On a stormy March day, we took a day trip from Flagstaff to check out the Grand Canyon South Rim. No pictures can properly portray the vastness of this area, but we still took a lot 🙂
The Grand Canyon South Rim
The weather said snow for Flagstaff, so climbing was out of the picture. Instead, we decided to take advantage of the moody weather and take a day trip to photograph the Grand Canyon while the clouds rolled in. It was a Date Night Day – instead of getting dressed up for a night on the town, we throw on our finest (least dirty) outdoor gear, grab the cameras, and go on an adventure together. We still do regular date nights here and there, but honestly, date night days are way more fun.
Related: Horseshoe Bend Sunrise Photo Excursion
WOW. We were not prepared for the jaw-dropping, awe-inducing wonder that is the Grand Canyon. It completely takes your breath away the first time you walk up to the edge of the rim and gaze down. A whole mile down to be precise. Layer after layer of red rock and green foliage keep falling and falling until you hit the great Colorado River. It’s absolutely stunning. There’s no way a camera can capture the feeling actually being there gives you, but that didn’t stop us from trying.
Before visiting, we checked out this article to find out which lookouts would provide the best views for photos, but ended up stopping at pretty much every pullout. There really isn’t a bad view anywhere on the South Rim, which it seems is generally regarded as the superior rim. We ended up having the most fun at Moran Overlook, because there were a lot of opportunities to hop the sidewalk barrier and scramble down and out onto pillars, choosing your own adventure. We’re climbers, after all.
Snow in the South Rim
Seeing the Grand Canyon with the clouds rolling in, snow falling, and wind whipping made the scene feel even more overwhelming and powerful. We’re big fans of shooting on stormy days, so for us, this was better than any sunset. It’s always intimidating and inspiring to see weather at work, especially in such a breathtaking area.
Related: Zion National Park climbing and Hot Springs
Being two photographers, we get a bunch of photos of each other, but rarely together. So we set up a tripod, started the intervalometer, and had a pretty damn cute pose down together. Like the matching beanies? No, we didn’t plan that. It’s just what happens when you share 190 sq ft and spend every waking moment together. We end up matching, like, 80% of the time. Sorry, it really can’t be helped. All said, it was one of the coolest experiences we’ve had on our travels. Arizona is STACKED. Seriously, this state has an insane amount of natural beauty, and we’ve been having a blast exploring it.
Check more of The Foxes Travel Photography
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The Foxes are Brandon and Gabi Fox, an adventurous husband and wife wedding and elopement photography team living full-time in their DIY renovated 1972 Airstream. They are loosely based in the Pacific Northwest, but travel for work and play throughout the western states. Their work is best described as candid photography that captures couples as they are, where they are, blending images of love and natural beauty in the great outdoors.
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