david_a._wong

March 14, 2018

Hello folks!

Do any Canon shooters have experience with the PacSafe CamSafe V17?

My current travel gear is:

Canon 5D Mark II
70-200 F2.8L
16-35 F2.8L

Will this (especially the 70-200 F2.8L) fit into the CamSafe V17?

Thanks in advance!

Cheers.

David.

September 20, 2016

Two of my personal favourite locations in the region you are headed to:

<ul>

<li>The Lake Region of Northern Italy. Lake Como, Lake Garda. Simply STUNNING.</li>

</ul>

<ul>

<li>Hallstatt, Austria. Classic example of quaint (at least is used to be) alpine village. Also very stunning.</li>

</ul>

Have a great trip.

Cheers.

David.

September 20, 2016

Thanks very much, everyone!!! I appreciate the responses. They were all very helpful!

Cheers!

David.

September 19, 2016

Hello folks,

I've been shooting some ice hockey games. These are the settings I was using at the last game:

Canon 70D

Canon 75-200mm 2.8L lens

Manual setting. 2.4f at 1/500

7 frames per second setting.

For some reason I'm getting some strange pools of red tint in my images. While shooting at 7 frames per second, one image will be fine while the next one will have this strange red tint in the image. Please see the attached images.

Question, please. Anyone know what's causing it and how I get it to stop?

Thanks in advance.

David.

February 22, 2016

Hello Paul,

Granted, its been several years since I have been to Barcelona. But when I was there I found anywhere on Las Ramblas to be EXTREMELY "dodgy," as you put it. Especially after nightfall. From the pub where we were having drinks we had a birds-eye view of the numerous muggers and pick pockets, the police trying to catch them, and the oblivious victims walking into a virtual gauntlet of predators. I would be VERY cautious in this area.

Cheers.

David.

July 28, 2015

P.S. My budget is fairly sizable. And I'd like the ability to print large color panoramas, if possible. Cheers.

July 28, 2015

Hello all,

Is there such a thing as a printer that I can have in my studio that prints high-quality (i.e. lab-quality) fine art/archival prints? If so, which do you recommend?

I've seen many photo printers and owned a few myself. But I find the end product to be not quite fine art/archival quality.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers.

David.

May 19, 2015

Hello Dave,

We currently live in Vancouver, BC. A list of popular sites in the city are:

Granville Island: Granville Island is right next to downtown. Full of artist studios (paint, glass-makers, metal shops, wood working shops) pubs/breweries, and restaurants. But the most popular feature is the Public Market. Lots of fruit/veg vendors, cheese makers, bakers, specialty meats plus a food court. Great place to grab a quick lunch and eat by the water and watch the boats cruise by.

Stanley Park: largest temperate rainforest in an urban area in the world. 1,001 acres. Fantastic walk around the seawall. Will take about 2 hours. Great views of the city.

Capilano Suspension Bridge/Treetop Walk: Shows a bit of the rugged landscape of BC. Its an impressive walk across the ravine and the tree walk is pretty cool. As similar experience (albeit not as dramatic) is Lynn Canyon.

Neighborhoods near downtown: Yaletown: Lots of bars and restaurants. The current trendy area. False Creek: Where Granville Island is located. Coal Harbor:

Vancouver is a foodie town. We have LOTS of restaurants/cafe's. Vancouver Magazine has a list of "winner" restaurants. Or let me know what kind of food you're looking for, I'll be happy to throw a few places your way.

As for Seattle, there was a recent show with Anthony Bourdain called "They Layover" that did an episode on Seattle. It was a fair representation of places we liked. Have a great trip!

Cheers.

David.

April 22, 2015

Hello Anis,

As you may already know, the Antelope Canyon is on Natïve American land. As such, you have to be guided in. There are a number of different tour operations for this. FYI: Several of these operators have tours specifically designed for photographers. So they will time your tour for optimal light (the beam/shaft of light coming down is the popular one) and limit the size of the group so its not too crowded. And the guides are very good about pointing out interesting angles and views. Angles and views that I would have not noticed otherwise. i.e. "Turn around, look up and twist your lens to the right." Have a great trip.

