me; I'm not claustrophobic, not afraid of dirt or dust, and I absolutely love heat/hot weather, so the rest of it looks to be fine.

-m

[Mjollnir]

Thanks (to everyone) again for the continued advice.

I suppose Lower Antelope isn't the place to bring a 20x24" view camera, eh? 

You guys have talked about the ladders a lot - looking at the various youtube videos, they look more like steep stairs. I'm assuming I can get up that last series (which looks 20-30 feet high) one-handed since I'll be carrying a big 5 series Gitzo tripod (no strap), right?

That's about the only thing that might concern me; I'm not claustrophobic, not afraid of dirt or dust, and I absolutely love heat/hot weather, so the rest of it looks to be fine.

-m

Almost none of them are 'stairs', per se, but far more like ladders, some of them very steep (that last one......) and if you have any sense of vertigo (my g/f has it) go slowly.

There are also the slightly ridiculously steep 'stairs' you'll have to navigate to get out, as well.  They are MUCH higher than 20-30 ft.

[aross007]

Steep ladders for sure, but one hand for the camera and one for the rail and you'll be fine.  As to the last stair, just go back the way you came (i.e. back up through the canyon.)  You'll see plenty more you missed on the way down.

jmho,
Alan