National Geographic
So the March 2007 National Geographic arrived in the post office box yesterday. After anxiously turning to page 138 and flipping through the article, I could only identify with certainty two photos that I was present for. Page 147 has a photo of two cottonwoods locked in an embrace. I happened to be the person carrying the camera case that day, and I am shocked that any photos from that particular day made the cut.
I'm shocked because we only had one day scheduled down in this canyon, and Frans really liked to spend at least two days in areas to see what the light was doing during every hour of daylight. I was, in fact, standing RIGHTTHERE when the tree pic was taken. There were several pictures from that day that could have perhaps made it, but that one was taken nearing sunset, so a nice peachy glow was going on with the canyon walls.
The photo of Antelope Canyon on page 153 was taken much later in the week. At that point, we had been hired to simply assist with the camera bags and logistics, because everyone knows where Antelope Canyon is...Page, Arizona. So I may or may not have been present when this pic was taken, but I'm certain that my husband was. Early one morning, a large group of photographers went into the canyons to get this "ray of light" shot that everyone wants in this canyon. You wouldn't believe the tripods and cameras that are set up around every bend in the canyon wall...then someone throws some dirt in the air and the shutters start snapping to get the "ray." It's nuts, and you have to go early, because walking tours will trip over everything and get in the photo.
After this pic was taken, our work was done and we were free to go back to Escalante. We went home and bathed, unpacked, then packed all over again and left town for five days to visit a friend in Albuquerque. We were so tired, disgusted, and burned out, that this was the moment that clinched the whole "selling and moving on" thing for us.
There were some people that hired us that were the coolest people we ever met, and they stayed in touch and kept coming back to hike. There were some people that hired us--and these people were the exception--that treated us like servants and constantly impressed that upon us via their actions and snide comments. Although the latter kind of client was really rare, they were vile enough in an encounter that it made us not want to be guides, ever again. And when you are subjected to that negativity for a week when you have the experience, knowledge, and skill to do the job you were hired for, you start to wonder what in the hell you're doing...why you've chosen to do this guiding thing at all when the pay is marginal and you get a fucking Prince Prissy as a customer every few years.
That was this particular job. I'm glad I'm retired from guiding.
I'm shocked because we only had one day scheduled down in this canyon, and Frans really liked to spend at least two days in areas to see what the light was doing during every hour of daylight. I was, in fact, standing RIGHTTHERE when the tree pic was taken. There were several pictures from that day that could have perhaps made it, but that one was taken nearing sunset, so a nice peachy glow was going on with the canyon walls.
The photo of Antelope Canyon on page 153 was taken much later in the week. At that point, we had been hired to simply assist with the camera bags and logistics, because everyone knows where Antelope Canyon is...Page, Arizona. So I may or may not have been present when this pic was taken, but I'm certain that my husband was. Early one morning, a large group of photographers went into the canyons to get this "ray of light" shot that everyone wants in this canyon. You wouldn't believe the tripods and cameras that are set up around every bend in the canyon wall...then someone throws some dirt in the air and the shutters start snapping to get the "ray." It's nuts, and you have to go early, because walking tours will trip over everything and get in the photo.
After this pic was taken, our work was done and we were free to go back to Escalante. We went home and bathed, unpacked, then packed all over again and left town for five days to visit a friend in Albuquerque. We were so tired, disgusted, and burned out, that this was the moment that clinched the whole "selling and moving on" thing for us.
There were some people that hired us that were the coolest people we ever met, and they stayed in touch and kept coming back to hike. There were some people that hired us--and these people were the exception--that treated us like servants and constantly impressed that upon us via their actions and snide comments. Although the latter kind of client was really rare, they were vile enough in an encounter that it made us not want to be guides, ever again. And when you are subjected to that negativity for a week when you have the experience, knowledge, and skill to do the job you were hired for, you start to wonder what in the hell you're doing...why you've chosen to do this guiding thing at all when the pay is marginal and you get a fucking Prince Prissy as a customer every few years.
That was this particular job. I'm glad I'm retired from guiding.
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