See the Grand Canyon State through Invitation Magazines staff photographer’s camera lens.
Photographed by Joe Worthem
Invitation Magazines photographer Joe Worthem dug into his personal collection of travel photos to share one of his favorite places with our readers. Here’s a little bit about his trip and his photography:
Q: When did you travel to Arizona?
A: I have been there several times, but these photos are from the last time I visited the state in 2019.
Q: Where exactly did you go?
A: I stayed in Phoenix but also visited Sedona, Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon.
Q: What were your favorite sites there?
A: By far, Sedona and the Grand Canyon were the most impressive. The Grand Canyon is certainly No. 1 on the list though.
Q: Did you go there specifically to take photos, or is that just what happens when you’re a professional photographer?
A: Whenever I go on a trip, I always try to bring a camera along. I think that it is a force of habit at this point, I never know what I might see that is photo worthy. When I travel, I like to capture images that tell the story of that place or my experience there in an artistic way.
Q: What are some of the most noticeable differences between the landscape in Arizona and the landscape in Mississippi?
A: It’s like a different world. The climate is dry, and the landscape in the central part of the state is hilly grasslands, but the southern area is arid desert. However, I was surprised to find that parts of northern Arizona are filled with wooded mountains and spectacular wildlife.
Q: What was the weather like?
A: Hot. The weather in summer when I went was very hot. It was bearable to me (at least for a short time) because of the lack of humidity. It was about 113 degrees when I was there. Winter would be a much better time to visit and the scenery just as beautiful.
Q: How did you travel around the state?
A: I had a car, and while on the way to the Grand Canyon, I drove on the scenic Highway 89A. It’s a beautiful drive but can be a bit dangerous.
Q: What type of camera were you using? Anything special about your lenses or other equipment?
A: When I take a trip, I usually take a smaller camera like my Sony a6000. It has decent image quality, it’s light and fast, great for street photography. However, on this trip I also took my Canon 5d Mark 3 along to capture really high-quality images in the Grand Canyon.
Q: What advice would you give to amateur iPhone photographers when they are taking pictures while traveling?
A: I would say to start by snapping photos around town, home and out in nature. Pay attention to light, and develop your eye for composition (what’s in the frame of the camera) so that when you travel you can really capture the kind of images you want.
Joe Worthem has been with Invitation Magazines since 2010. He has a BFA in graphic design and illustration from the University of Mississippi. He loves to travel and meet people, two of his favorite parts of his job.