Grand Canyon Monsoon Photo Workshop

Aug 16-20, 2025

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When monsoon storms roll in, there's no better place to be than the Grand Canyon.  We'll spend two nights at the North Rim Lodge, hopefully chasing dramatic skies, lightning, and storms. And if we get some clear skies, conditions are perfect for Milky Way photography! When we're not in the Grand Canyon, we'll chase the best conditions depending on the weather forecast.  We have lots of great Southwest locations up our sleeve! Expect to learn many new photographic skills, weather forecasting techniques, and post-processing tricks. Supercharge your trip by adding on our White Pocket Monsoon Workshop Aug 20-23, 2025.

Tuition

Max Group Size

  • 4 Students per Instructor
  • Max 8 Students

Instructor(s)

  • Wendy Casey
  • A.J. Rich

Physical Intensity

Grand Canyon Photo Workshop Monsoon Season Arizona Photography

Highlights

  • Monsoon season is a great time to photograph the Grand Canyon with the chance of dramatic skies, rainbows, lightning, and epic light.
  • Enjoy the quiet North Rim of the Grand Canyon away from the maddening crowds of the South Rim.
  • Workshop dates are timed for optimal monsoon conditions. In the event storm activity is quiet, we'll do Milky Way shoots since there is no moon interference on our dates.
  • Our itinerary is flexible to chase the best conditions. We have permits to guide all over the Southwest.
  • Some locations we visit are far off the beaten path. You will acquire a diverse set of images during our time together.
  • Learn new photography skills, weather forecasting techniques, and post-processing tricks from pro instructors and small group of 8 students.
  • Extend your trip on our White Pocket Monsoon Workshop Aug 20-23, 2025.
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Grand Canyon Lightning Storm Photography Workshop

Itinerary

The itinerary is being kept flexible to account for weather and current conditions. Expert forecasting, group consensus and weather will dictate our final itinerary.

  • Day 1 (Aug 16):  Meet at 1PM in Kanab, UT for a mandatory introductory session.  We'll cover logistics and make plans for our upcoming days together.  After reviewing the weather forecast, we notice storms converging to the north, so we head up that way and capture some great lightning bolts over an expansive view of the red rock valleys below.
  • Day 2 (Aug 17): Despite the late night, we get up early for sunrise in the Grand Staircase Escalante.  A few lingering clouds light up nicely as the sun makes its appearance. We return to town for breakfast, check out of the hotel, and make our way to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.  We check into our cabins and head out for sunset. With a sky full of dramatic clouds, we are busy pressing those shutter buttons!
  • Day 3 (Aug 18):  We are up early for sunrise at one of our favorite east-facing viewpoints. After breakfast, we do some short hikes along the rim and then enjoy a midday break. We regroup later in the afternoon and head out to very remote and photogenic viewpoint.  As storms start to move across the canyon, we get out our lightning triggers to capture the bolts. The light breaks through at sunset treating us to a distant rainbow and impressive colors! When we get back to the lodge, we notice the skies have cleared, so we stay out to take some Milky Way photos over the canyon.
  • Day 4 (Aug 19): We wake up early and go out to Cape Royal for sunrise. The skies are pretty clear so we focus more on the light as it illuminates and accentuates the canyon features.  After checking out of the hotel, we head back to Kanab and review the weather forecast. We see a good chance of storms up over Lake Powell, so we head over that way to capture a nice display of lightning into the late evening hours.
  • Day 5 (Aug 8):  Departure day or you can join our our White Pocket Monsoon Workshop Aug 20-23, 2025.
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Grand Canyon Photo Workshop Milky Way Night Photography North Rim
Grand Canyon North Rim Photo Workshop
Southwest Monsoon Photo Workshop Lightning Grand Canyon White Pocket

Logistics

Please arrive at the Holiday Inn Express in Kanab, UT on Aug 16th prior to 1PM Utah time for a mandatory orientation session.  Las Vegas is the closest major airport and it's a 3-hr drive to Kanab.  All transportation will be provided for the workshop outings.  If you prefer, you are welcome to drive your own vehicle out to the North Rim and back.

With lodging in short supply, we have pre-paid 4 nights of hotel accommodations for all workshop participants.  During checkout you will add your lodging package based on either single or double occupancy.  See the Pricing section for more details.

All participants on this trip should be in reasonably good physical condition.  Although we aren't planning any long hikes on this trip, the uneven terrain and elevation can make short hikes seem much harder.  You should be comfortable walking around 1-2 miles per day while carrying your camera gear.

See the gear list further down for specific recommendations.  No matter what the weather does, we’ll get awesome photos.  Make sure you bring warm clothes and a rain jacket since we will be at high elevation and it can get cold if a storm moves in.

If skies are clear at night, we will photograph the Milky Way. Each participant will need their own headlight, a fast wide angle lens (f/2.8 or faster), and a remote cord for long exposures.

You can plan your return travel for anytime on Aug 20th. If you can't get enough of the Monsoon Mania, consider joining our White Pocket Monsoon Workshop Aug 16-20, 2025.

