PRICE:
Early Registration: $1049 NANPA/ASMP Members, $1249 non-members by March 18, 2025
After March 18, 2025: $1149 NANPA/ASMP Members, $1349 non-members
If you are not currently a member, you may want to consider joining NANPA to take advantage of member pricing on all regional events (1 year membership $100)
Special Discount available for NANPA Summit attendees: This event is timed to follow the NANPA Summit in Tucson. Summit attendees wishing to attend this event can receive $100 off their registration for this event. To receive the discount, please email your Summit registration receipt to office@nanpa.org and ask for the registration promo code for this event. Then use that promo code when registering for this event and you’ll see your registration price discounted by $100.
Maximum number of attendees: 7
Last date to register: April 18, 2025
EVENT OVERVIEW:
The Grand Canyon is a breathtaking natural wonder that has captivated visitors and photographers for generations. Carved over millions of years by the Colorado River, its immense scale, vibrant colors, and dramatic landscapes offer endless opportunities for stunning imagery. Beyond its visual grandeur, the Grand Canyon is a sacred place with deep cultural and spiritual significance to Native American tribes such as the Hopi, Navajo, Havasupai, Hualapai, and Zuni, whose histories and stewardship are intertwined with the land and the river. For photographers, the Grand Canyon presents an unparalleled canvas of light, shadow, and texture, offering moments of quiet reflection and the chance to honor its timeless beauty and cultural heritage through their lens. Leading this photography tour for NANPA is Adam Schallau, an internationally recognized photographer who has been exploring the Grand Canyon through the lens of his camera for close to 20 years. Adam spends an average of 80 days a year photographing the Grand Canyon from the rim to the Colorado River, chasing light to capture magical and awe-inspiring moments.
NANPA is an authorized permittee of the National Parks Service.
©Adam Schallau
Adam Schallau is an internationally recognized photographer who has been exploring the Grand Canyon through the lens of his camera for close to 20 years. He spends an average of 80 days a year photographing the Grand Canyon from the rim to the Colorado River, chasing light to capture magical and awe-inspiring moments.
Adam’s photography of the Grand Canyon is highly acclaimed, and he has been recognized as the Photographer of the Year by the International Regional Magazine Association for his work in Arizona Highways magazine and is a former Artist-in-Residence at Grand Canyon National Park. His work has been used by Apple, the National Audubon Society, the National Park Service, Patagonia, and many others. He is a contributor to many books and magazines with covers on the Grand Canyon Centennial book, Arizona Highways, Cowboys & Indians, New Mexico Magazine, and National Geographic Traveler
WHAT TO EXPECT:
Photographing the Grand Canyon presents endless opportunities, from sweeping landscapes to intricate geological details and views of the Colorado River. We’ll capture the canyon’s beauty in the warm, golden hues of sunrise and sunset, as well as during the blue hour when twilight transforms the rugged terrain into an ethereal scene. Using telephoto lenses, we’ll emphasize the interplay of light and shadow to highlight the canyon’s depth and texture, while wide-angle lenses will help create dynamic compositions with foreground elements that draw viewers into the image. As an International Dark Sky Park, Grand Canyon National Park also offers exceptional conditions for astrophotography.
NEAREST AIRPORT:
EVENT TRANSPORTATION:
Transportation to and from the airport and during the event is not included and is the attendees’ responsibility. Car rental is available at the airport. A car with 4-wheel drive or extra clearance is not necessary.
Ride Sharing: We will depart daily from the hotel. Ride-sharing is encouraged to reduce the size of our vehicle presence and improve the traveling/following experience. You are welcome to either drive or ride with someone. This is a great way to meet and have fun with fellow photographers during the event. If you are a passenger in another participant’s car it is customary to offer the driver some gas money and chip in towards any vehicle admission/parking fee as a courtesy.
Note that NANPA, and Adam Schallau, do not have insurance for carpooling arrangements and assume no liability for them. Carpooling, ride sharing or anything similar is strictly a private arrangement among participants. Participants assume the risks associated with this travel.
PARK PASS:
Anyone entering the National Park will be required to have a park pass. If you have an Annual, Senior, Military or Access Pass, bring it with you. If you don’t have one, please buy one in advance.
LODGING:
Our base for the event will be in Tusayan, Arizona, located 1-mile from the main entrance to Grand Canyon National Park.
