I occasionally ask photographers here at Fstoppers for advice on taking a shot at a particular location that I'm planning on capturing. Almost always I get a response that helps me learn and prepare for the experience. So here's a shout-out of thanks to Fstopper members who have helped me and undoubtably others - Thank You!
Upper Antelope Canyon is just one of those locations I had wanted to try my camera at capturing, and it certainly is challenging, even more so now that they don't offer the photographer tour which allowed for tripods. One of the tips I received was to "Prepare for extreme dynamic ranges and try to preserve your highlights." A couple more tips were to be prepared for the crowds and to work quickly as you must stay with your group and have limited time and it'd be "darker than expected". I chose to take the lower megapixel Z6ii and having it set to Bracket Exposure and to Continuous High so all the frames would be captured as fast as posible hoping to minimize camera blur for post processing.
Well as it turns out the advice was spot on. This is a very challenging experience, at least for me with a "real camera". I say this as my wife with her phone got spectacular instant images - phone cameras have come a long way!
This is one of the images I took. As it turns out it is a single image, as I like it better than my edits of the 2 or 3 bracketed images merged into HDR came out. (Something else to learn more about.)
Frank, excellent as far as the highlight and the crux of your image except for a little bleed over the rim on the right. Otherwise near perfect main image now for that HDR or the shadow part of your image. I can already see some detail in these area so I presume either here or one of your other bracketed images you be able to coax of more, as let’s say part two, blacks to mid tones. Then blend the best of the two in to one image.