Campsites are often on long sandy beaches and here there are opportunities for photography that tell

We launched our raft into the swift moving current and grabbed the paddles to quickly navigate towards river center and line up for the rapid. The river flow was picking up speed as we neared the tongue of this monstrous mix of boiling, turbulent, whitewater. My excitement u2 vertigo fall tour to again be on Colorado River adventure gave way to more rational thinking of “what the heck am I doing here?” as I observed the massive river waves, seemingly taller than us, quickly creeping closer.
This rapid was Lava Falls , the biggest, u2 vertigo fall tour baddest, most feared and most talked u2 vertigo fall tour about rapid on this 277-mile rafting adventure. It is rated between 8 and 10 on a scale that only goes to 10. That is a big rapid! We were well into our second week in the canyon and were all ‘tuned in and going with the rivers flow’ by this time. That also meant we had two weeks to think about Lava Falls and ‘guesstimate’ what type of ride the rapid would give us at this water level. For me, I wondered what action photos I could capture u2 vertigo fall tour from within the boat. Would I have to hang on for dear life or could I snap away?
I was comforted in knowing that my longtime buddy Brian, our boatmen and owner of an Oregon rafting company , was well experienced in navigating through the maze of holes and huge curling waves that we were about to enter. Once we reached river center, Brian told us to stow our paddles and hold on as he took full control of the oars. His plan to was to enter the rapid just to the right of Ledge Hole, a bus-size crater of re-circulating water that can leave a raft or kayak stuck or easily flip either.
Eagerly following his suggestions, I quickly moved to the rear of the boat and set myself on the pile of dry bags carefully strapped in. This position was slightly higher than the bench seat and provided a good shooting perspective of the boat, Brian rowing, and the impending hurricane of whitewater waves. I wrapped u2 vertigo fall tour my left hand around the boat straps like a cowboy preparing to ride a bull and reached for my camera. u2 vertigo fall tour It was secure in a Ewa Marine Underwater Housing that was tied to the boat with a loop of climber’s rope and a carabiner. This ensured the safety of my camera if things get crazy, but also serves as a lifeline should I get tossed into the river I can pull myself back to the raft.
As we entered the rapid, I confirmed my hold on the boat strap and camera and attempted to frame the scene through my cameras viewfinder, which was awkward when looking through the underwater housing, but necessary to keep Brian and the boat centered in the frame. We hit our first large wave which swamped all of us and from there all seemed a blur! I started shooting u2 vertigo fall tour as we found ourselves dropping into a hole before immediately seeing blue sky as we climbed the side of the next wave. Brian constantly pushed and pulled the oars in an effort to keep the bow facing the large waves. During what seemed like an eternity, the raft tipped right and left, up and down as we bashed our way through Lava Falls and I continued pressing the shutter in rapid succession to capture all the action.
In reality, u2 vertigo fall tour the ride through Lava Falls took barely a minute before we washed out at the end of the rapid, soaked, dripping, and yelling a whoop, followed by the customary high-fives.  Then I hopped to the bow of the boat where my Pelican case was clipped in and grabbed my other camera with the 300mm lens. I immediately began shooting the action of the remaining 3 boats and two kayakers as they appeared and disappeared in the churning waves of Lava Falls. Once they were all through and had reached the slack water of the river eddies, we had another brief celebration before rowing back into the slow meandering river flow on our way to find a campsite. Most days spent rafting the Grand Canyon are similar with plenty of rapids of all sizes mixed with slow and lazy sections.
While many photographers make the trip to the viewpoints that dot the North and South Rim of the Grand Canyon and capture its awe inspiring grandeur, they rarely get more than a glimpse of the Colorado River as it snakes its way through the canyon. While being on top is an amazing experience, it’s the river that winds through the Grand Canyon that provides a whole new world for the adventurous nature photographer. Placing your self at the mercy of the river aboard u2 vertigo fall tour a raft as it winds through the great depths of the Grand Canyon is an unparalleled experience. I have had the good fortune to raft the Colorado River through the canyon three times and each a 21-day private trip providing totally different experiences every time.
While the excitement of rafting some of the best whitewater in North America is a draw in itself, it is the limitless photographic opportunities that are a reason all their own. From the towering canyon walls and unusual geology, the canyon is blessed with a diversity found nowhere else. There are huge caverns and slot canyons all carved by water over eons, some contain waterfalls, hanging gardens, seeps, and springs.
