I shot Janelle and Derek’s engagement session in Page, Arizona at three beautiful locations: Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and Lone Rock Beach Campground.
These three places are a must to visit if you’re ever in the area. Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon on Navajo land and it includes two separate sections (Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon). We visited Upper Antelope Canyon to see the famous light beams that penetrated the caverns. Since Antelope Canyon is on private land, you must book a tour in order to visit either section. We booked our tour with the Adventurous Antelope Canyon Photo Tour. Just to give you a bit of fore warning, these tours are packed with people, and there are usually more than one tour company in operation, so it gets really crowded. I was able to get these images of Janelle and Derek without any photo bombers due to perfect timing. Also, if you wanted to have a formal photo shoot in Antelope Canyon, you have to obtain a photography permit with Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation. It’s a little tricky to book a permit since you have to book a tour first. Many tour companies will not allow you to have a photo shoot in Upper Antelope Canyon due to the huge crowds, so check with your tour company first before making plans for a photo shoot.
Since I knew going in that the crowds were going to be insane, and that I wasn’t able to bring proper lighting equipment, I used an ultra wide zoom lens with image stabilization. Don’t let these photos full you, the caverns are really dark. You won’t be able to get these kinds of portraits with your iPhone. I used the Canon 5D Mark IV (which does great in low light and I can push the iso to a really high number) and paired it with the Tamron 15-30mm f2.8 lens with image stabilization. The image stabilization allowed me to shoot at a pretty slow shutter ( 1/50 secs) and the f2.8 aperture both helped me to shoot in the low light conditions of Upper Antelope Canyon.
For Horseshoe Bend, I brought with me the Profoto B2 strobe and a 2′ Octobox. I shot these images in the summer of 2017, so at the time they did not require you to book a tour or get a photography permit for a photoshoot in Horseshoe Bend. I’m not sure how it is now.
If you’re interested in booking me for your wedding or engagement session, message me at contact@jimmybuiphotography.com and don’t forget to visit my website and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Mention you checked out my blog and receive a 5% discount on any package. Thank you so much!
Jimmy Bui
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- Janelle + Derek // Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend Engagement Session - October 1, 2018
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