Frequently Asked Questions
Photography is the ONLY thing we do! As such, we cater directly to the needs of photographers. We keep our group sizes small, provide expert photo instruction, and ensure our tours will capture the best light. We serve the largest number of locations, making it easy to customize our tours. We also offer custom experiences like night photography and multi-day workshops.
On the flip side, our competition will usually take you out in the middle of the day when the light isn't ideal. They typically don't have photo expertise to teach you in the field and their group sizes tend to be larger with limited customization for the photographer.
Read our reviews on Trip Advisor to see what our clients are saying: Read Reviews
Photography is the primary objective on our tours. This means we’ll be going out at the optimal time(s) of day to chase the best light. We also give you invaluable photo instruction in the field, assisting you with your compositions and helping you master the technical details. Everyone from beginner to advanced can benefit from this. If you like adventure, exploration, and taking stunning photos, then you’ll have a great time on these trips!
We run on-demand Single Day and Overnight Tours to a number of locations in Southern Utah and Northern Arizona. These are the best options for those with limited time or specific travel dates.
For a more immersive photo experience, we recommend joining our Photo Workshops. These multi-day events will take your photography education to the next level and get you into locations we don't normally access on single-day tours. Post-processing instruction is often included. The workshops will usually focus on a specific theme, like night photography, storm chasing, or an exotic location.
Absolutely! With some of the darkest skies in the country, Southern Utah is perfect for astro-photography. For night photography, you'll get best results if you book one of our Photo Workshops. If you have only one night, visit our Night Photography Page and learn about the available options!
Contact Us if you want to book a night excursion. If you want the darkest skies, make sure you book on dates with little to no moon interference. There are 3 types of night photography we can help with:
- Milky Way and Stars
- Long Exposure Star Trails
- Moonscapes and Moonrises or Moonsets.
The best months for Milky Way are March until the first part of October. In the spring months, the Milky Way is visible early in the morning (2-5AM). By summer, it's visible most of the night. By Aug-Oct, it's only visible earlier in the evening. We can help you plan the best times for your Milky Way Outings.
We take all types from beginners who are just learning to use their cameras to advanced users who want to hone and refine their skills. Whatever level you’re at, we’ll help you learn and enjoy the art of photography. With our small group sizes, you'll get plenty of individualized attention.
We ask all photographers to bring a digital camera and tripod. We’ll work with all types of cameras, cell phones included! However, for the highest quality shots, we recommend a digital camera with one or more detachable lenses. Wide-angle lenses are the most useful for desert photography. Specific gear recommendations are covered in our Ebook. Please note that we do not specialize in film photography. You can bring a film camera if you like, but we won’t be able to offer you the same level of instruction as the digital shooters.
We recommend bringing a backpack for your camera gear. Keep the weight manageable so you don't get bogged down while hiking.
Absolutely! Non-photographers will love seeing these landscapes in the best light. If they want to learn more about photography, rental camera gear is available and we really enjoy teaching newbies! The tours will be a little slower paced for a non-photographer but they aren't going to get bored since there is so much to see and experience.
We often get asked if we offer discounts for non-photographers. Our trips have a 2-person minimum in order to go out. If only 2 people are booked at time of departure, the non-photographer would have to pay the regular rate. If the group minimum is met, we are happy to give the non-photographer a 50% discount provided we didn't have to turn away any full-paying clientele to accommodate them. Non-photographer discounts are not guaranteed and will be given as a refund to the credit card we have on file after the tour is finished.
Southern Utah & Northern Arizona are full of great photo locations - many of which are far from the typical tourist circuit. We've listed a few of the most popular spots here: Utah Photo Tours
There are myriad other places we can go that we haven't listed on the webpage. This is because we either don't want to disclose the locations or because we just don't get much demand for them. Just ask us if you're interested in alternative options since we love to get off the beaten path!
We have permits to guide in the following locations:
- Grand Canyon
- Zion
- Bryce Canyon
- Glen Canyon, Lake Powell
- Vermillion Cliffs
- Grand Staircase Escalante
- Capitol Reef
- And many more BLM Areas scattered in between
Yes, we do this all the time for folks. Just let us know what dates and locations you are interested in and we'll help you put together the perfect multi-day itinerary.
We encourage all of our clients to join the Action Photog Loyalty Program. This will get you 10% off all your bookings for one full year. Other perks include free educational materials to our loyalty members, first notification of new workshops and classes, and member-only photo contests and retreats!
Non-Photographers: We often get asked if we offer discounts for non-photographers. Our trips have a 2-person minimum in order to go out. If only 2 people are booked at time of departure, the non-photographer would have to pay the regular rate. If the group minimum is met, we are happy to give the non-photographer a 50% discount provided we didn't have to turn away any full-paying clientele to accommodate them. Non-photographer discounts are not guaranteed and will be given as a refund to the credit card we have on file after the tour is finished. We cannot offer non-photographer discounts on sold-out multi-day workshops.
Kids: For families traveling together, we can give children 14 yrs and younger a 50% discount provided we have at least 2 paying adults.
Large Groups: We can give discounts for groups of 4 or more depending on type of tour and how many days you are booking with us. Please Contact Us for more details.
Since our tours involve long days, late hours, and lots of photography, they aren't always the best fit for younger children. Older children, especially those with an interest in photography, are certainly welcome to join. We ask that parents use their own discretion on whether a tour will be appropriate for their children. Please book a private tour if you think the kids may be disruptive to other tour participants.
For families traveling together, we can give children 14 yrs and younger a 50% discount provided we have at least 2 paying adults. We recommend families book a private outing to best accommodate their special needs.
Pets and animals are not allowed on our tours or workshops. For those with a certified service animal, we recommend booking a private tour to minimize disruptions to other guests.
