going to the grand canyon

[Marcuscarcus]

Any suggestions on what I should bring or how to take photos at the grand canyon.
I was thinking i would bring a monopod but is a tripod really that much better. I want to be able to walk around and stuff.
I am bring a tamron 18-270 and a canon 50mm 1.4. I don't have any filters (besides UV) but is it worth getting a polarizer. Which lense should i get it for. Any suggestions on which one to get if i need it.

Anyone been there?

[Pen]

Im in nearly the same boat here, pretty much same questions if anyone has any suggestions thanks

[B..]

Been there, many years ago, with our point-n-shoot cameras.

You almost can't get a bad photo. Even in harsh mid-day light, the geography is spectacular enough to give you a good photo. Morning and evening, with the additional shadows, will help you get better than good photos.

A polarizer? If you find yourself in the right situation, it might result in a spectacular photo rather than a good photo. There might be haze in the air that the polarizer can cut through, or there might be clouds in the sky to enhance your composition. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. (Unless the cost would cut into something else.)

Depending on when you're there, one of those graduated filters to deal with a sky much brighter than the ground might be useful.

The south rim will be crowded. I doubt you'd be easily able to use a tripod there, but you could more easily use a monopod. Against the remote possibility of having a bit of space for a tripod, you might carry that and if the crowds are just too heavy then use one leg of your tripod as a monopod.

I've heard the north rim is always less crowded. I haven't (yet) been there.

[AlphaDogPhoto]

If you are using an APS-C canon you could rent the EF-S 10mm - 22mm super-wide for use at the canyon.

The Grand Canyon is one of those things that is almost impossible to capture an image that depicts the jaw-dropping views you see with your eyes when you are there.

Use a tripod, get a ND filter like someone suggested.

Remember that a Polarizing filter will only work when it at a 45degree angle to the light source. So if you follow the golden rule and shoot with the sun at your back all a polarizing filter will do is slow your exposure by 1 to 2 stops. Look into a Cokin P gradated ND filter system if you plan to shoot landscapes.

[peterdurk]

Get a ND grad. filter or two. Use the square type which you can fit to different size lenses. Cokin do a budget level set if Lee is too expensive for you.
Definitely take a tripod if you want to take sunrise and sunset pictures. I found if you are willing to walk 50 yards either side of the main viewing points, there is no problem with too many people about; even on the South Rim. If you are willing to walk a little further, then you can totally be on your own. A tripod is also essential if you want to shoot some panorama sequences and well worth a try if you going all that way to be there. Just 'google' panoramas to get all the advice you need from the web on how to take them.

[Marcuscarcus]

Thank you for all the help. I learned a lot what you are saying the hard way (i.e. i didn't have the ND filter and i would have loved it). But i still think i got some decent shots.
I went to the horseshoe bend that you posted above. You must have been crazy to get that shot. I was so scared to go close to the sheer cliff. You're crazy but great shot.
I am looking for the Cokin P filters ( i posted in the gear for sale section if you want to hook me up)
I have posted some of my shots on flickr if you want to go check them out.

There are only a few up right now but I have some more HDR's coming a a few panoramas. so put me as a contact as i want to see your stuff too.

[AlphaDogPhoto]

I am afraid of heights, can you believe that!

I laid on my belly and crawled to the edge to hang over to get that shot. Shooting in the afternoon sunlight made for some tough to deal with shadows, but the shot works.

I'm looking for a P filter kit myself, I shoot mostly other stuff so landscapes are not my thing, but when I shoot landscapes I want them to look good.

I did the slot/Antelope canyon as well.

[Marcuscarcus]

i commend you for your dedication to the shot.
I really really wish i could have had the courage to get the horseshoe bend shot.
antelope valley presented me with some new challenges and i learned a lot.
the light was really hard to photography with. Look how blown out the sky is in my shot.
Any ideas on how I could have photographed the valley better. Would a nd filter have helped with a tripod.
Anything I can do in post production to make this shot better??

[AlphaDogPhoto]

Antelope canyon is tough, and to answer your question even tougher.

I'll try to make it simple to understand, but mostly it's a complex subject that involves technical issues balanced against a knowledge of your equipment and a ton of stuff.

A) Most digital camera's sensors can capture a dynamic range of about 5 stops, you can see the 5 stop range in the histogram as the dividing lines.

B) The human eye has a dynamic range of about " lots more than a digital sensor" so your eye can find a balance between the exposure needed to see both the brightest highlights of the sun beams coming down from the sky and the color intensity of the shadows in the dimly lit areas of the canyon.

C) Some types of film have a much greater dynamic range than digital sensors (this is why we have all seen those amazing photos of Antelope Canyon's light beams) but very few people have "digital" photos with the same dynamic range that is available in sheet film.

With film, we were taught "expose for the shadows, process for the highlights"

whereas with digital we are taught "expose for the highlights, process for the shadows"

given that you would need to point the meter to the sky and get your exposure and everything else would look very, very underexposed and you would fix it in post processing. But, you still have to remember the 5 stop dynamic range of your digital sensor . . .

So if you point your meter to the sky and take a reading, and point the meter to the shadows and take a reading (in spot metering mode) and the difference between the two readings is greater than the 5 stop range (which most likely it will be) you must understand that you are unable to get the shot your eye/mind sees with the equipment you have.

You need to do all this without using the camera's meter from experience and realize that what it takes to learn to "see light" in a different way.

It gets complex.

here is a quick and dirty edit

[Marcuscarcus]

I really didn't know how to expose for the high contrast so I used AEB. I have 2 more shots like this. this is the +2 Exposure compensation.
I will upload the others ones. Since from your explaination, the -2 Exposure compensation would have good sky exposure and then i could process for the rocks.
I took a photo shop class but alas i don't have the program. Its just too expensive.