forrest_andrew

<p>this is great so far! thanks for the thoughts. has anybody had any experience with <a href="http://www.photobookpress.com">http://www.photobookpress.com</a>? i saw an add for them which caught my attention as having good potential.</p>

<p>Hello - I am interested in creating a photobook of my travel/landscape photographs. I envision a fairly large (min 10x10 inch), hardcover photo book with big, full colour images on top quality paper. Similar to a coffee table book you might pay $80-100 at a book store. I'm willing to spend a good bit of money to get a truly top-notch product that will remain as a keepsake for a lifetime. I know most drugstore photo labs do photobooks and i know there are lots of mainstream consumer photobook options out there, but i'm looking for something that will satisfy the high-expectations of a serious amateur photographer. So, please provide recommendations on what service I should use to create/print my photobook?<br>

Thank you,<br>

Andrew Forrest</p>

<p>not sure where you're starting your travels, but Waterton National Park in extreme SW Alberta, just over the border from Glacier National Park, would satisfy your interests. I did some research on elk there a few years ago and the elk there attract photographers from across the continent. I saw one guy there who'd travelled from Florida just to photograph the elk. The herd grew steadily from about 100 up to about 800 from September through October. amazing viewing opportunities! plus good chance for bears too. if you were to ever get tired of photographing elk, the relatively small parks packs an impressive concentration of awesome landscape scenery. and fall colors in the montane (valley) areas should be coming into their prime. wherever you end up, have fun!</p>

<p>i fully agree with those that have said things will be snowy up high and melting in the valleys. even the valley's up towards the Columbia Icefields will be very snowy. towards the end of May a few years back there was still 4 ft. of snow at Bow Lake! also, most lakes will still be largely frozen. despite all this, Vermillion Lakes and Mt. Rundle just outside Banff is a classic view and there should be some open water to work with there for reflections. many stretches of the Bow River should be open and could provide some opportunities. good luck!!!</p>

<p>Not exactly a widely useful tool quite yet, but the idea of 'nowcasting' is gonna be put to use at the upcoming Olympics. Perhaps a sneak peek at the forecasting of the future...<br>

<a href="http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/earth/4345678.html">http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/earth/4345678.html</a></p>

<p> </p>

<p>thanks to all for the responses so far! just the type of advice i'm looking for. keep 'em coming!!</p>

<p>Just to add, any recommendations for great camping/photo location combinations anywhere along our route would be greatly appreciated as well. Thanks again!!</p>

<p>I'm beginning the most enjoyable process of planning a 3-4 week roadtrip through Washington, Oregon and north California for our honeymoon this coming July (approx July 5 thru 30). We will be coming from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and our plan for the trip looks something like Seattle, Olympic NP, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon Coast, N Cali Redwoods, Napa Valley, San Fran, Yosemite then back home via NE California and Crater Lake. We hope to spend time most of our time outside with a few winery hits along the way and a couple days in cities. We will be camping most of the time and hiking a lot. My photography interests are all landscape specific. I've done some pretty extensive research but have the following specific questions:</p>

<p>- is the coast of Olympic NP worth the time if we're gonna be going all the way down the Oregon Coast? I've thought of hiking into Shi Shi beach, but those days could instead be spent at Mt. Rainier NP or Mt. St. Helens?</p>

<p>- in terms of Olympic NP is Shi Shi worth the effort, or are the more accessible Second Beach and Rialto Beach just as spectacular?</p>

<p>- if we were to explore either Mt. Rainier or Mt. St. Helens, considering it'd be mid-July what would be the best wildflower spots/hikes?</p>

<p>- what are the best spots in the Oregon Dunes NRA? are there any spots that combine camping, great photo potential and a lack of ATVs?</p>

<p>- if we only have a couple days/nights in N. California to explore the Redwood areas, what would be the best spots/parks? best campgrounds? best dayhikes?</p>

<p>- if we make it to Mono Lake (our planned turn around point), what are the best vantage points for sunrise/sunset photography?</p>

<p>That's all i can think of right now. I'm really looking forward to seeing what you all have to say. Thanks so much!!<br>

Andrew Forrest<br>

Edmonton, AB</p>

<p>it's a pied-billed grebe. likely a juvenile that's not yet showing the characteristic black ring around the bill. and, yes, it's native.</p>

