Zion visited

As I alluded to , in my previous post, I planed on going to Zion National Park,

and we did. The scenery was great! You could hardly turn you head without seeing

something that was picture worthy. I actually liked the area east of the canyon,

in some respects more. A good all around trip. I learned a few things.

 

1) The week after easter is crowded. On the short and popular trails, you don't

often have time to setup your tripod and really take your time. In many places

these trails are narrow and there just isn't the room. On a less crowded day, I

think I would have better shots and would have used more film.

 

2) I used only 2 lenses, even though I brought 4. There were a few times I could

have or SHOULD have used a longer lens, but I had either left it with my wife,

when the trail got rough and steep, or I just didn't put it on. Oh, the lenses I

used were the 24mm f2.8 and the 28-85mm f3.5-4.5 . Things just seemed to be big

view shots and not isolated shots. Of course, I can now think of some cool stuff

I could have done with the longer lenses.

 

3) If you bring the family along, it makes you think about how long they have

been waiting for you to take this, " one quick shot " and you tend to rush around.

 

4) A day pack is not a good camera gear pack, but it can hold a lot more stuff

to eat, drink, or carry the cloths that seemed right in the cold of the morning.

The camera packs I've seen don't have room for much else. I gotta come up with a

better way.

 

5) Figure out how to pack your tripod. My Slik came with a nylon bag that had

two straps that worked OK if I used them to hold it on my back like a quiver,

but that only worked with no backpack. I need something better there too.

 

Does this stuff sound familiar to any of you ? What have you worked out ?

Zion is pretty massive so your lens selection was perfect. I've run into Bighorn there so lugging around a darn hug zoom or tele lens is so worth it, but total tiring. But at the same time it is about 5 to 8 pounds of dreaded weight if you don't get a chance to use it. I loved the lighting and used a few filters. I liked the graduated ND and a polarizing filter a lot. I also played around with an split orange filter when the the sky permitted.

 

The back pack I use has 2 straps for a good size pod. So look for a good pack thats well balanced and that makes the hike much more fun! I also use rain gear mainly the plastic pants. This way you don't get wet from sitting on the snow or mud! You stay warm and clean!

I was in Zion March 14 to March 20, I only carried my Zuiko 180 mm zoom & 200mm zoom and a tripod. Since I am terrified of heights I didn't do many trails all the way. But I did get a alot of quality shots of mule deer and turkeys, feel free to check them out in my gallery

Sounds like a great trip.

 

Here is an interesting bag that might work for you: http://www.tamrac.com/frame_adv.htm

I attach an Op-Tec strap to the top of the tripod (the spider casting), using the strap and buckle version of the Op-Tec. The camera hangs legs-down from one shoulder, and I just put an hand on it to keep if from swinging.

 

The Gitzo strap is a joke! If you attach a strap to the top and bottom of a leg, the head always works its way to point down where the tripod can easily slip off the strap. I've left a couple of Arca-shaped dents in the path that way.

 

This makes the tripod much more accessible than when attached to my backpack, and keeps both hands free. Most of the time, however, I just carry the tripod by one leg, or over my shoulder with the camera attached for short distances. I feel comfortable that the Arca-Swiss QR system is secure enough (I check it anyway).

For carrying my camera stuff around I place my lowepro 2 AW satchel bag into an LL Bean Continental rucksack. It is perfect for storing my camera bag and a bunch of other stuff as well as comfortable for a longish hike. If I think I might be around an area I want to do photography I just pull out my camera satchel and wear it over my shoulder with my backpack on.

 

I am also considering changing it up and doing a toploading camera holster to carry my camera with a zoom lens attached and then just hang a commonly used lens or two off the backpack in lens cases and place any non-commmonly used lenses in the backpack.

can you share some of your best shots? I would love to see :)

Did you do Angels Landing? I got to quite close to the top but was tottering around too much with steamed up spectacles on all-too-narrow ridges to risk life and limb any further.

 

Indeed part of the annoyance was the useless Gitzo strap on my 3540XLS which was destabilising me at delicate moments.

Sorry I haven't responded to some of your questions.

 

For my day pack - camera bag combo, my F4s has really limited the selection. The extra battery holder makes for the need for a big mouthed camera bag. I've looked at all the waist bags I cold find, and the one that might work, seems to be the Lowepro Of Trail 2.

 

I need to send my slide film off to A&I in Hollywood to get developed. Then the best put on CD. Then I can post anything worth looking at in my photo section. I have a few shots left on a last roll, and the weather hasn't been good for taking pictures.