PHOTO TRIP DESTINATIONS

Create your dream photo adventure! Choose from any of the locales below (or pick your own) and tell us where and when you want to go …

GRAND STAIRCASE-ESCALANTE & BRYCE CANYON

• Photograph one of the last great wilderness areas in the southwest
• Experience a diverse collection of arches, natural bridges, hoodoos, slot canyons, waterfalls, pictographs and anasazi ruins set in a land of rich color
• Get numerous opportunities to create unique images in this seldom-visited area
• Visit Bryce Canyon - shoot from the best viewpoints & find little-known gems

The Escalante was the last river in the continental U.S. to be named. That should tell you something. There are no Walmarts or traffic jams here.

The Escalante River drainage is a vast wilderness area of colorful sandstone canyons and plateaus. It includes some of the most remote country in the southwest. The Escalante's many tributaries form a maze of deep sandstone canyons containing arches, natural bridges, slot canyons, waterfalls and abundant vegetation and wildlife - a photographer's paradise.

Our exploration of this region typically begins in Escalante, Utah. Our journey can take us along Hole-in-the-Rock Road or Cottonwood Canyon Road to a sandstone 'garden of delights', some very unique slot canyons, or a spectacular little-known arch. We can visit a moss-hung alcove, a charming desert creek or the so-called 'Golden Cathedral' in Neon Canyon - all in this productive region. Moving on to Boulder, Utah, we have petroglyphs, large hoodoos, a natural bridge and an exceptional desert waterfall.

Bryce Canyon amphitheater and surrounds are always a big hit. Bryce needs no introduction. We've all marveled at those remarkable formations that seem to glow as if having a light within. We'll show you some classic shots at Bryce from the best viewpoints and some wonderful hidden gems few photographers visit. Our fall trips frequently include golden aspen mixed with contrasting green conifers set against the deep blue Utah sky.

We can do any or all of these locales. With our custom trips, you pick the subjects and duration of your adventure. This area can be combined with locales in the Page area.

The sandstone universe of LAKE POWELL & PAGE, ARIZONA

• Shoot remarkable abstracts in the sensual richness of both Antelope Canyons
• Experience exotic wilderness locales few people ever see
• See the very best this rich area has to offer. We often hear, "This can't be real"

Photography heaven? If it exists, it must be here. Join us in some of the most captivating and colorful landscapes you will see in your lifetime - all in the visually rich vicinity of Lake Powell and Page, Arizona.

Most photographers today have seen the remarkable images of upper and lower Antelope Canyon. They are some of the most sensuous and sublime photographs that exist. Exquisite patterns of wind and water-eroded sandstone give us surreal, abstract images of bounced light and color. Together, we can experience both upper and lower canyons, each with their own character and features. We'll capture the temporal sunbeams that appear like magic as slivers of sun find their way through to the canyon floor.

This area is blessed with much more than great slot canyons. We can visit exotic locales with names like White Castles and White Ghosts. There's the awe-inspiring Alstrom Point, an other-worldly vista high above the deep greens and blues of dramatic Lake Powell - a perfect spot for a panoramic. Experience a collection of tall spires and hoodoos that absolutely defy imagination, all cast in a creamy white siltstone that glows in the morning light.

White Pocket is a very special remote location, complete with dinosaur tracks, that feels like another planet and contains a wonderful mustard yellow and red ochre sandstone combination seldom seen together on the Colorado Plateau. Escalante Toadstools, Horseshoe Bend, above Waterholes Slot Canyon, the South Coyote Buttes and even the Wave can be included in our flexible itinerary.

A visit to the Page area can be combined with Monument Valley or the Escalante area.

ZION NATIONAL PARK

• Elevate your field technique and composition skills in a world-class setting
• Realize prime opportunities to create excellent panoramas
• Likelihood of scoring a real trophy image in this location is high

Zion National Park and surrounds are often the first destination of photographers journeying into the Colorado Plateau. It's a fantastic introduction to the Heart of the Southwest. Our days will be filled with exploration along with instruction aimed at elevating your field technique in this remarkable corner of the world. The world of Zion will not disappoint you!

The park consists of two unique environs: the canyon and the plateau. The plateau is absolutely fantastic and offers numerous photographic possibilities. Without doubt it is one of the most stimulating landscapes you will encounter. It is an incongruous creation, kneaded, molded and dyed as if by some crazy chef. Checkerboard Mesa is always a favorite but the possibilities are endless.

Our forays into the canyon section of Zion typically include the most beautiful panorama in the park - the Towers of the Virgin, in dramatic first light. Some beautiful natural pools, stone promontories standing like guardians over the canyon, a natural stone temple and an excellent double arch are among the features of the canyon section. We can include these prime subjects and more and then take you to some special photographic jewels that are little-known and seldom visited. Join us for a sublime visual adventure.

As a bonus during a mid-day break, we can visit Michael Fatali's gallery in Springdale and tour the modern-day master's studio nearby.

A visit to Zion can be combined with locales in the Page and Escalante area.

ARCHES, CANYONLANDS, CEDAR MESA, MONUMENT VALLEY

• Be literally surrounded by world-class subjects
• Learn to put your own spin on the famous icons and discover little-known jewels
• Create your own itinerary from an overwhelming list of good choices

Words fall far short in describing Arches National Park. I will not bore you with a vain attempt other than to say that after many visits, I still feel incredibly privileged to go there. The photographic possibilities are endless. More than an amazing concentration of arches, the park also offers great sandstone monoliths and fins with the Manti-LaSal Mountains as a backdrop. Spring and fall are great times to visit but winter often provides a dusting of snow, long periods of low angle sun and features very few other visitors. We recommend a minimum of two days in the park to photograph the best subjects.

A brief list of Arches highlights includes Park Avenue, the Courthouse Towers, Balanced Rock, Turret Arch, Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch, Double-O Arch, North and South Windows and the Fiery Furnace. There's so much more!

The Island in the Sky section of Canyonlands is also close to Moab and is frequently visited in combination with Arches. If you like expansive canyon panoramas, river goosenecks, mind-blowing rock formations and escaping crowds, you'll love it here.

We'll include Dead Horse Point State Park for a view rivaling the best overlooks at the Grand Canyon. At Island in the Sky, we'll experience the opportunities at Grandview Point, White Rim Overlook, Green River Overlook and Murphy Point. Immersing ourselves deeper in the park, we won't want to miss the sublime red glow of Mesa Arch at sunrise. We can also shoot an Anasazi site that is rarely visited. It offers a sense of remoteness and beauty you have likely not experienced before.

If you are able to schedule a longer visit, your Arches and Canyonlands trip can be combined with some fascinating Anasazi sites in the Cedar Mesa area including Fallen Roof Ruin and Flame House Ruin. Monument Valley (Yei-bi-chei + Totem Pole, Hunt's Mesa, Teardrop Arch, etc.) would be a very strong alternative.

WorldView provides custom trips for photographers. Call or e-mail us and we'll design your dream trip together.