We drove to the Grand Canyon with the intention of shooting it in all of its glory, and that is exactly what we did! Before we get into this photo essay, we want to say that many deaths result from falls into the Grand Canyon and that we want each and every one of you to use extreme caution when shooting in and around cliffs of any kind!
First, let’s clear up a few things. No, Terrence did not ask Victoria to take this photo. Yes, she really did do it without asking him. No, there were no harnesses of any kind involved. Yes, this was free climbing, just like the dudes who sit on top of buildings in Dubai. Yes, we are aware of the dangers involved. If you have any other questions we will take them in the comments below!
Before you chastise us, Victoria has been traveling extensively since she was very little and has learned a great deal about caution and cliffsides. For example, did you know that even if the edge of a cliff looks safe, the grass that looks sturdy could be supported by soft earth or even dead leaves, causing a fall? Now you know!
Now the fun part is that photography really is the art of illusion! Although this image looks like Victoria is perched above a 500-foot fall into the Grand Canyon, she was really only about 15 feet away from the next ledge. Sure, 15 feet has the potential to cause some harm, but it would be nothing compared to a sheer drop into the bottom of the Grand Canyon!
We ended up shooting at four different locations around the South Rim. We had to pay close attention to depth-of-field in order to bring out as much detail of the Grand Canyon as we could. As a general rule of thumb when shooting canyons and cliffs, we are going to want more depth-of-field/a less blurry background so that you can see all of the detail in the landscape.
As you can see, it was snowing and very cold when we visited so that was just another thing we had to think about! Although it was sunny, for the most part, the weather was about 20* Fahereheight with a 20pmh wind chill. The presence of wind meant we had to be extra cautious around the cliff edge and the cold weather meant we had to shoot quickly. Is it just us, or does it seem like we always do photoshoots in cold weather?
The Grand Canyon certainly did not disappoint and we cannot wait to go back at a time when the weather is warmer! Next trip, we would love to hike down into the canyon so that we can better capture the details in the canyon walls.
READ NEXT: Questions We Ask Ourselves Before Choosing a Photoshoot Location
Have you ever been to the Grand Canyon? Where do you suggest we shoot on our next trip? We would love to hear from you in the comments!
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