Capturing the Monsoons in Grand Canyon NP

Being in the right place at the right time is the biggest challenge when attempting to photograph the monsoons at the Grand Canyon. Paying careful attention to the weather patterns throughout the day can help, but your best bet is to watch the clouds, pick a viewpoint, and take your chances. A few tips to help out:

1) If you want rainbows, head to the west end of the park and set up with the sun towards your back. From this area, the sun lines up well with the canyon during the summer. Head far enough west and you have to catch a bus to get to certain overlooks, so make sure to plan well enough in advance.

2) If you're looking to try to photograph into the sun, head towards Lipan or Desert View overlooks. You'll be looking down the canyon towards the sun and both overlooks offer panoramic vistas of the canyon.

• Lightning! I cannot stress this enough. If you hear thunder less than seven seconds after you've seen the lightning, head to safety IMMEDIATELY.
• There is always danger when photographing weather of any kind, particularly thunderstorms. In Grand Canyon, there are always chances of flash floods, lightning, and hail, so being prepared and knowing what to do ahead of time is always important.