Cheers.

David.

January 21, 2015

Like most shutterbugs, I've got a slew of camera bags/cases. Ranging from suitcase-sized hard cases to solo-camera pouches. I pretty much have a bag for most situations. I've recently done two back-to-back trips where the Philippines was a part of my trip. For these trips I could only take one body, a 16-35 2.8L, 75-200 2.8L, 480EZ flash, a tripod and accessories (cables, remote, batteries, etc), For me, I took my Lowepro Flipside 300 and it was perfect. I love this bag as it holds my gear perfectly (maybe a BIT tight if I carry the lens hoods). But most of all, because of the way you use the hip-strap and spin the bag around to the front (you access the bag from the BACK of the bag, which is unique) you never have to put the bag down! It conveniently lays out in front of you like a little work station. For ANY photographer this is GREAT! Don't have to worry about your gear laying on the ground getting dirty and your stuff is always in front of you so its easier to keep an eye on. And the fact the bag is accessed from the BACK of bag (the side against your back) its a bit more secure as you're walking through town. I highly recommend the Flipside series. Have a GREAT trip. PI is fantastic and the people are extremely friendly. And MAN can they ever EAT!!! I hope you like PORK! And practice eating with a fork and spoon, sir. :) P.S. Be careful in the Philippines. Some areas are notorious for pickpockets or outright muggings. And ANY camera bag, regardless of how "inconspicuous" it may be, is like a BEACON to thieves.

October 9, 2009

Hello all,

Thank you in advance for your help. :)

I shoot medium and large format landscapes. I'm looking for a professional company that can develop, scan and make large (up to 36"x108") prints my images. Making HIGH QUALITY prints has to be the first and foremost priority.

All of the "professional" companies I have found so far on my own are just "decent". So many of them appear to be more interested in printing en mass and have little to no interest in producing a high quality product worthy to be displayed.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks again.

David.

March 2, 2008

Hello all,

Can anyone please recommend software for Multimedia presentations? I'm looking

for (in no particular order):

-The ability to include both still photos and videos. Sometimes both at once

on the screen.

-The ability to have music fade out and fade in, vs. just shutting off and

turning on.

-The ability to have a voice-over on top of music.

-The ability to do some nice fade transitions between images. If anyone is

familiar with the Epson hand-held downloaders and how they do that nice

presentation, that's what I'm looking for. Not only does the image fade it,

but it slowly glides across the page, then fades out.

The software can be either PC or Apple based. Which ever is best.

Thanks in advance for your help.

September 21, 2007

Hello all,

I am in need of program that does really good mulit-media presentations for

PCs to show photographic essays. I have toyed with MS Powerpoint. For

business slides its great, however as far as photographic essays, it is

somewhat limited. i.e. the photo transitions are few or cheesy, and the

transition from one music track to another is not able to fade off and fade on

to the next track. Rather it just shuts off and the next song is turned on.

Again...not very pleasing.

I'm looking forward to your suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

David.

April 6, 2007

Hey everyone, thanks for your input.

Rufus, my weight requirements are pretty minimal, hence the "ultra-portable" title. I carry a large Lowepro bag, but I've already got a MF 6x17, two lenses and accessories in there with my digital SLR and lenses and accessories. And with recent changes in weight and size requirements with airlines, I have to try to be ultra light.

Thanks again.

David.

April 1, 2007

Hello Anush,

Also, another thing to be aware of. I was there this past summer and now they rent canoes in all the major lakes in Banff and Jasper. From a photographer's perspective, this is a HUGE bummer as you can't get them out of your shot unless you PS them out. Most of the outfitters don't open until about 10am or so. So a morning shot may be required.

FYI

Have a great trip.

David.

April 1, 2007

Hello all,

I'm looking for an ultra portable lighting system/method that I can carry in

camera bag and take on an extended trip abroad for a few months.

