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_________________________________________________________________ - This month join us in the Grand Canyon in our feature, "It's Not About the Rapids". Last spring my
son Jerry and I spent 15 days and 225 miles running the Colorado River
through the Grand Canyon. It 's an incredible journey filled with adventure from day one. We tried to keep the story short but it still
required two newsletters, of which this is Part I. We hope you enjoy!
- Our photo tip this month is about using flash outdoors. Next month we'll discuss photographing the Grand Canyon, which equipment to take and how to keep it dry and powered during a two week rafting trip.
- All of our current and past newsletters are available on our website at kolberphotography.com.
They include articles on destinations along with photo and travel
tips. Click the tab "Newsletters" and choose from the Index. Give it
a try. Also check out our new blog. We are adding to it all the time.
Read on, and
enjoy! Cliff and Doris Kolberkolberphotography.com
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POINT & SHOOT TIPS - Using Flash Outdoors
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We've had inquiries about using flash outdoors so here are some tips, especially for Point & Shoot users. If you've never used fill flash it might seem daunting. But I promise you, it's easy once you practice a few times.
- When
you are outdoors, you should consider 'forcing' the flash when
photographing people, especially on a bright, sunny day. This may seem
contradictory but it actually makes sense. The process is known as
"fill flash" and is used in daytime to fill in unwanted shadows. Bright
sun can create deep facial shadows, and especially if the sun is behind
or to the side of your subject, your subject's face could be entirely
covered in shadow. Be aware of these shadows before you press the
shutter.
- Set the camera's flash
function to "ON". The flash function should be on the back of the
camera and is sometimes identified by a small lightning bolt. Most P&S cameras have three flash
options: "auto", "on" and "off". The flash will generally remain in "auto" unless
you change the setting. "ON" forces the
camera to flash no matter what the lighting is. Some cameras revert
back to "auto" after each shot so make sure the function is set before you shoot.
- On some cameras the "ON"
function will only work if the camera is pre-set to "Manual" mode. If the flash option does not not work, try switching out of "program"
or "automatic" mode. (Note: Setting your P&S camera to "manual"
mode merely allows you to use additional options. It does not force you to make any decisions.)
- If the background is bright, try to let the camera meter on the bright area. Faces might seem dark in the monitor but the flash will brighten them.
Experiment with this. I am sure you will be happy with the results.
(p.s. the Owner's Manual might come in handy here. It is acceptable to read the manual in moments like these) Return to Top
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It's Not About the Rapids - Part I
 
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I had dreamed about rafting the Grand
Canyon for over 30 years. The dream came true when my son Jerry and I spent 15 days last spring rafting
the Colorado River through the heart and soul of the Grand
Canyon. Words and photos can not adequately describe what it's like to float through
billions of years of primeval rock and prehistoric lands and experience one
of the most incredible adventures in the world.
We plunged through huge rapids and slept under the stars while enjoying
new friends and eating like kings!
Getting Ready
We started a year before the trip by contacting several
outfitters, and ended up booking with Canyon Explorations ("Canyon-X"). Canyon-X uses oar-powered rafts and they had
a good program with lots of day hiking.
They off ered "hybrid" trips that included oar rafts, paddle rafts
and kayaks. It turned
out to be a great decision.
The Colorado River is divided into two parts through the Grand Canyon. The
first part (Upper
Canyon) covers 90 miles from
Lee's Ferry to Phantom Ranch. The second (Lower Canyon) starts at Phantom Ranch and ends
135 miles later at Diamond Creek. So you
can raft Upper Canyon
(7 days), Lower Canyon (8 days) or the full trip (15
days). It sounds simple, but if you book
a one week trip you have to hike in or out from the South Rim. That's
a seven mile hike with an elevation change of 5,000 feet. We booked the full
trip - 225 miles and 15 days of running the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.
We had also considered a motorized raft trip. Motorized rafts are bigger and they can run the
entire canyon in just seven days. But the trade-offs are less time for day hiking, no paddle or kayak option, and they run the rapids very smoothly and
quickly. We wanted the thrill of being
closer to the water and getting the full impact of the rapids. If your time is
limited though and you want to run the entire river, a motorized trip would be
the way to go.
The Adventure
These trips are not possible without a crew of experienced and
dedicated guides. The river is in their
soul. They know the river, every rapid and
every beach.  The guides set up and break
down camp three times a day - morning, lunch and night - for 24 people. I don't
know how they keep doing it, but they love it and they have our love.