Plant species are diverse with over 120 vegetation communities in the canyon. Along the river and its tributaries exists a vibrant riparian community including willow, western honey mesquite, catclaw acacia, and tamarisk are the most common u2 vertigo fall tour species. Cacti can be found pretty close to the river and in the upper reaches of the canyon including; California barrel, fishhook, beavertail, desert prickly pear, hedgehog, and cholla. Wildlife are common from deer to bighorn sheep, birds and frogs, and a wide variety of lizards, including the elusive u2 vertigo fall tour Chuckwalla. Like much of the American Southwest, the canyon was inhabited by Native Americans for at least 4000 years and remnants of their presence can be found in many areas.
u2 vertigo fall tour While nature’s bounty is abundant for the photographer, the human element is just as important when documenting the full Grand Canyon rafting experience. While you can capture exciting point-of-view perspectives u2 vertigo fall tour of the whitewater action from within the raft, the rivers edge is often close enough to the rapids allowing close-in action shots of a kayaker in a rapid or a fisherman in a shallow pool.
Campsites are often on long sandy beaches and here there are opportunities for photography that tells the story of camp life, an important aspect of a Grand Canyon adventure . Keeping an eye on your fellow u2 vertigo fall tour rafters around camp can result in great storytelling images. For example, images I have captured include a fellow rafter sitting high on a rock and playing his flute whose melodic rhythms echoed across the canyon. Another image was a trip participant sitting in a chair with his feet soaking u2 vertigo fall tour in the rivers edge while reading a book. Yet another participant sat in the opening of her tent bathed in golden sunrise light while sipping the morning coffee. As the sun sets you can capture u2 vertigo fall tour images like reading by a headlamp, the glow of a small campfire, and a tent lit up by lantern.
Within the Grand Canyon there are many treasures worth exploring with your camera. You can day hike up countless side canyons spread u2 vertigo fall tour along the trip and some of the more notable are Deer Creek with its magnificent waterfall along the rivers u2 vertigo fall tour edge. A hike up Deer Creek Canyon presents many photographic opportunities from the slot canyon of Deer Creek above the falls, to the smaller cascades along the upper creek. u2 vertigo fall tour A favorite among river runners and photographers is Elves Chasm, u2 vertigo fall tour a small grotto ¼ mile from the river where a small water cascade slides down the rock wall surrounded by moss and ferns, something u2 vertigo fall tour seemingly u2 vertigo fall tour rare in this hot and dry environment. And then there is Havasu Creek, known as the “blue-green water” that flows from the infamous Havasu Falls , 10 miles upstream and where many river runners often make the all-day loop hike.
While the canyon presents something new and unique each day and along every section of the river journey, the desire to stay in one place like you have discovered the Garden of Eden, is understandable. But like life in general, there is a schedule to be kept and the time to move on arrives. We camped a few miles below Lava Falls that night and had our boats packed by mid-morning the next day before u2 vertigo fall tour beginning our last week through the canyon. Today the rapids were smaller but just as exciting and I decided to shoot using another of my favorite u2 vertigo fall tour approaches. Here I will put on my kayaking helmet and tuck down in the bow of the boat with my underwater setup. This approach allows me to look up at the boatman and passengers u2 vertigo fall tour and shoot every wave as they splash across the boat.
A rafting trip through the Grand Canyon is an incredible u2 vertigo fall tour experience! Photographing the abundance of scenery, flora and fauna, and the adventure easily u2 vertigo fall tour makes it a photographer’s trip of a lifetime. u2 vertigo fall tour There are not many places anymore where you cannot stay ‘connected’ and are forced to leave the outside world behind and become one with the river and the canyon. The trip is a true life experience full of nature and adventure and photo opportunities you will treasure forever.
There are many ways to raft the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. You can take a take a private trip or a commercial trip and it depends on how you wish to raft. Commercial trips vary in length depending on the river section and can last from 1 day to 18 days. Private trip permits are issued u2 vertigo fall tour for 2 to 25 days and the length of the trip is also dependent on the river section.
Choosing a private trip versus a commercial trip is not a tough decision. If you prefer a private 3 week trip and want to invite your friends, are you or they qualified river runners capable of guiding rafts through some difficult and challenging whitewater? Or like me, do you have friends who are qualified and have all the equipment? Beside technical rafting requirements, u2 vertigo fall tour a private trip includes shared responsibilities among participants.  This means everyone helps with loading and unloading boats, cooking, cleaning, and other camp chores and this can cut into your photography time.