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Grand Canyon Monsoon Workshop

Pricing

$2250 Per Person

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Trip Includes:

  • 5-Day Photo Workshop with 2 Pro Instructors and Max of 8 Students.
  • All Ground Transportation in Lifted 4x4 Trucks.
  • Permits and fees for National Parks and all areas we visit.
  • Night photography and instruction.
  • Post-processing training and image critique
  • Pre-workshop zoom meeting
  • 4-night lodging package will be added to your booking based on single or double occupancy. Cost is $375 or $750 for double or single respectively.

 

Trip Does NOT Include:

  • Transportation to/from your home to Kanab, UT.
  • Meals, beverages, and snacks
  • Instructor Gratuities.

 

When you complete the checkout process, you will be given the option to either pay the full amount or put down a 50% deposit. If you pay the deposit, you will be sent a payment link for the remaining balance approximately 120 days prior to the workshop.  See the full Terms and Conditions.

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Grand Canyon Photo Workshop North Rim Photo Extravaganza
This spot on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon was difficult to get out to, but the views were sure worth it as you could shoot in just about every direction! At sunset, several storms were moving through and it was tough to decide which one to concentrate on. This is a single shot image using my lightning trigger at 1/4sec shutter speed. The sound of the booming thunder all around me was an experience I won't soon forget. Within a few minutes of taking this shot, the rain began to fall in earnest. Even though I was completely soaked, I was grinning from ear to ear. What a magical evening. I'll have lots more to share from this night.
Southwest Monsoon Photo Workshop Lightning Grand Canyon White Pocket
Grand Canyon Monsoon Season Photography Workshop North Rim
Grand Canyon Monsoon Workshop
White Pocket Monsoon Workshop
Grand Canyon Photo Workshop North Rim
Grand Canyon Monsoon Workshop

Recommended Camera Gear

  • Sturdy tripod and ballhead
  • Digital SLR or Mirrorless Camera Body.
  • Wide Angle Zoom Lens (16-35mm on full frame, 10-22mm on crop sensor).
  • Mid-range zoom lens in the range of 24-100mm.
  • Telephoto lenses are optional but are useful for distant storms, cloud patterns, and canyon details.  Suggest 100-400mm range.
  • Bring a circular polarizer filter and or 3-stop ND filter for your wide angle and mid-range zoom lenses.
  • Lightning trigger. We recommend the Lightning Trigger Brand LT-IV for best results.
  • Extra batteries for your camera and lightning trigger along with extra memory cards.
  • A blower and micro-fiber cloth for cleaning.
  • Remote cord for your camera.
  • Backpack or case for your gear.
  • When it starts raining, we will be packing up. Bring your lens hoods to help keep droplets off your lens!
  • Laptop if you wish to backup your photos or follow along during the post-processing instruction.

Personal Gear List

  • Sturdy footwear, hiking socks, and long pants.
  • A rain jacket since it can get cold when storms roll in.
  • Headlamp for when we are out at night.
  • Sunscreen, Sunglasses, Sun Hat
  • Water bottle.
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Wendy Casey

Wendy Casey

Photography Instructor

Wendy is proud to be a Utah Native and began hiking and camping with her parents at a very young age. She has many fond memories hiking to amazing viewpoints and taking in the grandeur that is Utah. Her interest in photography began in the 80’s where she made her film images come to life in a darkroom.

She now enjoys the creativity of the digital world by photographing a wide range of interests, from Landscape, Wildlife, Portraits, to Sports. Her favorite is capturing epic scenery with a human interest.

When Wendy and her husband Randy are not at home on their farm, they are out on a trail somewhere, exploring, photographing and creating videos of their adventures.  Wendy has a lot of experience with horses on their ranch and will be an instructor on some of our wild horse and ranch workshops.

Over the years, she has participated in many art shows. Her local favorites are the Kimball Arts, Park City Art Festival and Midway Swiss Days. She has shipped her art around the world  and has her work hanging throughout the state in hospitals, clinics and many large and small businesses. Her images have also been featured in and on the covers of local magazines.

Wendy loves to help others develop their passion for photography and capture through the viewfinder, winning scenes to last forever and an epic story to go with it.

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AJ Rich Profile

A.J. Rich

Photography Instructor

Ever since he was young, A.J. Rich has had a passion for all things visual. Growing up on the edge of St. George, Utah, he often sketched his favorite sports players and designed logos for his youth sports teams. A.J. also spent countless hours around his childhood home climbing rock mesas and exploring the unknown, including at nearby Zion National Park.

After graduating with a degree in graphic design from Brigham Young University in 2001, A.J. worked in the graphic design field for 20 years. In 2006 A.J. picked up a camera and, drawing on his art background, he has been a successful Getty Images contributor. In recent years he has focused on landscape photography—where his true passion lies.

Today the quest for the “timeless story” drives A.J. on all his outdoor adventures. While out in nature he seeks the ethereal and spiritual planes, and if he can capture them in a photograph, even better.

Currently A.J. works by day as a graphic designer and art director for BYU Brand & Creative, always dreaming of and planning for his next photography journey.

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