Antelope Canyon

Abstract Natural Patterns and Light Beams

Antelope Canyon was one of the most amazing places we have seen on our holiday in the United States this year!

The slot canyon was formed by the erosion of sandstone, primarily by flash flooding, but also by the rainwater which is cutting into the stone walls, smoothing the hard edges in such a way as to form flowing shapes in the rock.

It is a spectacular looking place and understandably very popular with photographers, which was a bit frustrating at times. The people running the tours are very nice and they try to accommodate everyone, but in order to do that, they have to rush you through. You can barely catch your breath. 

Definitely it is not an easy place to take photographs! I am not only talking about the fact that it is almost impossible to take a picture without lots of people in it. The combination of strong light from above and the darkness inside is very challenging. It is almost impossible to avoid the ‘Hotspots’ even if you bracket your shot.

But in the end, it is all well worth it: the stone shapes, the colours, the amazing light! A very interesting phenomenon is the light beam that comes from above at different hours. The tour organizers are throwing sand into the air, so you can see them properly and catch them in your picture… And you have to clean your lens a lot… 

My only regret is that we did not have enough time to see the Upper Antelope Canyon only the ‘Lower’ one.

Please check out my gallery for more images of these amazing places!