Capture Your Grand Canyon Rafting Adventure: The Ultimate Camera Guide

Don’t Lose Your Memories! Camera Essentials for Your Trip!

by Sharon Hester

Most adventurers are eager to document their rafting journey through the Grand Canyon. Photographs play a crucial role in capturing the breathtaking beauty of the canyon’s rugged landscape, the exhilaration of navigating its rapids, and the camaraderie of rafting companions. These images become cherished memories, preserving the essence of the journey in vivid detail. They not only allow for reliving the adventure but also serve as visual narratives to share with others, conveying the awe-inspiring experience of exploring one of nature’s most magnificent wonders. Photography adds a layer of depth to the journey, transforming it from a personal experience into a story to be shared and remembered for years to come.

Keep in mind, rafting through the Grand Canyon places your camera in a rugged environment with fine sand, water, heat, and potential crush or impact situations all conspiring to damage it. If you drop your camera in the river, there will be little to no chance of retrieval. This means you will need to plan and pay attention while on the river to actively protect it from those elements. You may want to investigate insurance for your camera. You will also need to pay attention to your battery usage and charge your camera by bringing a spare battery pack while on the river as there is the ability to recharge while on the trip. You may also bring solar panels, but battery packs are more reliable for charging as times to expose solar panels to sunlight can be limited.

Our Red River Sports retail store sells a few items that can help to protect and charge your phone/camera or smaller digital camera while on the river. Check out our River Ready Tech Bundle (includes a battery pack, a hard pelican case and a soft cell phone case).

 

Camera Choices

Cell Phone

Pros:

• You already have one.
• Small and easily stored.
• Most take quality photos/video.
• A wide choice of protective cases.

Cons:

• It is an expensive computer that has all your important contact information stored on it. So, you need to make sure it is backed up and that you have valuable information available to access by another means if the phone is lost or damaged.
• Easily affected by heat. Make sure it is kept out of the direct sunlight for any length of time. Impact can easily damage some cell phones.
• It’s not great at zooming in and getting a good focus on faraway subjects or wildlife.

More Information, Protection and Usage:

• Make sure to set your phone to airplane mode, turn off Wi-Fi and GPS. Turn it off at times when you will not be using it like at night. There is no Wi-Fi or cell service in the canyon and searching for connection will drain battery power.
• Try to limit videos to short clips as this uses a lot of battery power.
• Waterproof pouches with lanyards have been popular and keep your camera handy and attached to your body. Also, higher wattage portable battery packs (if fully charged) should have plenty of juice to keep your phone charged for up to two weeks. We sell the Flip 36 Power Bank by Goal Zero, and the H2Odessy phone pouch at our Red River Sports retail store.

Point and Shoot Digital Cameras

Pros:

• Many good choices for water and impact proof cameras. Which means no need to store it in a waterproof case or pouch. Here are some examples.
• Small and easily accessible. Waterproof cameras do not need to be stored in protective cases. You can clip them right to the outside of your dry bag, making them quickly available.
• Sturdy and easy to use.

Cons:

• You may not already own one or the one you own is not a waterproof version.
• Resolution may be lower than some other choices.

More Information, Protection and Usage:

• Limit video footage as this uses a lot of power.
• Resist the urge to review photos/videos on trip as this uses power. Enjoy your moments in the canyon, review images and relive your adventure once home.
• Make sure the attachment to your bags or your person is secure.
• If using a case, such as a smaller Pelican Case (options at our store) to store it in (which if your camera is not waterproof, you need) make sure the case has a secure carabiner or system securing it to the outside of your bag if not storing it inside of your bag.

DSLR Camera Body with Interchangeable Lenses

Pros:

• Ability to take control of certain aspects of a shot manually, while most point-and-shoot cameras work in automatic mode.
• High resolution photos.
• Excellent post processing options especially if shooting in RAW.

Cons:

• Larger than the other camera choices and especially bulky when properly protected in a waterproof case. Participants on the rafts can step on dry bags and bags can be dropped or impacted so they are not suitable protection for cameras such as these.
• Will require a protective waterproof case for storage.
• May need interchangeable lens to get a broad range of photos. Adding weight and bulk.
• May need additional portable higher wattage battery chargers.
• Not suitable for our trips that require hiking into or out of the canyon, due to the additional weight of the camera and protective case.
• Tend to be more sensitive to dust, sand, water and impact than the other options. Therefore, keeping it protected will require extra diligence on the trip.
• The larger size cases (listed below) will likely only be accessible when rafts are stopped at camp, lunch, or hikes (on the non-motorized trips) due to the locations where they may need to be secured on the rafts.
• Hiking and exploring is the focus of AzRA trips. If photography is the main interest on a trip, there may not be time to do or complete many hikes because of the extra time required to set up the perfect shot. For those focused on getting the perfect shot consider reserving directly with some of the professional photography workshops we operate for several well-known photography experts.

