luddite going to machu picchu with film

[cigardoc]

<p>i'm headed this october to machu picchu. taking equipment/film listed below. tentative plans to shoot both color, most likely e6, and b&w landscape. intend to use f100 for color and fe2 for b&w.<br>

entertaining suggestions as to type of film(s) and filters, if any, for both color and b&w. probably won't use polarizer filter on 24mm.<br>

thinking of taking ASA 100 color & b&w, anticipating bright lighting conditions. having said that, i realize that faster film would allow use of filters, both polarizer or color, particularly without tripod. <br>

<strong>very big question</strong> revolves around filters for b&w, looking at various shades of yellow - orange, etc., to get some extra contrast. not particularly interested in red.<br>

am limited as to what lenses i have, all primes and not interested in zooms.<br>

thinking very seriously about just b&w, in that case with my f100, as others with me will be shooting only color, digital of course. <br>

thanks in advance for your replies/suggestions.<br>

david<br>

<strong>equipment:</strong><br>

nikon f100/sigma 24/1.4 dg hsm art(when available)/nikkor 50/1.8<br>

nikon fe2/nikkor 50mm 1.4/nikkor 28mm 2.8</p>

 

[Jochen_S]

<p>Filters: I have yellow / greenish yellow and see no relevant benefit. - If I wanted to capture a hint of clouds orange did the job, so thats the "if I could buy only one" filter for sure. - Allow it to eat 2 f-stops.<br>

I don't know your destination. - Google search showed raincape clad tourist flocks. - Bright lighting conditions? - Better recheck.</p>

[SCL]

<p>Given MP's altitude, sometimes it may be shrouded in mist, so for B&W a yellow (K2) filter may be helpful. When I was there last, my group got special government permission to visit the site prior to sunrise, before the site opens to the public, and it was a great opportunity to shoot in the mist as well as after it had cleared later in the day. For color, I would definitely take a UV filter, especially if you visit or are hiking along the Inca trail near Winay Wayna, as there are terrrific vistas of the mountains and glaciers in the distance. If I recall correctly, seasonally you will be there during their spring, which could be quite wet, so don't be surprised by occasional downpours. If you are there late in the day, take the modest hike to the Inti Punku (sun gate), which was the entrance and sentry post used by the native runners arriving at the village...it gives a marvelous view of MP itself and the surrounding mountains. Most of all have a great time.</p>

[User_6502147]

<p>I keep hearing this thing about extorting crazy payments (like $200) for having a tripod on the person = pro photography (as their take on it). But you seem to be aware of it and are going around all that.</p>

<p>If you don't want to deal with a red filter, you might want to try orange (as Jochen mentioned) or even dark orange. You might want to accentuate that with graduated ND filter...to define the sky better. I'd also take warming filter like 81A or some such....for afternoon shadowy areas.</p>

<p>Les</p>

[david_henderson]

<p>The vast majority of shots I see taken at Machu Picchu look pretty much identical. You can either decide to follow a very well trodden path or make an attempt to search out different angles and approaches to make your shots different. Personally I'd be hoping for dramatically cloudy conditions that I can dramatise further by the use of a grad. Be careful with coloured filters for B&W, especially yellow and green filters. Depending on what's lit by the sun you could reduce the contrast between stone and grass - which I'm guessing isn't what you'd want. I imagine that if you're taking E6 you'll have a polariser- might be handy for b&w too.</p>

[cigardoc]

<p>thanks for the replies. yep, we'll be there on the shoulder of the rainy season, so hoping for some clear days. insofar as using a grad, i like the idea. however, i always have questions as to how to meter. and, in the case of machu picchu, espec the big mountain in front of or behind it, if i use a grad for the sky, how does that affect the exposure of the mountain? pardon my lack of knowledge on this matter.</p>

[bob_flood1]

<p>I recall reading about the tripod issue at MP. If taking a tripod is going to be a problem, check on taking a hiking pole. You get an adjustable-height hiking pole (I got mine at Sportsman's Warehouse) that has an end cap that can be unscrewed and removed to reveal a 1/4-20 thread to which you can attach a camera. I found that the steadiness I gained by simply resting the camera on the top of the pole (without removing the end cap) was sufficient such that I rarely used the threaded end. I have been allowed to bring the pole into several facilities that prohibit tripods and have never been questioned about it. A pole like this might help cope with the low ISO film you want to use combined with filters and changing weather.</p>

[stemked]

<p>Or you could try a string tripod.</p>

<p>http://www.techhive.com/article/145582/article.html</p>

[Ian Taylor]

<p>I would take a grad for sure. </p>