As a veteran of four Alaska cruise/land tours, your 100 - 400 will work. But if you are in the market for a new lens, get something in the 70 - 200 or 70 - 300 range. It is the workhorse I used for all the trips and it is a lot lighter to carry.

You don't need a tripod to photography Antelope Canyon if you have your camera settings set correctly. Try to get on a tour that gets to the canyon around 10 - 12 noon. That way the sun will be shining inside the slot above and you can photograph the sand falling into the canyon from above. Also, as long as you are in Page, go to Horeshoe Bend.

Having done over 6 whale-watching trips, including the exact one you did in Cabo, your 28-300 was the right lens for this type of photography. Because whale photography is fast - meaning you don't have much time to find the subject and click the shutter button - a 150 to 600 would have been too much lens in the fact that it makes finding the subject more difficult and thus takes more time (which you don't have). Take it from me, your photos would not have been as good nor would you have ended up with as many, with a 150 to 600 as you did with your 28 to 300. Good job!

Having been on 20+ cruises, your 80-200 will be your workhorse, especially when on shore. The 12 - 24 would be a good lens to take photos inside the ship. I went to using a mirrorless with an 18 - 150 the last couple of cruises, just so that my camera and lens is lighter. Quality is just as good with a lot less weight and it has met probably 95% of my potential shots.

GIMP is a free powerful editing software that is photoshop-like, but much easier to learn. I had never used it before, but I was contracted to write a tutorial that used it so I had to download and learn how to use it. I was able to pick it up rightaway.

If you don't mind me asking what kind of drone do you have - in case I want to get a drone, I know a good one to buy. Also, did you have to get a license to use it?

Thanks in advance for any information you can provide.

Ron

The route you are suggesting is not very efficient as it involves quite a bit of backtracking - like from the junction of U.S. 160/U.S 89 to the GC East Entrance to Grand Canyon Village and back out again to the U.S. 89/160 junction going up to Page. And then from Page back down U.S. 89 to U.S. 89A to get to Zion.

No thanks. I'll stick with Phoenix and the route that minimizes backtracking - especially at the price of gas nowadays.

The shuttle in zion is only in one part of the park. On the East side through the tunnel you can drive on your own. In my opinion. That is bt far the more photographic part of the part. While there we often saw Bighorn sheep on that side of the park.

But even using the shuttle on the south side of the park is not bad as you can get off anywhere, do what you want while there and catch the next shuttle going your way. There are shuttles stopping at each stop about every 15 minutes.

I would not count out a great park like Zion just because of the shuttles.

We did that same trip last Spring by RV. I would start ar either Phoenix or Las Vegas. For example if starting at Las Vegas, your route could be Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capital Reef, Canyonlands (Island District), Arches, Monument Valley Tribal Park, Grand Canyon South Rim and into Phoenix. Also don't overlook the Valley of Fire State Park between Las Vegas and Zion.

Zion will still have their Shuttle System running yet, so to get to part of the park you have to ride the Shuttle (unless you have reservations at the Lodge and then you can drive as far as the Lodge. The other side of the park, through the tunnel you can drive yourself and in my opinion, it is better for photography anyway.

Bryce also has a shuttle, but I don't advise taking it. It only hits about 4 viewpoints in the amphitheater and you can drive yourself there and to the rest of the pulloffs.

Capital Reef is the only NP with its own fruit orchards. You might be there when the fruit is ripe. You can eat as much as you want while there, and pay by the pound for what you want to take with you. Be sure to drive the 8-mile Scenic Drive and stop on the way at the Gifford House. Not only do they have a great little store inside the old homestead hous, there is a nice barn (with horses) set against the red rock background.

Canyondlands is one of my favorite parks. It is only about a half hour from Moab, but seems like a different planet. No crowds and beautiful scenery. Be sure and hike back to Mesa Arch.

And then there is Arches. I was diasppointed by the crowds, but not the scenery. Many different arches to see and photograph. Of course Delicate Arch is their flagship arch, but they are many more great ones as well.

After leaving Moab, drive south on U.S. 191 and plan to stop at Canyonlands Needle District. It is seperate from the Island District. Between 191 and the NP, stop at Newspaper Rock if you like petroglyphs.

Then head over to Kayenta, AZ and stop at Monument Valley. Goulding's Lodge and Campground is right next to the park. I recommend taking one of the tours that you can book right at Gouldings. They take you back into areas where you can drive on your own. And unless you have a four-wheel drive vehicle you most likely would not make it with your vehicle anyway.

From Kayenta, take U.S. 160 through Tuba City to U.S. 89. Go South and at Cameron, turn right on U.S. 64 to get to GC South Rim via the East Entrance. Exit out the South Entrance down to I-40 over to Flagstaff and South on I-17 to Phoenix.

That makes a nice trip without having to do any backtracking. Except for staying a Goulding's Lodge, I can't help you much as far as places to stay, but I can tell you there are places to stay close to all of the parks mentioned.

Springdale, UT is just outside of Zion and has many hotels, many namebrand like Best Western, etc. Just outside of Bryce Sanyon is Ruby's In in Bryce Canyon City. At Capital Reef, there is Torry, UT. At Canyonlands and Arches is Moab, UT. At Canyonlands, Needles is Monticello, UT. At GC South Rim you have Tusayan just outside the South Entrance.

If you have any more question, please let me know as everything is still fresh in my mind from out Spring trip. I did not go into specific places to photograph as there are just too many. Taking the Scenic Drives in most parks will get you to many of the iconic places without having to do a lot of hiking.

I'm trying to type with a damaged finger, so please excuse typing mistakes.

First photo is Mesa Arch Canyonlands. The second photo is Monument Valley.

Check out Red Rock Crossing: https://www.allsedona.com/nature/red_rock_crossing.php. It is one of my favorites.

Having been to the Grand Canyon several times - both the North and South Rims, I take a 18mm - 150mm and a 100mm - 400mm. But in all honesty the 18 to 150 is the one I use the most. Most of the Grand Canyon shots are landscape, so a lens with a wide angle works the best. I use the 100 -400 occasionally for wildlife shot and for things that I want to bring up close.

On my last trip there, I took an 18 - 150mm and a 100 - 400mm. That handled all the shots I wanted to get. The first one for landscape shots and the second one for wildlife.

Two other venues not to overlook that are not far away from colorado springs is the Royal Gorge at Canon City (https://www.colorado.com/articles/royal-gorge-things-see-do) and Bent's Fort at La Junta (https://www.nps.gov/beol/index.htm).

Here is my take on the location. On the left side in the river is a boat to give a sense of scale.

Just an FYI to those responding. According to his post, he doesn't plan on hiking Angel's Landing. He said "I envision a night shot from the river with the river in the foreground". You can't shoot from the river if you are on top of Angel's Landing.