More Information, Protection and Usage:

• Will need a hard-shell protective case such as a Pelican Case. This larger size case should be adequate for a body and 2 lenses. This smaller size case should work for a camera with only one lens or an incorporated lens. This size will likely be accessible while rafting.
• Let us know if you are bringing a DLSR camera and case. And we ask not to exceed the larger size case listed.
• Collapsible tripods are allowed and stored away separately, but will not necessarily be in waterproof locations on the rafts.
• The waterproof box does not need to fit in the AzRA provided dry bags but bring an extra carabiner and a 4 to 5 foot Cam Strap like these to secure it for extra security.
• Our Motor Adventures are better suited to taking photos with DSLR cameras while on the rafts.

Go Pro Cameras

Pros:

• Made for action outdoor footage, especially good for whitewater video. Water resistant and sturdy (except for older models).
• Usually have high resolution.
• Can get wide angle shots that shows a lot of the action.

Cons:

• May not have a viewfinder so not always sure what footage is being captured.
• Battery life can be short as video requires a lot of power. Carefully choose video shots and keep footage short. Bring high wattage power banks.

Information, Protection and Usage:

• Will need a secure wrist strap for filming. Ask the guide which rapids would be good for filming.
• A helmet strap can work to attach the camera, and GoPro chest straps are another attachment alternative, but they are challenging to wear with your personal floatation devices (lifejackets). They have been used but will require some finagling.
• There may be good places to mount a GoPro to the raft. Be sure to bring some short/small straps for this and ask guides where a suitable location might be.
• Flexible, small tripods can also work as you can wrap it around a strap or your wrist, or onto the front  of your PFD. Always make sure to talk to your guides before you attach anything to your PFD to ensure it is still being worn correctly and safely.
• If using an older model GoPro, you may need a waterproof case.

Charging your camera

Whatever type of camera you choose to go with, how to charge it effectively is one of the biggest questions we get asked.

If using your phone or GoPro, the pre-charged battery packs are your best bet. Bring them pre-charged, and ensure you have the correct charging cord for it. Test it before you take it on the river with you. 

If using a DSLR camera or point and shoot camera, you’ll want to bring ample batteries with you to last the length of the trip. The amount depends on your camera and how long it tends to run charged.

Tips for maximizing camera battery

The other really important piece of feedback we can provide is to turn all the bells and whistles off while you’re on the trip. Turn off all the sounds, turn your phone to airplane mode, and literally turn your camera off when you’re not going to use it for a while. Turn it off at night, make sure any alarms you have are turned off, basically anything you have on that sucks battery power out of your camera can be turned off. This will help slow down battery usage and allow your camera to go longer without a charge.

In Conclusion:

There are many camera options for documenting your epic Grand Canyon adventure with photos and it is your decision on what camera gear you choose. While we do advise bringing a camera of some with you on your adventure, don’t fret if you choose not to bring one or lose the ability to take photos on your journey due to damage or loss, as in your online trip portfolio there is a photo sharing site! There your group can submit and upload photos of the trip for all the participants to download and share. As always if you have any other questions, our friendly adventure coordinators are there to help, just call, text, chat or email us!

Thoughts from a Fellow Guest:

Charlie, a rafter on a 16 day Classic in October of 2024 had the following to share:

“I brought a medium-sized SLR (Canon 6D) plus 3 lenses on the 16-day trip.  Plus a tripod and accessories, and a backpack big enough to carry it.  I had in my head the same kind of huge vistas you see from the rim.  I now think bringing all that stuff was overkill – it was lot of extra baggage and weight to get on and off the rafts every day, and it was clumsy and heavy on the hikes.  I think now I would have been happier (and taken more, if not better, pictures) if I’d just brought a good-quality compact camera.”

Note: Drones are illegal in all National Parks including the Grand Canyon. Do NOT bring a drone, even if you are a licensed drone pilot.

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