Keith Meehan Photography—Commercial: Nik Wallenda: Grand Canyon Event

I was hired to photograph Nik Wallenda's historic highwire tightrope walks across the Grand Canyon in 2013 and Niagara Falls in 2012. This page highlights the Grand Canyon event.

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On event day for Nik Wallenda's crossing of the Grand Canyon the temporary community which had sprung up on the precipice of the Little Colorado River had become a teaming media frenzy. NBC, Discovery Channel and affiliates ruled the roost and had everything at the site in complete lockdown.

For that afternoon of shooting I had been relegated by the networks to a single position approximately 150 feet from the canyon's edge.

Below (1): Performing one of his signature moves, Nik takes a knee before scrambling over the final 50 feet of cable.

Below (5): Cable installation crews with family and friends just prior to the event.

Below (2): NBC's Natalie Morales and Willie Geist prepare to give the play-by-play account of Nik's Grand Canyon tightrope walk during 'Skywire Live with Nik Wallenda' while a Discovery Channel celebrity provides live pre-event coverage.

Below (2): Nik suits-up then gives a wave to the crowd before heading to the helicopter.

Below (3): Nik gives a final thumbs-up to the crowd and waves at family and friends as he is lifted away to the island.

Below (2): Nik making his historic trek across the canyon, 1250 feet above the Little Colorado River riverbed. Wind gusts upwards of 48 miles per hour were recorded just prior to Nik stepping onto the cable.

Below (4): Nik and his father, Terry, spent some time with the linemen and their families in between press conferences.

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Nik spent the Friday morning before the event at the site in live interviews with Natalie Morales and Willie Geist on the Today Show.

Below (2): Nik Wallenda talks with head engineer for the cable installation, Peter Catchpole, just prior to his Today show interview with Natalie Morales and Willie Geist.