kathywilson

Mark - good to know. All sorts of things are advised against in instructions that users find perfectly valid to do. My USM/IS 28-135 is less than a year old, but I suppose could have been on the shelf a while... I have no idea what generation it is. I have noticed it seems to do fine on the tripod sometimes (can't always remember to turn it off) and not so well at other times. Since the only constant factor is me, I tend to think it's user error <g>.

 

Budget is good to think about too. The 28-135 was the most expensive (useful to me) lens I could afford at the time I bought it since I was also buying the camera and every other bit of gear I own... saved up a while too. I wish I had waited though. Much as I like the lens, it's not exactly what I'd like to have now after shooting with the 20d for most the year. I believe my next purchase will be an L prime, and at the cost of those things I might not opt for IS.

Pretty much everyone is right, but John Crowe adds the important missing component -- what are you shooting? IS on a tripod is expressly advised AGAINST in the instructions that come with IS lenses, because the sensor used to stabilize gets confused by stillness and will (supposedly) make your image *less* sharp when used on a tripod. It's strictly beneficial when shooting handheld - a handheld landscape in low-light conditions is perfect for IS, as are family gatherings etc etc. Analyze what you shoot most often and how to determine if you really have to have a feature costing $600 more. If you're going to be using that long lens handheld most the time - I'd probably pony up the extra cash.

Not all ratings go towards TRP measures. If someone rated your photo directly instead of it being in the critique forum, that rating won't count. You can check the Details tab, click on the number of ratings you have, then see how many rated directly - you'll see their names. All others came from the queue, and those will be the ratings counted by the TRP.

You should be able to see that effect far more often in the Smokies than here in the Rockies, but from what I understand some of the causes are the same. Here in the Rockies what generally will lead to the type morning you describe is a thunderstorm during early evening followed by a very calm night with residual high humidity. Ground temp vs air temp - a slightly warmer ground than air. The effect will be strongest well before sunrise, and here at least - fades very quickly once the sun starts coming up, though it lingers slightly longer in areas over water, and in shadow areas. You should have it easier in planning for that sort of thing - here it's not really something you can plan for. You get it or you don't. :)

James - I live in Colorado and do a lot of mountain shooting. A tripod is essential! Shoot RAW and don't worry about your white balance - you can do all you want to that later. *Definitely* be on the peak well before sunrise! The best sky colors come before sunrise in the mountains, especially if your skies are relatively cloud-free in the early morning as they are here in Colorado.

 

You mention you don't have any filters - I would consider getting a polarizer if nothing else. You get into hazy conditions in mountains quite often (especially at altitude), and a polarizer will really cut through that -- something you will not be able to do in post processing. They also have the added bonus of making skies darker though sun needs to be from your sides for maximum benefit - it won't be of much use shooting into the sun.

 

As far as composition - don't think just the wide view - get close. Zoom in on some of those peaks and go for the way slopes interact. Watch the light and shadows and see if they're making interesting patterns. Think abstract as well as concrete - ie: concrete would be shooting the range, abstract might be zooming in on light/shadows on a single peak or valley. Think portrait view as well as landscape. You mention there isn't anything in the foreground - but look again. Get on the ground and shoot the pebbles at your feet, shoot the edge of the cliff, or find a rock to perch against and use that to frame an edge... get low, get high, include other people against the view if you like (I tend not to put ppl in my landscapes, but they do add a sense of scale). Basically -- play! The best shot you make might be done on a whim because you thought of something that seemed ridiculous.

 

As far as vibrant colors - you're digital, you can do that in post processing. White balance on cloudy will generally add some saturation, but I prefer to handle color later.

 

Mainly -- make sure you take the tripod!! You might think you're steady as a rock, but with a long lens at zoom - there's no way you'll keep it still enough to be sharp. Never forget your tripod!

 

For the rest - have fun :)

Richard - in summer, the only way you can see the Bells is to take one of the busses - they won't allow individual cars to pass between 7am and 7pm, because it's too much traffic for the road and the environment. In winter it's just too dangerous! (for my tastes) But I hear you on the bus thing - it's likely why I've never gone despite being just about everywhere else in Colorado :)

If you use a long lens I advise you get something heavier -- put a relatively heavy camera (like the 20D) with a long lens on a lightweight tripod, and while the tripod might hold the weight - it won't hold the camera/lens stable enough in more than a slight breeze. Get heavier than you need, and chances are it will be stable enough for whatever you do.

I wouldn't take a Corolla to the Bells in November if someone paid me -- take a tour bus, they're everywhere and relatively cheap. All the other options sound good though. Trail Ridge Road will be closed in Nov, but Rocky Mountain Nat. Park is not to be missed - it's gorgeous year round, and with the exception of the two high roads, easily accessible. When you leave for Moab take i-70 to Grand Junction and take an hour or so to drive through Colorado National Monument -- gorgeous. Continue on out to Moab from there -- it's about 2.5-3hrs from Grand Junction. You'll take a road that goes in between Arches and Canyonlands, and if you have any time at all those are not to be missed either, though I vastly prefer Canyonlands (the Island in the Sky district) Enjoy!

