Our April destination was none other than the red rocks of Sedona and phenomenal vastness of the Grand Canyon.   In our bag, a Nikon D810, 24-70, 16-35, 28-300- and a Siri Tripod with a right stuff ball head. The latter we were only able to use on a feeble night photography attempt.   Most helpful piece of equipment was the Polarizer which helped to reduce the glare of the afternoon sun and brought depth and color to the rocks.  I truly was not anticipating doing any panoramic shots but the technique helped in displaying the scene that we were seeing first hand.  There is something so serene about the desert.  As you walk along the trails, you are surrounded by a gentle flow of calmness and serenity. It is like stepping into another world. 

In order to make the most of our time and get a lay of the land, 4 tours were taken.  First off, we had a general view of upper Rim Sedona, Sunset Tour, and a 10 hour tour of the Grand Canyon.  I’m not a fan of carnival rides so the upper rim Jeep tour was a bit too bumpy to my liking!  The views however were outstanding and each guide was a wealth of information.  They love those rocks!   Helpful piece of advice would be ask your tour company ahead of time if they are actually stopping so photos can be taken.  We found the stops for the most part were short and there was no opportunity to use a tripod .  Our limited water shots were taken by asking a cottage rental that boasted creekside locations if we could go down on their property and take advantage of the views.  Motel and camping site officials were more than generous. One of our last stops was the Enchanted resort which nestles right at the base of the mountains.  What a gorgeous place and an extra bonus in being able to see the owls there.   In closing, there simply was not enough time to take it all in.  At home, I had a fun time with the post processing and utilized Topaz studio for a painterly effect on some of the shots.  Slideshow below.  Next stop is Cuba!