Our average group size is 3, with a maximum of 5 people to one guide. Our tours have a 2-person minimum in order to honor the base price. Single individuals are always welcome to sign-up and we'll do our best to find others to join them. However, if we are unable to find anyone to join, we give singles the following options:
- Pay the 2-person rate and go out on a private tour.
- Reschedule to a different day or a different location where they can join others.
- Cancel and get a full refund.
For multi-day Workshops, we keep a guide to client ratio of 4:1 or 5:1. For workshops with 2 instructors, the total group size may be 8-10 people.
Our tours have a 2-person minimum in order to honor the base price. Single individuals are always welcome to sign-up and we'll do our best to find others to join them. However, if we are unable to find anyone to join, we give singles the following options:
- Pay the 2-person rate and go out on a private tour.
- Reschedule to a different day or a different location where they can join others.
- Cancel and get a full refund.
No, we do not include food on our outings unless it's on an overnight camping trip or a group meal on a workshop. Please bring any food you will need to hold you over through meals. We will have a cooler where you can put your food.
Great question. Yes, we are authorized permit holders for the National Parks and BLM Lands we visit. We carry commercial auto insurance in addition to a general liability policy. All our guides are CPR & First Aid certified and we carry an emergency satellite beacon just in case. You are covered & protected on our trips.
See our full Terms and Conditions for the cancellation policy.
Every season is great in the Southwest for different reasons:
- Winter: Crowds are at a minimum and you get a chance to capture snow-covered landscapes! However, the weather is much colder and not all of the backcountry roads are accessible.
- Spring: Visitation starts to increase with the spring-break crowds. The Milky Way is visible early in the morning starting in March. The weather is highly variable in the spring. It can be warm and sunny, or cold and snowy. Windy weather is very common in the spring months.
- Summer: The National Parks are much more crowded. However, the backcountry areas can still see light visitation. Temperatures can be very warm, especially in June and July. The days are long and the Milky Way is visible all night long. Monsoon season starts in July and goes through the end of August, offering the potential for storms and dramatic skies.
- Fall: With a large range of elevations, fall color starts in late September and extends through mid-November. Temperatures are moderate and the weather is often much more stable than at other times of the year. The Milky Way is visible until mid-Oct.
Yes, we offer transportation for all of our tours and workshops. Leave the difficult driving to us so you can relax and focus on your photography!
We are operating in many remote desert locations and there are many environmental hazards to be aware of:
- Extreme heat in summer
- Freezing temps in the off-season
- High winds and blowing sand
- Thunderstorms & Flash Floods
- Steep, off-camber terrain
- And Much More
For each trip, we list the difficulty rating: Easy, Moderate, Difficult, or Challenging. Detailed explanations of what each level entails can be found on this page:
https://actionphototours.com/physical-intensity/
It is important that all participants have decent mobility and physical fitness since very few of the places we visit are deemed "accessible." Contact Us if you have any questions about your own abilities or fitness for a particular trip.
We highly recommend having your own trip insurance in the event something unexpected happens. This will cover any portion of your payments we are unable to refund in case you have to cancel. We have partnered with Squaremouth, a website that allows you to compare policies from multiple providers to choose the best one for you. Check them out here: https://www.squaremouth.com/.
If you are coming from Page, AZ, contact us to arrange a meet-up along the highway. For Zion trips, we may be able to meet you on the Springdale side of the park. For Bryce Canyon, we can pickup in Bryce Canyon City. Otherwise, all other trips will depart only out of Kanab, UT. Contact us if you have any questions.
No, we do not serve the Moab area since it is over 5 hrs away from Kanab, UT. We recommend you contact Tom Till Galleries for photo tours of the area. Here is their website: https://tomtill.com/. You will have a great experience with their crew!
See our full Terms and Conditions for our up-to-date policies.
Vicki TimmonsJuly 12, 2024Great trip. Great guides. Kevin and Ryan went out of their way to ensure we had a good trip and got the shot!Dana RizzoJuly 3, 2024Participated in their Spring in the Palouse for Women Photographers multi-day photo workshops and had a great experience. The instructors knew all the best places to take us, and offered guidance and direction as needed. I can't wait to sign up for my next workshop!Julie IversonJune 29, 2024This was my first workshop with Action Photo Tours and I had an excellent experience. Ryan was extremely knowledgeable about the area and had scouted perfect locations to shoot. Both Ellen and Ryan were so helpful and made sure that all in the party were getting good photos. I learned how to use bracketing and photo stacking. I'm already looking for another workshop to attend.Debra MastronardiJune 25, 2024What a thrill to chase storms on the Tornado Alley workshop. David and Shane provided excellent guidance with technical and compositional advice. We traveled to 5 different states chasing storms! Once in a lifetime experience.Jan LattaJune 25, 2024This was my first photography workshop! - My equipment an iPhone 15 pro! Ryan and Kevin welcomed me into the group of long lenses and sturdy tripods. They were supportive and patient. I learned so much! We were presented with expert instruction and incredible sunrise and sunset opportunities. A great experience photographing the beautiful Palouse country. Thank you!Sherri OsterJune 23, 2024Action Photo Tours is by far the best photography workshop operator I've traveled with. This is high-energy travel. Their guides are not only very knowledgeable and great photographers in their own right, but they are also great with people. When you're traveling with a group, you understand how important this is.George SchlossnagleJune 23, 2024A great tour as always. David assembles great adventures with solid organization and great shooters.Erin DavisJune 21, 2024So glad I went with Action Photo Tours! Ryan and Shane were amazing, helpful, guiding, and down to earth. I would defiantly book again with Action Photo Tours! I can't wait for my next adventure!