Depends on where you are, the geography, the time of year, the weather, how far you've gone to get there for it, and if your karmic balance is good enough. Be there well before sunrise - know where the sun will be so you're in the best place for it when it gets there. Around my part of Colorado, if I'm no higher than about 6,000 feet, I've got 30-45 minutes of the very best light, another 30 minutes where post-processing can make an effective tweak - after that, it's gone. Higher than 6,000 feet there's far less time, and it starts earlier. It's all relative - main thing is, know the conditions for where you'll be, and when it's good - shoot!

well now I know what ppl are talking about when they say "HD" or "HDR"! My God... can this be done with something besides PS/CS2? I thought being able to take a picture was enough (composition etc) but something like this - makes even average pictures look magnificent. I may have to shell out for CS2 after all... if PS7 or PSP9-11 can't do it.

The darker, warmer image is fine - though there's nothing in the image itself to warrant that warmer look. But the "corrected" version also looks good. I think the corrected (while not perfect either) reflects a value for the skin more appropriate to the light. However - I've got two monitors side-by-side here... one of them (laptop) makes her appear pinkish. the NEC Multisync (moderately less sucky than former work monitor) image has no odd color cast. I think your choice is primarily one of taste - not calibration or color management. Some are going to like it, some won't, but it's "correct" as far as it goes.

I've wondered the same thing - and we're using the same camera. I know a lot of ppl are using a variety of filters, but I'm not. I find I have to tweak the curves and/or levels on almost all the photos even if I shoot in Auto. Under some conditions I've found I need to boost the saturation - like if the day (in my case it's sunrises) is foggy/cloudy. I guess the short answer is check levels, curves, contrast, saturation.

Hi Jim -- I was up near Beuna Vista Saturday, and while there are small splashes of color in the area, they are still another week or more away from peak color. The Cripple Creek area is still below peak as well.

 

Maroon Bells wasn't peak either from what I heard on Wednesday, though there are sections which were close to it. This from someone who works in the area.

 

I'm looking for info on Kebler Pass and Crested Butte areas...

 

Here's one of the websites I check:

 

http://www.npcolorado.net/forums/showthread.php?t=6

 

And you can also check the RMNP forums website:

 

http://www.rmnpforums.com/index.shtml

 

and the USDA fall color guide:

 

http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/recreation/fallcolors/

 

Providing we don't have any high winds or huge storms (insert hearty laugh here) I've heard the viewing could be quite nice two weeks into Oct!

I prefer PSP - but version 9 is better than 10, and from what Conrad said - better than 11 too. For the price, you simply can't beat PSP -though I also use Elements and other packages because certain tasks are better/faster/easier. What I really wish is that I could get something with my favorites parts of everything I use all in one place! BTW - either of those will handle RAW, though I think it's a nuisance in PSP. Elements does that better.

You won't be disappointed with PSP - sure, it's not PS, but it's not priced like PS either, it's easier to use, it's more intuitive, it's aimed squarely at photographers (but can do much much more) and you can do pretty much anything you want to do right out of the box. All that said, I do like Photoshop for some things - it does a much better B&W conversion, and corrects lens distortion better. I also use Google's Picasa - which is at the unbeatable price of: Free. It's super at straightening images, and it's also great for getting a very fast enhanced preview of images to see if you want to mess with them further (ie: the "I feel lucky" button).

Haven't been up there lately, but there are two sites I check religiously before setting out on a long drive in the state:

http://www.cotrip.org/

and

http://www.dot.state.co.us/

Both offer a wealth of road/travel information, but the cotrip site also had a lot of webcams set up across the state. You might also call some of the resorts in the area and ask about conditions before going up. Most of them (particularly Nat/State park rangers) will tell you absolute truth, and that's saved me a trip more than once.

 

And when it comes time for fall color -- most of the regional newspapers will publish drive-guides for the best viewing, along with when the areas are on/off peak. You can also get the same on webpages for the local tv news stations. Be looking for these things starting at the beginning of September. Depending on elevation, orientation and weather, conditions could change rapidly, and by the time you want to go, it could be over in the Crested Butte area (or not - you just have to pay attention.

 

Enjoy!

You can get some good shots of the dunes from the moment you arrive, but it's also true you'll get better by hiking in, and that will take you far longer than the time you have allowed. Also, by late September it's possible there will be snow (not 100%, but definitely possible) and the Sand Dunes covered in snow look like anything else covered in snow. Trust me. The Gunnison will offer easier opportunity to get a lot of different shots, purely because once you're in it, you're in it, and you won't need a lot of time to get deeply into it on foot. Having seen the dunes, I'd probably spend more time at the BC - it's not as familiar a photographic sight for others.

