Antelope Canyon Summertime

Antelope Canyon Late Fall

I recently returned from yet another  trip to Lower Antelope Canyon outside of Page, Arizona.  Lower Antelope is the more peaceful, more quite slot canyon compared to the overcrowded Upper Antelope Canyon where photographers literally push and shove for the best spots.

These two photos help show the difference the time of the year can make in such a place.  Both were taken at about the same time of the morning on a clear day.  With the summer sun more overhead the photo on the left was much more orange compared to the late fall photo on the right showing more purples.

This is also a case where the photo is much better than what was visible to observer.  The long exposures required in the dark canyon help turn the brown looking sandstone purple.  I took the photo on the right expecting it to be very unappealing, but it turned out much better than it appeared at the time.  I remember seeing the bright orange scene for the first time.  Turning the corner, it jumped out at me.  Had I not been specifically looking for it, the scene on the right would not have stood out at all.  One time of the year is not necessarily better than the other, you will simply see different scenes.  Being from New Mexico, I immediately knew the title of the orange photo would be Chile Pepper, which I later changed to Chile Naranjo.