<p>well said Gary. i 'love' those calendars. good for a chuckle. i've also seen other calendars where classic landscape scenes are shown in 'mirror image', not quite sure why, but anyway...<br>

andrew</p>

<p>Manu National Park outside of Puerto Maldonado is well known for its diverse bird life. The Colca Canyon near Arequipa is home to the awesome Andean Condor. not sure if July or June would be very different from each other. i suspect not. a few years back, i was in Peru during both June and July and saw lots of wildlife during both months.</p>

<p>the 2 common rose varieties in alberta are Rosa acicularis (Prickly Rose) and Rosa woodsii (Common wild rose). based on the number of thorns and lack of fine bristles, i'd lean towards woodsii for the species in your pic.</p>

Paul - if you're really interested in birding, check out the Yahoo group Albertabird. 100's of members across the province posting their sightings from many a great bird spot. The book 'Birds of Alberta' (Fisher and Acorn) is also a great resource for birding locations (a best best location is listed for each species). With Calgary's proximity to mountainous Kananaskis and Banff, the foothill forests and the wide open praries, it's hard to point you in any one direction.

 

Welcome and enjoy!

 

from the far, far north in Edmonton.

 

Andrew Forrest

 

ps. you must be loving our spring ! :-)

hike Larch Valley and Sentinel pass from Moraine lake - incredible views from the lake and the larch should still be holding on to some of their golden needles. have fun!!

to make the most of your time, i'd spend the full 5 days in Kananaskis, Banff and Jasper. Unless you specifically want to see the areas further south (Glacier, Waterton) or the areas to the east (Drumheller), i think you're best of focusing your time. I've visited Kananaskis, Banff and Jasper many, many times over the years and there is still areas and photos to be found. for site selection, i'd recommend Darwin Wigget's book 'Photographing the Canadian Rockies' - full of great suggestions for photo ops. in general though, Kananaskis is great and would likely be quiet during the week. the area immediately around Banff and Lake Louise can become overrun with tourists in July - you might be bumping elbows looking for tripod space. there are numerous great views along the icefields parkway between Banff and Jasper, and the ever-present chance of wildlife. Jasper is just as awesome, and often quieter. i'd get Darwin's book, figure out what you want to shoot and connect the dots. the options are endless. in terms of accomodation, i'm a fan of camping. there are many more campgrounds located along the length of the icefields parkways as compared to hotels. this can put you alot closer to photo spots so that you can minimize travel time when you're getting up at 4:00 AM to catch sunrise, or returning at 10:30 PM after shooting sunset.

 

Have a blast, shoot lots and good luck,

 

Andrew Forrest (St. Albert, AB)

Hey there,

I'll be attending a workshop in Bozeman, Montana at the end of the month and am

planning on extending my trip over the weekend of Mar 31 and Apr 1 (i will have

all day Sat and all day Sun to devote to shooting). I've never been to

Yellowstone NP and, being so close, I see this as a great opportunity.

However, I've learnt that the only road open to motorized traffic at that time

will be the one between the North and Northeast entrances. Not to mention the

over-snow tours have ended for the season. My photo interests are primarily

landscape, however, if in my search for landscape locations i stumble across

wildlife i certainly won't shun the opportunity. So, the question is this:

 

Will my time be best spent exploring the stretch of northern Yellowstone

accessible by car, or should i go elsewhere?

 

I've thought about Grand Teton NP, but have heard that travelling around

Yellowstone can monopolize alot of time and don't want to spend my whole

weekend behind the wheel. Any and all suggestions would be great.

 

At the same time, some indication of snow cover would be handy. I know snow

amounts can be very variable but is there likely to be snow along the road in

Yellowstone, or only higher up? Are the lakes likely to be open/semi-open?

 

Looking forward to the responses - cheers,

 

Andrew Forrest

St. Albert, Alberta

Torres del Paine is certainly not the high Andes. In fact, one of the advantages of the park are the lower elevations which eliminate the risk of altitude sickness. A brief on-line search didn't reveal exact elevations, but the highest peaks are about 3000m or less than 2 miles. Most of the surrounding areas, from which stunning views can be had, are much lower. Altitude is not a problem. The Torres massif is truly stunning, and views can be had from many areas around its base. The Cuernos are visible from many areas of the park, including many roadsides and flat lakeshores. There are also comfortable lodgings within the park. I highly recommend you visit this area. I've been there once, and will be sure to return.

