A common source of inspiration for photographers, and a very popular tourist spot, Arizona’s Antelope Canyon is truly wonderful. Formed mostly due to erosion from flash floods, its passages cover a length of around 600 metres (2,000ft). It’s no surprise, then that it’s a popular destination for portraits, especially for California wedding photographer Christine Diaz. When I saw the image above, the colour and vibrancy just leaped out at me. I had to get in touch with Christine to find out more.
While a very inspiring place, we asked Christine what drew her to this location in the first place.
And there was me thinking that 2-3 hours to get to a location was a long drive. Thirteen hours each way is dedication! Not only did the rock formations attract my attention, but the majestic variety of colors the canyon possesses captured my desire to make the thirteen hour journey to this location. Packing light for working on location certainly makes life easier, especially when you have to walk. Christine told us about the gear she used to make this shot and the lighting setup.
Canon 5D Mark IIICanon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM2x Cheetah CL-V860X speedlights
One flash unit placed directly behind the subjects provided some background separation. The other placed camera right in front of the subjects with a diffuser acted as the key light.
Shooting on location often presents challenges, even when you’re not at a heavy tourist destination. Christine told DIYP about some of the issues she faced and how she got through them. Christine tries to get her images as close to the finished product in camera as possible. So, post processing is minimal, although still required. Also, the light proved to be challenging at times in certain areas, so careful thought and consideration regarding light and location was essential to the success of these images. In some cases, the light was perfect. In other scenarios we had to “create” the light. Nevertheless, we were able to overcome these various challenges quickly and efficiently to produce stunning imagery.
Well, it certainly looks like Christine accomplished what she set out to achieve. We thank Christine for her time and talking to us about this session. You can find out more about Christine on her website, follow her on Instagram, or reach out to her through Facebook. Antelope Canyon is one of those places I’d love to visit myself. Even if not to photograph it, just to see it in person. The camera tends to understate just how amazing many locations are. So, to actually be there and experience it first hand must be something else. Have you been to Antelope Canyon? Have you made photographs there? Where else in the world would you love to go and shoot? Let us know in the comments.
