We left Phoenix at 3 am to get to the top of the grand canyon and Havasupai Trailhead before 8 am. We then started our descent down to Havasupai. It was a brutal hike because we carried everything (including all my camera gear) on our backs, which totaled to about 55 lbs a piece. We’re crazy….. I know. The whole time you hike on the way down, people who pay extra are riding down on horses with their gear behind them on a train of donkeys, which makes you think why you didn’t just fork out the extra $75. We opted for the backpacking and after about 9 miles we came upon the town of Supai where you can see the culture of the people and where they live. It blew our minds how the native people live without many things we would describe as “necessities” out here. After you pass the town it is another mile or so until you reach Navajo Falls and you get the first real exposure to the crazy blue green water. Upper and Little Navajo Falls are a sight to see and was a pleasant break from the constant hiking. We didn’t stay there too long. We wanted to get to our campsite and leave our packs before we explored the area a little more. Another half mile down the trail from Navajo falls you come to the main attraction “Havasu Falls”. I have been to Havasupai once before, but it was no less crazy this time coming over the ridge to see the giant waterfall and the vibrant blue-green water. It truly is a sight to see. We headed past the falls and to our campsite to set everything up.
Havasu Falls – Charlie Keating
Day 1 – HAVASU FALLS, ARIZONA
We headed to Havasu Falls again that day at sunset so that I could shoot it with some better light. The hard part about shooting in the grand canyon is that you are surrounded by these massive walls and cliffs everywhere. It makes the lighting very harsh and contrasty, with all the dark shadowy spots and the highlighted blown out backdrop. The best bet to get some solid imagery at Havasupai is when the light is even – usually during sunset, sunrise, or a completely overcast day. On this particular afternoon we got a real treat. The clouds turned a crazy pink color over Havasu Falls, which made for some epic shots. I like to shoot a lot of images with small people in them to add scale. When I go and stand on the rocks in front of these waterfalls I usually come back completely drenched from all the mist, but its worth it every time.
That night, I went out to shoot again because I had done a lot of research. The Milky Way was going to line up perfectly over the falls for some pretty cool shots. I was the only person crazy enough to get up at 2 am to go shoot the Milky Way this night, and was super stoked on the imagery I created.
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- Havasu Falls – Charlie Keating
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- Havasu Falls – Charlie Keating
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- Havasu Falls – Charlie Keating
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- Havasu Falls – Charlie Keating
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- Havasu Falls – Charlie Keating
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- Havasu Falls – Charlie Keating
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- Havasu Falls – Charlie Keating
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- Havasu Falls – Charlie Keating
Mooney Falls – Charlie Keating
Day 2 – MOONEY FALLS, ARIZONA
Day 2 we went out to Mooney Falls which is my favorite waterfall to photograph. The hike down is super fun and pretty sketchy, which makes it that much better. You descend down a wet cliff using chains and ladders and go through 2 tunnels before you come out to the massive 200 ft waterfall. Mooney is crazy because it is completely enclosed by cliffs, and the moss growing on the side of the cliff by the waterfall is beautiful. The contrast of the reddish orange walls with the blue/green water makes it the perfect spot to photograph. We hung out there most of the day and got to have lunch in the water on a picnic table which was pretty epic. When the lighting was becoming more even and everyone started clearing out, just before sunset, I decided to do some long exposures. Mooney is perfect for photographers because it has perfect mini waterfalls to add a nice foreground to complete the image. I set my tripod up in the running water of the creek, which always scares me, and I ran up to a certain rock or spot under the waterfall to give it some scale. The 2 second exposure was just enough to get the milky looking water without over exposing the images too much. We hiked back out and went to bed early so that I could wake up again at 2:15 am. The sheer power of Mooney is something I will never forget. This time I had a friend who I had made while shooting sunset, who was going to meet me there at 2:15am. We gave each other our word that we would actually show up and to our delight we both were there at 2 am hahaha. I spent about 2 hours shooting with Adil that night and had a lot more freedom and time to get some unique shots.
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- Mooney Falls – Charlie Keating
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- Mooney Falls – Charlie Keating
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- Mooney Falls – Charlie Keating
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- Mooney Falls – Charlie Keating
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- Mooney Falls – Charlie Keating
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- Mooney Falls – Charlie Keating
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- Mooney Falls – Charlie Keating
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- Mooney Falls – Charlie Keating
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- Mooney Falls – Charlie Keating
Beaver Falls/Navajo Falls – Charlie Keating
Day 3 – BEAVER FALLS/NAVAJO FALLS, ARIZONA
The last day we went to beaver falls which is extremely hard to photograph because the light is gone by about 1 o’clock. If you can outlast the cold temperatures you can get some nice smooth lighting and do some long exposures. The hike to Beaver falls is about 2 miles and is extremely green and beautiful. By the time you get there you just want to dive into the beautiful water, which we did for about 2 hours. You can jump from section to section and make it all the way to the top and back down. This was my favorite spot to swim because it was so mellow and there were less people than many of the other places. We then hiked out and went back to Navajo Falls to enjoy the beauty there. You need a pretty wide angle lens to capture the whole scene. There were virtually no people when we went, which made for some nice images.
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- Beaver Falls/Navajo Falls – Charlie Keating
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- Beaver Falls/Navajo Falls – Charlie Keating
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- Beaver Falls/Navajo Falls – Charlie Keating
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- Beaver Falls/Navajo Falls – Charlie Keating
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- Beaver Falls/Navajo Falls – Charlie Keating
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- Beaver Falls/Navajo Falls – Charlie Keating
We hiked out the next morning. Havasupai is one of my favorite places on earth and is one with some of the best opportunities to get incredible shots. I really hope that everyone has a chance to go to Havasupai in their life. If anyone has questions feel free to DM me or ask in the comments. Thanks!
Gear used:
Instagram: @charlie_keating
Charlie my man. Epic account, loved reading it. Brought it all back. I’ll be looking at these pictures for years.
Aquà no, aquà a la antigua usanza: un regalo para cada uno y nominativo. Se sabe de quién viene y a quién va. Un lujo pa’l bolsillo, vaya.Lo que disfrutarÃa mi hijo haciendo polvo esos arnsouilee.Saludqs.
Any issues with dust or the lime from the water getting on your gear? Do you recommend anything to keep everything clean?
Hey Matt! It’s inevitable that dust will be floating around and getting on your lens, but not much you can do about it other than being diligent to continuously keep blowing it off. As for the water, when shooting close to the waterfall, especially long exposures, your gear and lens will get drenched so some microfiber cloths are great to wipe it off. Just don’t let it dry on there because it makes some spots that are much harder to clean if you wait. I would recommend getting a UV filter for your lens so that no matter what the water and dust aren’t actually hitting you glass directly! Hope this helps.
hey Matt! I will be in Havasupai during mid March & want to make sure J take advantage of the beautiful scenery Havasupai has to offer. I do not have much camera experience nor many lenses to work with. I am looking into buying or renting a good lens for my trip.
What lenses would you recommend one to take (for a Canon T6)? Or what are the canon equivalents to the lenses you took on your trip?
Hi Mattilyn! Thanks for reading the article! We assume you sadly won’t be making your mid-March trip due to the state of the world, BUT when you do, we would recommend the Canon EF-S 10-18 mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM if you want similar results to these images. We hope you’re staying happy + healthy! Cheers!
Appreciating the time and effort you put into your website and the in-depth information you offer. Absolutely stunning pictures and very well written (as usual) making for another enjoyable read of another remarkable hiking experience. Through your pictures and words, I am able to see such breathtakingly beautiful nature that I would not otherwise see if not for your sharing, thanks!