Landscape photography is a topic I cover further in the Resources section. I want to say a few words about it here, specifically with regard to rafting and hiking through Grand Canyon. When I keep cautioning about the National Parks and lands being extreme environments, that applies to photography equipment, too. On our 2018 rafting trip, I brought a higher-end point-and-shoot Panasonic Lumix ZS-70. I wasn’t yet into full frame photography and liked the idea of getting decent quality images with little effort. I was prepared with a waterproof bag to protect the camera on the river and, for six days, all was well. Then, on day seven, it stopped working because the exceptionally fine-grained sand at our camp site somehow got into the zoom housing. For the rest of the trip, including our time in Yosemite, we relied on our smart phones, which we were fortunate to have with us.
With this experience in mind, for our 2019 river trip I came equipped with an Olympus TG-5 waterproof/shock resistant point-and-shoot. It’s in the same class as the ZS-70 (resolution, picture quality, features, price), and performed very well in the harsh conditions. Aside from a phone, this seems to be the go-to still camera for many people on these types of trips. Many of Grand Canyon pictures you see on this site were taken with these point-and-shoots or our smart phones. With a little post processing in Photoshop, it’s possible to get really good images. At least, I hope you’ll agree.
Shortly after the 2019 trip, my landscape photography bug really accelerated, and I stepped up to a full frame mirrorless Sony (now an A7RV with various e-mount lenses). My intent was to expand the possibilities of expression through higher resolution, quality and editing, as well as to enjoy larger, striking wall prints. Of course, the challenge here is the increasing amount of gear (lenses, tripod, and on and on) you need to carry and manage to do it right. Because of the climate and terrain conditions I mentioned, things get even more complicated when you’re in places such as the Grand Canyon.
There is the obvious risk of water and sand destroying your sensitive equipment, and the fact that limited storage space makes this approach unrealistic on a standard commercial river trip. However, there is a tour tailored for serious photographers who want to capture the best images possible on the river.
In May 2024, I joined Gary Hart, a landscape photography professional and guide, on a chartered river trip through the Grand Canyon that caters to the exacting needs of the photography community. His Grand Canyon river trips actually run on Western River Expedition boats, which I have described at length in the Grand Canyon destination section. I have also been on photography tours run by Dreamland Safari Tours in the magnificent Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, guided by Cody York, another experienced professional.
On longer hikes, I’ve learned how to carry my full frame gear and take higher quality images, while not slowing down others in the group. The mantra of virtually all photography professionals I’ve consulted is “always on a tripod.” But since I want good photos and good hiking simultaneously, I have to adjust. I’ve had to learn to take high quality handheld photos while on the move, which come close to professional standards. There will come a time when I venture out to devote most of my attention to capturing images of the highest possible quality in targeted locations. But when I do, it will be on my own, where I can go at my own pace, or on a guided workshop, such as with Gary or Cody.
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