jim_roetzel1

Wildlife images that are technically correct & aesthetically engaging are rare no matter where or what you are photographing. Unique polar bear images are difficult to come by given the limitations of shooting in Churchill: tundra buggies, bunk houses, or 4x4's at particular risk. Add to that the daily snow and sun anxieties, along with a dash of local eco-politics, it can be very difficult to get good images. Given the logistics of photographing Churchill's wonderful Polar Bears- 40 good frames out of 60 rolls seems pretty good.

Roland- as you said "All these little tubes do to transmit elecontric information is have a few wires run from the lens mounting end to the

F mount end."

 

Sort of makes you wonder why Nikon has yet to make them.

 

Jim

"I'm familiar with Shaw's Business of Nature Photography and the other standard references ... I'm sure it's all good advice, but I figure it's been a while since Shaw was in a position that photo editors wouldn't take his phone calls and he may not have the most up-to-date

perspective on the best way to break into the market initially."

 

Mark- Shaw practices what he preaches in his book, you would do well to follow his formula. Here's another way to think about it: Nature photographers know the work and names- Shaw, Wolf, Brandenburg- editors don't. The most recognized names in nature photography have to constantly introduce themselves to editors- because editors are always changing. The majority of working photographers follow practices very similar to those Shaw details in his book.

 

good luck

Jim Roetzel

Its not a camera case per se but this will work with your 300/4. Outdoor Research makes a padded case for water bottles . Any outdoor equipment store will probably carry them. It has a zippered top and belt loop. Your 300/4 will be snug in it but it will fit. I actually own a number of them- also great for your SB# flash and most flash accessories.

 

good shooting

Jim

Love the new camera body- fast, user friendly mechanics, nice

viewfinder- a little pricey but so are pick up trucks these day.

 

Question to the Canon nature shooters- if you own an EOS 3- is your

meter off by 2/3 of a stop too? I own 2 bodies both are off by 2/3

almost a full stop on one. If I shoot a medium toned subject its 2/3

to a full stop underexposed- every time and in every metering mode. I

know I can reset ISO or dial in compensation but- a camera with this

price tag and hype should have a more accurate meter.

 

I shoot nature and like most I shoot slide film exclusively - so I'd

like to hear from other nature/chrome shooters. I'm doing this to

give some feedback to Canon.

 

 

 

thanks

Jim

Does any one know if Nikon has AF tubes coming. Maybe there's a lot

more to it than I realize. I know the Kenko's work- but friends who

use them are not happy. I realize AF tubes aren't necessary in

traditional close-up work- in fact I think AF might get in the way of

precise depth of field focusing. I am thinking of their use in

concert with a long lens. I use Canon and don't want to start a

Canon V Nikon thing- but I use my tubes often in bird photography with

a 600/4- and they perform quite well- the lens is not as fast as

without the tubes but it does work. (I lead workshops on a local

level and this question came up last week.)

 

thanks

Jim

Mark- another major concern of hot lights in nature work is the impact of the heat on your subjects- they're called hot because they are. I would opt for strobes with diffusion (many small soft boxes out there) and/or reflectors over hot lights. You won't have the control you're after- so bracket a little, do some test strips- just fine tune your lights/exposure. If you use flash/strobes in concert with soft boxes- keep the soft box close to your subjects- you should like the results.