http://www.thepixeldiaries.com

I’ve got to admit, the more I explore the southwest, the more I’m mesmerized by it. There are places along the Utah/Arizona border that will just blow your mind. I have to to pinch myself to make sure I’m really seeing what I’m seeing.

After exploring Zion for a bit, we moved to the Page, Arizona area. This place is home to some of the most astounding natural formations I’ve ever seen. Ben had been here before, but it was definitely a first for me. There’s a ton to see in the area, but upon arriving, our top priorities were Antelope Canyon (easy to get to) and the Wave (totally NOT easy to get to.) We looked into the Wave first.

The Wave, one of the most incredible formations I’ve ever seen.

So if you want to visit the Wave, here’s the deal: You have to show up and the land management office the day BEFORE you ideally want to go. And you have to show up first thing in the morning. There will be 50-100 people there hoping for a spot, and only 10 people get chosen, via a lottery system. I don’t know how it happened, but we actually got chosen. Score! The Wave is a three-mile hike each way (and there’s no trail, by the way) so it’s definitely a workout, but it’s totally worth it. This place is unlike anything I’ve ever imagined. I can see how it gets its name. It’s as if the concrete was once part of the ocean and just froze in place in the middle of a storm. The rock just seems to flow, in swooping curves and waves, just in this one place. Amazing.

Another view of the Wave.

One of my people-free shots in Upper Antelope Canyon.

Antelope Canyon is divided into two parts, upper and lower. We visited the lower first, which was much more of a relaxing shooting experience. There were a handful of people inside, but nothing to complain about, and the light was beautiful. I thought it was crazy that from ground level, the canyon looked like nothing but a big crack in the ground. But descend down that crack and you’re in a whole other world.

Upper Antelope was breathtaking, but crazy crowded. And when I say crazy, I mean CRAZY. There were hundreds of people in there. It was hard to even walk, let alone shoot. We took a photography tour and they tried to clear out spots for us, but it was still difficult, and everyone was getting similar vantage points. Far less than ideal, but the canyon itself was unreal, with it’s sunbeams shining down onto the sand. I just need to return on the off season, when there aren’t as many tourists. The video/slideshow at the top of this post shows my favorite shots from Antelope Canyon.

One of my favorite shots from lower Antelope Canyon.

I got this while shooting the Toadstool Hoodoos. Though it’s really a photo of Ben, it’s one of my favorites from the night.

Aside from those things, we also hiked to the Toadstool Hoodoos, as well as Horseshoe Bend. Since we were literally parked right on Lake Powell, we even rented a little boat one day to explore the area by water. What can I say… life is good. We eventually had to leave and head to Vegas. Ben needed a major airport to fly out of, and I never mind hanging out in LV.

More to come…