Lodging is not included in the event fee, however NANPA has a block of hotel rooms being held for participants at a special rate.
The room rate is $195 + tax (currently 10.9%) and $2 housekeeping fee per night.
Check in 4 pm, Check out 12 noon
Details about the event hotel and procedure for reserving rooms will be provided to registered participants.
The last date to reserve in the room block is April 18, 2025.
MEALS:
All meals will be on your own with the exception of one breakfast which is included. The group breakfast will be on the last morning of the event at El Tovar hotel in the park.
©Adam Schallau
PHOTOGRAPHY LOCATION:
Your leader is familiar with the areas that you’ll be visiting, and locations will be based on what’s most photogenic at the time, wildlife activity, weather conditions, etc.
For this event, we will photograph from numerous viewpoints and overlooks along the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, including:
PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE:
Please note schedules are fluid due to weather conditions, recent wildlife sightings and other variables.
Sunrise is approximately 5:15 am and Sunset is approximately 7:30 pm.
Monday May 19, 2025
Tuesday May 20, 2025
Wednesday May 21, 2025
Thursday May 22, 2025
The event wraps up at 10:00 am, hotel check out is by noon.
HEALTH AND FITNESS:
There will be no excessively stressful hiking. Most shooting locations will be very close to where we park, but some locations will require a walk of 5 to 10 minutes one way. The length of the walk will be up to the participant and how much they wish or are able to explore. It’s important to know that the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is 7,000 feet above sea level, and the air is most likely thinner than you are accustomed to. The dry climate may affect you differently than your home environment. It is recommended to bring a personal water bottle and stay hydrated.
WEATHER
Temperatures on the canyon’s rim in May can range from morning lows in the 30s to afternoon highs in the 70s or even the low 80s. This is due to the elevation of the canyon’s rim. Due to the high altitude, there is less atmosphere to block out the sun. Be sure to bring a sunhat and plenty of sunscreen. The sun is intense here, and you can get sunburned very quickly.
CLOTHING
It is recommended that you plan for a variety of weather and dress in layers.
CAMERA GEAR:
ADDITIONAL ITEMS:
GENERAL:
This event is designed for all levels of photographers – amateur, intermediate, advanced, and professional – interested in improving their photography skills or looking for location guidance to capture images of the Grand Canyon.
Assistance will be available in the field for those who wish to improve their photographic skills. If you already have plenty of photography experience, Adam will ensure you get to the best locations at the best times to capture those perfect shots.
For the best experience, please know your camera before you arrive, and bring your manual in case we need to look up something.
Please keep in mind this NANPA Regional Event is designed to be a photo tour, not a photo workshop. In other words, there are no formal instruction sessions planned, there are no assignments, you will not be receiving any handouts or the like. That being said, your leader Adam has experience as a photography workshop leader and is available to answer questions and give you guidance. If you need help, please advocate for yourself and speak up and ask for help – Adam is happy to help. Be aware that many of your fellow participants may also be accomplished photographers and may be able to help you too. Part of the regional event experience is the camaraderie that comes from sharing experiences and lessons learned among participants. If you notice someone with the same or similar camera, perhaps they can help you with an issue you’ve been wondering about, and maybe you can return the favor.
Attendance and participation at NANPA Regional Events is limited to registered attendees only. Anyone wishing to participate in any portion of, or travel with a registered attendee during the group event must contact the NANPA office and pay the full registration fee.
RESOURCES: Grand Canyon National Park Link https://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm
©Adam Schallau
NANPA will not offer any refunds for registrations for this event regardless of when the cancellation is made or the reason for the cancellation. NANPA reserves the right to cancel any event or activity due to insufficient registration or any unforeseen circumstances. NANPA will offer refunds if NANPA has to cancel the event. It also has the right to substitute presenters if those originally scheduled cannot attend. Registrants may purchase event insurance as part of the registration process through NANPA’s partner, Allianz. More information on this option will be shown during the checkout process for the event registration.
NOTE: If you do not purchase event insurance at the time that you pay for your registration, you will NOT be able to go back and purchase it with Allianz later.
If you choose to purchase travel insurance separately, you can do so with your own insurance carrier, or NANPA members can receive a special travel insurance rate through USI Affinity/Travel Insurance Services