 

All the best - enjoy,

Andrew Forrest

the vermillion lakes is a stunning winter landscape location. if i'm not mistaken, a small area of the lake stays ice free all winter because of a naturally warm spring. great for reflection shots of mt. rundle. not only that, this location is a mere few minutes drive from main street banff. Castle Mtn., between Banff and Lake Louise, offers great lighting at sunrise during the winter. really, the options are endless. Darwin Wigett's "How to Photograph the Canadian Rockies" provides a number of great location tips. as for general comments, in terms of weather you can expect anything. from mild and sunny conditions to damn right cold and cloudy. for the roads, this means that it could be bare and dry, or you could be driving on nothing but ice. be prepared for either. the Parks offices typically keep road condition reports, otherwise check the Alberta Motor Association for their online highway reports. that said, many of the side roads at higher elevations are closed during the winter (eg. road to Moraine Lake) so make sure you check first. if you rent a car (which you should) a standard car should do you fine, but a 4x4 might give you a bit more flexibility if you happen to be around during some heavy snow. hope this helps. have a great trip - it's a beautiful area.

 

cheers,

Andrew Forrest (St. Albert, AB)

Can someone please confirm if the Tamron AF 55-200mm Di II LD Macro is

compatible with the Canon Digital Rebel Xti.

 

In Bob Atkin's review he states that the lens "has an EF compatible lens mount"

which makes me think that it is compatible.

 

Just looking for a confirmation before i hit 'purchase'.

 

Thanks,

Andrew

For a simple answer to your question, buy a copy of Darwin Wiggett's 'How to Photograph the Canadian Rockies'. In it he provides awesome advice on photo locations and more. The answers to your question are endless, but this book is as good of a compilation as i've seen.

Enjoy - best of luck,

Andrew

Jay - each month has its benefits. Things are still pretty snowy up high in June and some campgrounds and roads may not be open 'til mid month. This also means that some of the higher hiking trails will be impassable, but there'll be lots of snowcapped peaks still around. Also, the creeks and rivers will be flowing high - great for waterfalls. June is among the better months to find bears gorging on the fresh greenery. Come July and August everything is open, meaning a flood of visitors. These months also bring the best display of wildflowers.

Whenever you go, especially if your time is limited, i'd recommend picking up Darwin Wiggett's 'How to Photograph the Canadian Rockies'. Within this book, Darwin describes some of his favorite photos spots, complete with mileage, directions and best conditions. He includes the 'tourist traps', but also mentions several relatively unknown locales.

Enjoy the trip - the Rockies are a great place.

 

Andrew Forrest

St. Albert, Alberta

as the others have said, the well being of the owl has gotta come first. hooking up with a biologist is among the best ways to be sure of doing things right, and possibly your best chance of actually finding a nest. as for target species, i'd definitely avoid spotted because of its status. further, both it and the screech owls are cavity nesters - making them harder subjects to shoot. your best bet would be by far with great horneds - abundant, nest it open stick nests and relatively tolerant of human activity. that said, great care is still needed. as for timing, i guess it depends on where you are. great horneds could be nesting already, especially in southern latitudes, but up here (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) they typically nest in early spring. peak owl calling (again, around here) is not until March/April. hearing an owl is one thing, but finding the actual nest is another thing all together. again, great horneds provide an advantage here to. they don't build their own nests, instead reusing those of other species. because they typically nest before the leaves are out (at least up here) it is possible to scout existing nest locations in good habitat prior to the breeding season, then checking and listening once nesting season arrives. further, a pair of owls may reuse the same site in consecutive years. maybe check with the local bird watching club for sites from previous years. hope this helps.

try www.2filter.com. I've used them a couple times and I've been very happy with the service on both occaisions. I'm not sure if they have the top end singh-ray filters, but they have all the HiTech filters you could ask for. From what i've heard, HiTech are a great value for money - reasonably priced with good results.

hope this helps. you'll be very glad once you start using the filters.

 

andrew

thanks to all for your input. over the next little while i think i'll dabble in some of the recommended suggestions. i've got a roll of Agfa Ultra waiting to be used anyway. but, for the most part, i think i'll be shooting Velvia. when you think about it, how better to get 'Velvia looking' prints other than printing from Velvia?? i am, however, intrigued by Scott's recommendation of scanning the slides myself.

Scott, you say 'the results won't be as good if you do your own scanning given the digital mini-labs just aren't designed to know how to get proper scans from slides like thy are prints from negs'. Now i'm no expert, so I'm a bit confused as to how my own scanning would result in better prints compared to the local lab?? Further, what can I expect to shell out for a scanner that'll produce 'good' results? $500, more, less??

thanks again to all. these forums always prove to be such a valuable source of info.

 

Andrew

Sorry. By non-digital I meant not going the digital camera and PS route. I fully understand that scanning slides is a digital process. Thanks.