Often times when I travel I'm shooting indoors (portraits, architecture,

interior travel shots) in a pub/restaurant/hotel, etc. For this I shoot a

Canon 10D with a 550EX with a directional head that I bounce off the roof or

wall with pretty decent results. However, I was looking to get more light for

accents and to increase some detail in larger spaces.

My first thought was to get a few more 550EXs (or its successor) as they have

a slave/master setting and a small plastic "foot" to allow it to stand on its

own. As such, I would not need to haul any stands (bonus!).

But I thought to ask to see if anyone has any recommendations and/or

experience with this that can share some insights. Maybe there are other

options that have a better power to size/weight ratio?

Thanks in advance for your input.

David.

March 18, 2007

Wow, Larry. Now THERE's an open-ended question! :)

North America is like a photographer's mega buffet. So many wonderful things to choose from. Its tough to choose just ONE. So I've listed a few places that you can do in a 2 week road trip (in no particular order).

Oregon Coast, Columbia Gorge and Olympic National Park.

Vancouver, BC and Banff/Jasper, AB.

Zion NP, Arches NP, Antelop Canyon, Monument Valley.

Everglades NP, Florida Keys

Pacfic Coast Highway, CA.

This is just stuff off the top of my head that I've done myself that I would recommend. Have fun.

David.

March 7, 2007

Steve, if you can swing it two trips is a great idea. One trip could be Calgary, Banff, Jasper, Vancouver, Victoria and Whistler. And the other could be Seattle, Olympia NP, Washtington Coast, Oregon Coast, Crater Lake, Columbia Gorge and Portland, Oregon.

Have a great time!!!! :)

March 6, 2007

Hey Steve,

I live in Vancouver. As such, I have a local's perspective which you/others may or may not agree with. And everyone's tastes differ.

First, three questions:

1. What type of photography/subjects are you looking for? From the locals you mentioned, I'm going to assume nature/landscape.

2. When are you planning this trip? In the Pacific NW Spring and Summer are great. Fall is a bit wet, and Winter (unless you're in the mountians) is wet and cold and the days are really short. I'll assume summertime.

3. Is this trip primarly a photography trip where it takes a priority? Or is this a family vacation where you'll shoot when you're able to squeeze it in? As this is a photography website, I'll assume is a photography trip.

Personally, I think 12 days is not all that long. From a photographer's POV that's realistically only 11 sunrises and 11 sunsets MAX. AND that's assuming you've done LOTS of research in advance and don't need to scout out your shots before hand. Plus, you want to have a chance to look around, enjoy yourself and absorb an area, rather than blowing through at 65MPH. So you may want to cut back on your itinerary. In MHO I would minimize your time in (or cut out all together) Seattle, Victoria, Whistler (was a gem, now is a tourist trap) and Jasper. These places are great to visit, however from a landscape/nature photographer's POV (vs. travel/cityscape), I find these places not to be very target rich. Banff is fantastic!

Think about it. Assuming you want to hit ALL these places, your schedule would be something like this:

Day 1: Arrive into Seattle.

Day 2: Drive to Olympic National Park.

Day 3: Olympic National Park. Travel to Victoria via Port Angeles ferry.

Day 4: Victoria. Take late ferry to Vancouver.

Day 5: Vancouver.

Day 6: Vancouver. Travel to Whistler.

Day 7: Whistler. Start travel to Jasper and go as far as you can.

Day 8: Drive to Jasper (roughly 8 hours). Jasper.

Day 9: Jasper. Drive to Banff (roughly 5 hours).

Day 10: Banff.

Day 11: Banff. Drive to Calgary.

Day 12: Fly out of Calgary.

(WHEW! 8 locations in 12 days!)

Personally, I think you're pushing your time limits and inviting a nervous brake-down. :) I would lose at least TWO locations unless you like that pace.

Have you considered the Oregon Coast? FANTASTIC! Every bend has a GREAT shot! Can't miss. If you're interested I can give you a good itinerary to include the Oregon Coast.