The river was our lifeline and our highway. We rode it, we drank it, we cooked with it,
we bathed in it and we laundered in it.
That would be fine, but the river was 50°F. It sure woke us in the
morning, and I did not look forward to my 'cold river bath' in the afternoon!
Each day was a new adventure. After rising around 5:00 AM and devouring a
hot, amazing breakfast, we'd pack up, load the rafts and head off for another
day of whitewater, hiking, exploring and eating.  We never ran out of scenery, meals, snacks or
adventure.
Our trip was outfitted with five oar rafts, one paddle raft
and two inflatable kayaks ("duckies").
Each oar raft held four passengers while the paddle raft required
six. The oar rafts were filled with
massive ice chests and all the baggage, provisions and equipment needed to keep
24 people clothed, sheltered, fed and happy for two weeks, which included about
50 six-packs of beer and untold bottles of liquor.
The Best Seat on the River
Whenever we pulled into a beach for lunch or camp the first
priority for the guides was to set up the "groover" (a/k/a the "toilet"). It was simply a green army ammo can with a
plastic toilet seat on top. The groover became our close friend and we visited
it every day. The term "groover" was coined in an era before the toilet seat
was added. Back then, proof that you
made a deposit were the grooves carved into your butt from the edges of the
ammo can. Ouch.
The groover was always placed downwind from camp, and we
were assured it would be "the best seat on the river". The view from that seat
was always a glorious panorama of the Grand Canyon
with the river running by. I would have made a second deposit a day just for
the view.
Whitewater and Lava
The Grand Canyon is the grand daddy of whitewater in North America.
When you think about rafting the Grand Canyon
you think about the rapids. But really ...
it's not about the rapids.
 The rapids and the whitewater get the headlines, but it's
the rest of the story that make the trip.
The geology of the Grand Canyon changed
every day we rafted. We experienced the entire geological history of
the world, from top layers less than a million years old, to formations at the
bottom that were 2 ½ billion years old.
There are about 150 named rapids along the river, of which 15 or 20 are big enough to flip rafts. With the proper respect and the experience of our guides,
even the biggest and baddest rapids were run cleanly. But then again, "cleanly" did not mean softly or
quietly, nor did it mean dryly. It just
meant that we pummeled through in one piece, upright and still inside the
raft.
 We had some pretty exciting runs through the big rapids: House Rock,
Crystal, Horn Creek, Granite, Hermit, Hance and others. We thudded through holes, crashed down huge
drops, and got totally drenched, sometimes going underwater. To make things more exciting Jerry ran some of the
rapids in a duckie. When he flipped his
duckie in the middle of one particularly huge rapid I was glad to see him pop
up quickly and re-unite with his kayak, but the heart beats a little quicker
during those moments. 
If you are familiar with rapids, you know Lava Falls. It's the biggest and wildest in the Grand Canyon, and it deserves the headline. Watching the falls from the scout position high above revealed its immense power. Lava is actually two falls and drops 27 feet
in just a few seconds. Rachel, our lead
guide, asked if I wanted to stay behind and photograph the rafts as they ran
the rapids. That was a no-brainer, of course I did. I was able to watch and photograph the rafts
from river level as they ran that whitewater monster of a rapids. It was amazing!  Afterward my guide and I hiked back to our
raft upstream and ran the rapids to bring up the rear. Everyone ran it cleanly,
but that only means that we got through the rapids upright, and totally tossed,
thumped and flooded.
The tradition after Lava is to camp at "Tequila Beach"
overnight, and we did. The name comes
from the tradition of drinking Margaritas after running Lava Falls. I didn't know how that started, and I
didn't care. By the end of that evening
we were a happy crowd!
Coming up
The adventure continues ... in our next newsletter as we hike to waterfalls, climb into slot canyons and bathe in that freezing river. As I said at the beginning, words and photographs can not adequately describe this experience. But we try. The memories of an incredible 15 days with fellow travelers rafting through one of the most astounding wonders of the world will linger forever.
Nankoweap Granary, 600 feet above the Colorado River
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 Thanks for
visiting, and contact us with comments or questions.
And as always,be sure to explore the
outdoors and
enjoy our natural lands. Leave everything as it was when you arrived and it will
be a rewarding experience for everyone.
Cliff and Doris Kolber
www.kolberphotography.com
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