Have to echo John De bord - I live in Colorado as well, and loved RMNP long before I learned to love a camera. August is beautiful up there, and you have full range of landscape from meadow, to morraine, to forest, to alpine scrub and above tree-line rock. There are dozens of lakes, prime animal viewing, easy access to popular locales, and space for a strenuous hike for something less seen. Snow isn't often a threat (that may not be true on Trailridge Road which can see snow most months of the year) and the weather is mild. The drive John suggests is lovely, but you can go all through the park and on anything passing for a road anywhere near it and find soemthing lovely to shoot. Glacier has it's own charms of course, and I wouldn't pass it up if I had the chance to see it, but RMNP is a little jewel of a park with the rest of the Rockies right nearby.

you're looking at major miles on the car... but in any case, snow is possible in Sept, but not *incredibly* likely. You stand a good chance of being snow free, but if it's important, make sure and go the first week. Personally, I find above-treeline mountains vastly improved by a fall of snow, but mileage differs. :)

Cold will drain the batteries for sure, as will all the other things - lenses, LCD etc. Know how you shoot, and expect to double that on a vacation. A battery and a spare should be sufficient if you're recharging at night. I'd be more concernred to pack extra storage to be honest, or carry something to offload to. Fall color will be gone by then or near so, but don't worry - I've been up there in late fall, late winter and near spring, and it's always gorgeous. I envy you your trip! Enjoy!

You run the risk of being past prime (or well past it some years) the first week of October, but I think it's impossible to take a bad photograph in that area of the country. Read the web sites, books, forums - but mainly just get out there and look around. Follow trails, if you're good in the outdoors - don't fear losing sight of the road. Get 15 feet off a road and you'll feel like the only person for miles. Enjoy!

It's absolutely possible - and without becoming a contortionist, perfectionist, or sunrise/sunset freak. Also, anyone asking for RAW files likely already knows that they are, as name would suggest, RAW. They *will* need sharpening and other adjustment no matter how perfect your technique is. That's simply the nature of the format. But as to the rest -- get out there and shoot, chimp like Cheetah, and view enough of your own work that you see what works and what doesn't, altering accordingly. Rule out any problems with your camera, but the XT is quite good, and is perfectly able to do you justice.

I bought a Canon A95 a while back thinking it would last me quite a while - great little camera. Loved every moment I spent with it, and recently sold it to my brother, because p&s -- no matter how advanced -- no longer did what I wanted to do. I bought it to learn on, little knowing I'd outrun it a scant six months later. I waited an additional year until I could afford the 20d, and I've never looked back. I even held on to the A95 thinking I'd use it as a backup or on those "snap shot" days, but it just sat there getting dusty. Now my brother loves it. Point is -- if you think you will do more than "snap shots," or want to learn far more about photography, then you could well find getting a consumer model SLR like the Digital Rebel to be money well spent. But if you "just" want to take nice pictures - even *very* nice pictures (check my portfolio out, most of those were with the A95) without thinking *too* much then stick with P&S. Besides, should that never-still lab decide to make a snack of your P&S, you won't be nearly as upset as if he ate your $1000 lens <g> I would advise a new camera either way though -- that Powershot of yours sounds wonky, and at 4 years old is definitely ancient in the world of digital.

way too much in your schedule. And if you want to hit things near Moab like Arches -- you should base in Moab. The drive from Vegas to do that, while pretty, will eat up a significant amount of shooting time. Trust me. I've been out there several times, and used to live in Vegas. Plus -- the time you're going isn't going to be ideal. The fires, the heat, the haze, the lack of water... I could go on. You're in for a rough trip if you try to do what you're proposing, and that's going to ruin your experience in such a unique region of the country. The only other thing is that there's no such thing as "too much water" -- pack as much as you can carry, and *drink* it. If you're thirsty, it could already be too late. And find somewhere cool during the height of the day -- not even scorpions are out admiring the scenery in mid-day. Good luck!

I drove from Colorado Springs to Overland Park, Kansas on a business trip back in February. I thought I'd actually enjoy the chance to stop and take photos of such a flat place since I'd developed a fondness for the prairies near the Springs.

 

But I was horribly wrong.

 

There are folks who love the flatlands, but it drove me crazy. Other than farm architecture (of which there is plenty) I couldn't see a thing I really wanted on film, and I *tried*. After that trip, I resolved to fly...

 

But if you can find something to break the horizon (and show scale), and you have a particularly good sky to add some interest -- a wide angle lens on the wide open spaces will illustrate better than anything how big this country really is. Good luck on your trip. :)