Catching the light . . .
On our holiday Page, Arizona was a mandatory stop as I wanted to visit one of the slot canyons, or more if possible! Upper Antelope Canyon is called Tsé bighánílíní, "the place where water runs through rocks" by the Navajo. The Antelope Canyons are located in the Navajo Nation and to visit the slot canyon you must use a tour guide that has been authorized by the Navajo Nation.
During the winter months the light is so low on the horizon that the light does not get down into the slot canyons very often in the day. Capturing a shaft of light is more involved than it appears to be. To be able to see the light from the side, the light must reflect off of something on its way to the ground. This is accomplished by a guide standing behind one of the curved walls throwing a large scoopful of super fine sand into the air into the path of the light . . . and the shaft of light is revealed . . . click!
On the downside is the fact that I am standing relatively close with my camera and lens while scoopfuls of super fine powdery sand are thrown in the air . . . what could go wrong!
"Antelope Canyon was formed by erosion of Navajo Sandstone, primarily due to flash flooding and secondarily due to other sub-aerial processes. Rainwater, especially during monsoon season, runs into the extensive basin above the slot canyon sections, picking up speed and sand as it rushes into the narrow passageways. Over time the passageways eroded away, making the corridors deeper and smoothing hard edges in such a way as to form characteristic "flowing" shapes in the rock." The description from Wikipedia
Catching the light . . .
On our holiday Page, Arizona was a mandatory stop as I wanted to visit one of the slot canyons, or more if possible! Upper Antelope Canyon is called Tsé bighánílíní, "the place where water runs through rocks" by the Navajo. The Antelope Canyons are located in the Navajo Nation and to visit the slot canyon you must use a tour guide that has been authorized by the Navajo Nation.
During the winter months the light is so low on the horizon that the light does not get down into the slot canyons very often in the day. Capturing a shaft of light is more involved than it appears to be. To be able to see the light from the side, the light must reflect off of something on its way to the ground. This is accomplished by a guide standing behind one of the curved walls throwing a large scoopful of super fine sand into the air into the path of the light . . . and the shaft of light is revealed . . . click!
On the downside is the fact that I am standing relatively close with my camera and lens while scoopfuls of super fine powdery sand are thrown in the air . . . what could go wrong!
"Antelope Canyon was formed by erosion of Navajo Sandstone, primarily due to flash flooding and secondarily due to other sub-aerial processes. Rainwater, especially during monsoon season, runs into the extensive basin above the slot canyon sections, picking up speed and sand as it rushes into the narrow passageways. Over time the passageways eroded away, making the corridors deeper and smoothing hard edges in such a way as to form characteristic "flowing" shapes in the rock." The description from Wikipedia