I specialize in creating custom photo tours for anyone looking to get the most out of their limited time at the Grand Canyon and who wants to go beyond the typical tour experience. I have worked with everyone, from beginners using their smartphones to those with years of experience using professional camera gear. My one-on-one photography tours are about you as I custom-tailor the experience to your schedule and skill level.
What Will We Do on the Tour?
My private Grand Canyon photo tours allow you to work alongside me and to see what I see through my viewfinder as I share my approach to making fine art landscape photographs. I'll demonstrate creating images with strong foregrounds, layering elements of the landscape, and how to work with challenging lighting conditions. You can take what you learn from me and apply it to any location or subject.
What Viewpoints Will We Photograph From?
The South Rim of the Grand Canyon has nearly 30 named viewpoints or overlooks to photograph from, and the North Rim has nine designated viewpoints or overlooks. In addition to the designated viewpoints, both rims have many unnamed and unknown overlooks that we can photograph from. The challenge is knowing the best places for the given light and weather conditions. Because of this, I usually wait to select locations until the day of your photo tour so that we can adapt to changes in light and weather to put you in the best spot possible.
Photo Tour Options
I offer photo tours of the Grand Canyon ranging in length from half-day sunset photo tours to multi-day intensive experiences. I'm available for tours year-round on the South Rim and seasonally on the North Rim from mid-May to mid-October.
Option 1 - Half-Day Sunset Photo Tour: The half-day private photography tour is a great way to maximize your limited time at the Grand Canyon. We will visit and photograph from some of my favorite locations in the park, offering you many compositional opportunities and allowing you to escape the crowds. Together we will photograph up through the golden hour to sunset and into the beginning of the blue hour. You’ll be able to see how I compose for both the grand vistas and intimate scenes. This is a great way to learn to control your camera and improve your skills while receiving personalized instruction.
- Pricing : $475 for 1 photographer or $375 per person for 2 or more photographers.
- Availability: Year-round on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park
- Activity Level: Low to moderate with short walks of up to 10 minutes one way.
- Logistics: We will meet in the lobby of your hotel or lodge 4 hours before sunset to begin the tour. The tour lasts until 30 minutes after sunset.
Option 2 - Overnight Photo Tour: This photography tour combines the Half-Day Sunset Photo Tour with a sunrise session the following morning, plus the opportunity to photograph the night sky over the Grand Canyon. This tour requires that you stay inside the national park or in the town of Tusayan, located 1 mile from the entrance.
- Pricing : $825 for 1 photographer or $625 per person for 2 or more photographers.
- Availability: Year-round on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park
- Activity Level: Low to moderate with short walks of up to 10 minutes one way.
- Logistics: We will meet in the lobby of your hotel or lodge 4 hours before sunset to begin the tour, and we will stay out through the night sky session. The following morning, we will meet early for sunrise and will photograph the canyon until about an hour after.
Option 3 - North Rim Photo Tour: This private photo tour is a 3-day, 2-night experience on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. It includes two sunrise sessions, two sunset sessions, and night sky photography. We may even have the opportunity to photograph bison in the park’s meadows. This tour requires that you stay inside the North Rim of the national park or at Kaibab Lodge, located 5 miles from the entrance.
- Pricing : $1,895 for 1 photographer or $1,395 per person for 2 or more photographers.
- Availability: seasonally from May 15th to October 15th
- Activity Level: Low to moderate with short walks of up to 15 minutes one way.
- Logistics: We will meet in the lobby of your hotel or lodge on day 1, 4 hours before sunset, to begin the tour, and we will shoot until 30 minutes after sunset. On day 2, we will meet early for sunrise and will photograph the canyon until about an hour after. There is a mid-day break when you can explore the canyon on your own, take a short hike, or perhaps even go on a mule ride. We reconvene in the afternoon and photograph through sunset and into the night sky session. On Day 3, we meet again for an early sunrise session followed by breakfast at the lodge.
Option 4 - Multi-Day Custom Photo Tours: I’m often asked if I would be willing to do a private photo tour on both the South Rim and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The answer is yes! A multi-day trip with overnight stays on both the South Rim and the North Rim makes for an incredible photography experience. It allows you to develop a deep appreciation for the complexities of the landscape of the Grand Canyon. Contact me for more information.
Night Sky Photography
Photographing the Grand Canyon under a night sky can be a real treat. Depending on the moon phase, we may photograph the stars above the canyon or the canyon under the moonlight. A night sky session is included with Overnight and North Rim photo tours. This session typically lasts 60 to 90 minutes, beginning approximately an hour after sunset.
Tour versus a Workshop
Photography tours are designed to put you in the best locations possible to make your photographs within the scope of the limited time of your visit. Photography workshops take this several steps further by integrating an educational component into the photo tour.
Upgrade to a Workshop
If you want to take your photography to the next level, then upgrading from a photo tour to a photography workshop is for you. A private one-on-one photography workshop is a highly customized experience. As such, we will have several strategy sessions via phone or Zoom to define your goals and begin planning the workshop. I’m happy to create a custom itinerary that best fits your schedule and develop educational goals to help you grow as a photographer. After the workshop, I encourage you to send me up to six photographs for a critique session via Zoom. Contact me for more information about creating a private one-on-one workshop for you.
Friends and Family
Feel free to let me know if you're traveling with family or friends. I can create an experience that is just as fun and informative for them too! A friend or family member is welcome to tag along with each paid participant.
What's Not Included?
Lodging, meals, transportation, and entrance fees into Grand Canyon National Park are not provided. We will caravan as a group to the photography locations. Hiking below the canyon rim is not included as part of my photography tours.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time of year to photograph the Grand Canyon? Which rim is best, the South Rim or the North Rim? Where should I stay when visiting the Grand Canyon? What camera and lenses do I need? The answers to your questions and much more can be found on the Frequently Asked Questions page.
Your Photo Tour Guide
I've been photographing the Grand Canyon since 2008, and in 2009 I was an Artist-in-Residence at Grand Canyon National Park. Since then, I have spent, on average, 70+ days a year exploring the canyon looking for new vantage points and learning its secrets. I hold a Commercial Use Authorization issued by Grand Canyon National Park, which permits me to conduct photography tours and workshops in the park. I began leading workshops and tours at the Grand Canyon in 2010, and since then, I have worked with hundreds of people, guiding them to great shots (read what they have to say), and I look forward to being your photo tour guide.
Scheduling Your Photo Tour
If you're ready to sign up for a private photo tour, send me a message to confirm my availability for your requested date(s). I want to make your visit to the Grand Canyon a great experience! The Grand Canyon is a place that I genuinely love and respect, and I feel it’s a privilege to share it with my clients.