I hope this is useful to you. Please feel free to contact me for any resourses or information I can find for you. Have a great trip.

David.

January 18, 2007

By the way, if you like landscape photography, check out Peter Lik's gallery in the Forum Shops at Ceasar's Palace. He specializes in 6x17 panoramic photography. Awesome work.

There is a GREAT view of the Strip from the parking garage of the Green Valley Casino in Henderson. Almost perfect. ALMOST. The problem is that there is a #@#$ing powerline right in front of you. I suppose you could PS it out later.

Have fun. And try to leave Vegas with your shirt! :)

David.

October 23, 2006

Hello Bob,

I'll share a simple solution that I use with pretty good success. In my GX617 case, I also carry a digital SLR. I use the SLR as sort of a "Just In Case" I screw up the shot on the MF. But more importantly, I also use it for its metering and DISTANCE ESTIMATION. Its pretty accurate. I just point to my subject, meter and look on the lens and it tells me the range. Easy. Done. And best of all, its a multi-tasker. Don't have to pack anything else! :)

Granted, I don't have a 300mm for my fuji, so maybe I'm not comparing apples to apples. But maybe this may be of use to you. Hope it helps.

Good luck.

David.

October 2, 2006

Hello Martin,

Within Monument Valley (which is operated by the Navajo Nation), after you pay your entry fee, there is a loop road (about 10 miles if I remember correctly) that drives through the valley. You are free to drive through at your leisure, pull over, get-out and take photographs at will. Please note that these are very ROUGH DIRT ROADS. NOT asphalt. So I would make sure that your vehicle can manage it. I've seen everything from Hummers to BMWs going through there. :)

However, if you want to go off of these roads, and go into the "backcountry" then you will need a guide from the Navajo Nation. I have personally never used a guide, so unfortunately I cannot recommend one to you.

BTW: One of the classic Monument Valley shots is the one with the split rocks up front with the Monuments in the background. Nice image. When my brother and I went we thought it was in some remote area. As it turns out, its RIGHT NEXT TO THE PARKING LOT!! So look for it. No guide required. :) But you will need a baseball bat to shoo off the hordes of pushy tourists!!!!

Good luck and have a great trip. If you need any details, please email me and I'll be happy to tell you what I know.

David.<div></div>

September 28, 2006

Patches are what I collect when I travel abroad. They are a lot lighter to carry than coffee cups, and you don't have to worry about breaking them! :)

You've got several options. Of course, you can search the web. Also your local yellow pages should list a few places. You can also check out most international airports.

Good luck.

David.

September 21, 2006

Hello Dhruba,

From my trip out to Tower Bridge, I find my shots better at dusk, vs total night. That way, you get a nice band of light at the horizon and can see the outline of the bridge. For this, facing West is your best option. So, unless you've got a huge telephoto, the best location for this is the Thistle Hotel on the Northeast side of the bridge. (I've attached a few snapshots. This is from a year ago, but last month I noticed the cranes in the background have been taken down. So, it should me much nicer now.) Its an open/public location so you do not need to get permission from the hotel. The security guards and police may approach you, but they are a friendly lot. Of course, bring your tripod. This hotel is also right next to the Tower of London which is a good subject. But bring a wide-angle lens for this and hopefully you'll find something to stand on to see over the fence surrounding it.

Have fun in London. Its a great city, albeit, expensive. Learn to say words like "brilliant" and "lovely" and you'll fit right in. :)

Good luck.

David.

August 28, 2006

Hello Lisa,

I've just wrapped up a trip in Europe and the UK. Flying out of Heathrow is a pain in the #&%!!! Avoiding liquids was not the problem. The carry on size is so small, its almost impossible to carry a proper camera bag. If it was even SLIGHTLY too big, they forced you to check it in. No exceptions. They checked EVERY piece for size. I shoot a MF 6x17 plus a digtal set up. I had to basically put my essential components in my briefcase...unpadded, just to make it fit. I left everything else smaller lenses, filters, meters, etc, in my camera bag and put it into a suitcase and checked it in.

Good luck.

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