And veteran riverguide Margeaux Bestard is ready for the 2019 Grand Canyon rafting season to begin.

And veteran riverguide Margeaux Bestard is ready for the 2019 Grand Canyon rafting season to begin.
One day this past July, I spent the day with newly elected White Mountain Apache Chairwoman, Gwendena Lee - Gatgewood photographing her for an Arizona Highways story. With logistical support from her chief of staff, Jerry Glossy Jr. I was able to fit a number of photographic opportunities and locations into her busy work day schedule. The magazine used a few of those opportunities in the story but I wanted to share some that were not published.
In July, while doing a story for Arizona Highways on Gwendena Lee - Gatewood the newly elected first Chairwoman of the White Mountain Apache Tribe, I was fortunate to meet and photograph retired Chairman Ronnie Lupe who had served on the tribe’s council since 1966 and was elected chairman 9 times.
In April 2018, the White Mountain Apache Tribe elected Gwendena Lee - Gatewood to be it’s first female chairman. Gwendena replaced her mentor, 87 year old retiring Chairman Ronnie Lupe who had decided not to run for his 10th term.
When not guiding on the Colorado River, AZRA boatman Joy Gustafson, spends her winters working as a sea kayak guide and brings her guests out to sea for some up close whale experiences in Pacific Ocean around Maui.
For over twenty years, Alex Thevenin has guided guests through the Grand Canyon Gorge.
On a windy day, Jay Healy guides his motor rig down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon Gorge.
Jay Healy, flexes his culinary chops riverside by bringin’ the BTUs to his brûlée pineapple upside down cake.
This past May 2018, I was able to join veteran Grand Canyon Boatman, B.J. Boyle on his milestone 200th trip down the Colorado River. Since it was his 200th of course "we got Bass".
On Saturday morning, May 19th, I awoke to a voicemail from Dennis Smoltz, AZRA's Field Personnel Manager asking if I would be able to hike in on Tuesday, May 22 to be a support paddler on the paddle boat for the lower half of Grand Canyon. Apparently a guest had injured themselves and needed to leave the trip. I called Dennis back and said of course I can do that! I always feel fortunate that AZRA and their boatman have given me the opportunity to join them on a number of their charters over the past 5 summers as a working assistant. It's an adventure and there always seems to be some photographs to be made in the whitewater of the Colorado River.
THANKS FOR THE CALL DENNIS !!!
Paddleboard season is upon us. Lots of river days ahead.
In between navigating the walls of white water on the Colorado River, veteran river guide Jody Tinsley has been known to enjoy reading a poem or two or three or four.......
This past fall I had the pleasure of photographing, Montana native and new addition to the AZRA team, Jed Tarlow who has guided on rivers in Idaho, Quebec and China.
Born to row......
Having researched, contributed, written and co-written a number of books about the Grand Canyon and its legends, Brad Dimock is never at a loss for words when he's by a campfire.
Over the last few years and thanks to my friends at Arizona Rafting Adventures, I've had the good fortune to spend quite a bit of time camping along the banks of Colorado River. I love to cook and I bring a certain amount of culinary skill to a campsite kitchen and I've also brûléed quite a few desserts in my day but nothing prepared me for this display of culinary genius by veteran boatman Brad Dimock. Epic campsite, epic boatman, epic brûlée' torch and epic pineapple upside down cake!
Last summer I got an assignment from Arizona Highways photo editor, Jeff Kida to photograph Grand Canyon Explorer, Eric Gueissaz. The opening photograph of the resulting story titled "Out Of The Ordinary" was chosen by Communication Arts Judges for this years Photography Annual 2017.
Thanks Jeff for the opportunity to photograph Eric.
This June I spent 2 weeks helping Captain Edwardo Moses move his 53ft Jeanneau "S.V. Sempre Avanti" from Miami to NYC. It was close to 1200 miles of round the clock sailing in variety of sailing conditions with ripped sails, rain squalls, sudden 25 knot winds, snapped halyards etc. Fortunately Captain Edwardo has a PHD in sailing. He was great professor and "S.V. Sempre Avanti" was an amazing classroom. Graduation was held at Great Kills Harbor....my hometown. Post graduation party was held at Lily Red's Bar in Prince's Bay formally "Sheila's Sandbar" the bar my father owned in the late 70s when I was in high school. It's a small world.
This summer I spent 32 days in the Grand Canyon. Thank you Matt Herrman, Amity Collins, Betsy Harter, Lynn Myers, Howie Usher and Larry Vermeeren for allowing me to hang on and photograph you. I appreciate the opportunity.