jwallphoto

<p>I'm in a similar dilemma, wanting to replace my D200. I also shoot landscapes and would buy a 16-35mm to replace my 12-24mm DX lens on the D700. Big bucks. What I really need is one of each, a D300 and a D700. But it gets worse because I figure both those models could be getting replaced w/in the year. So I'm going to wait and see, and save my $$$ in the meantime.</p>

<p>I think if you've got enough light to keep your shutter speed where it needs to be, then go ahead and use it. I believe it'll knock down glare to some extent on just about anything. I've used one to shoot stationary dragonflies in harsh light, and it helps.</p>

<p>Have you considered keeping something like a P100 in a pouch on your chest strap while you keep your D700, etc. in the backpack? That way you can get the grab shots and record-the-trip shots, but still have the "real" gear for situations that deserve more time and effort (and where you'll want to take your pack off anyway).</p>

<p>I'm still using my D200 and will keep it until it goes belly-up. But then I only stopped using my film camera when all the local E6 labs closed down for lack of business. I'm waiting at least for the next iteration of the D700. It's a boatload of bucks for a guy who works at a non-profit organization, so I'm really hoping for perfection, and that doesn't mean 95% viewfinder accuracy and playing second fiddle to the Canon 5D Mk II.</p>

<p>If you want to get all the way to the ground, get a tripod w/o a center post. I'd also highly recommend steering clear of inverted posts. They will take the joy right out of macro photography. You can also do some hand-held macro using a flash, but of course if you want to get into focus-stacking, you must use a tripod.</p>

<p>Maybe double-major in business and marketing as well as photography? Mike Moats, for example, was a businessman before he was a pro photographer. He knows and loves running a business. The dentist idea is actually pretty good if you have some desire to do it. Also, a California Highway Patrol officer makes decent money and gets 2 months off every year. What I love about nature photography has nothing to do with running a business. I work part-time and have enough time and energy (and just barely enough income) to do what I like to do, which is get outdoors and do nature photography.</p>

<p>Right, it's MC-30, not ML-20. That's what I get for not checking before posting. So I guess the answer is to leave it be. Even w/o screwing it in, the cable release stays put better than the cable release I used with my old F3, so why complain. I always felt the screw-in was a pain in the butt anyway, especially with cold fingers.</p>

<p>One week I'm out shooting with no problems. The next time I go out, I can't screw the ML-20 into the 10-pin terminal. I think it's just my lousy near-vision and put on glasses. Still no dice. I think it's the ML-20's fault and try a replacement. The brand-new replacement doesn't screw in either. Anyone else ever come up against this? This is my only camera and I'd hate to have to send it to Nikon for a repair that could take a very long time.</p>

<p>I've made the cross-country trip a few times, but was always in a bit of a rush, yet I still saw lots of stuff. Two weeks is tons of time. I've gone the northern route and a southern route, and they're both excellent. Besides the weather in the northern route, you might also consider where in California you want to end up -- northern or southern? It basically takes all day to drive from San Diego to San Francisco, for instance.</p>

<p>I still say there's nothing like spreading out a map and picking your own stops. Driving a U-Haul, even without a trailer, will suck gas, so you want your route to be efficient. If it were me driving that beast, I'd tend to go to fewer places and stay longer in each one. Weather-permitting, your bike could come in very handy in that scenario. Even a bicycle bike could come in handy.</p>

<p>If you're camping at all, you'll be able to camp pretty much anywhere without a reservation in November, assuming a campground is still open. If you take a northern route, I'd definitely hit Yellowstone. From there you could head up past the Tetons to Washington State (Mt. Ranier) and over to the Olympic Peninsula, then make the excellent drive all the way down the coast. Actually, if you figured out your basic route, people could probably suggest things to see along that route. Otherwise your suggestions could make your route look like one of those maps of flight corridors you see in the back of airline magazines.</p>

<p>The big "if" in your November plans is going to be the weather.</p>

<p>Two weeks is a lot of time for the trip. You could make numerous stops. Get out a map and pick the places you want to see. Maybe pick a southern route and a northern, then let the weather help you decide. You haven't even mentioned what kinds of things you'd like to see -- Yellowstone (Wyoming), or the Mall of America (Minnesota)? </p>

<p>What is it about hemlock trees that makes them interesting? Answer that, Grasshopper, and you'll have your movie. ;)</p>

<p>All I can say is be careful. I lost all my keywords when I installed LR2. I think I clicked on something I shouldn't have when I did the install....</p>

<p>What an excellent thread. I read a lot of Jung's work back in the day, but never heard of the "Psychology and Literature" piece. I'll have to look for that. I've just been getting to the "philosophy of photography" lately (<a href="http://jwallphoto.blogspot.com/2009/09/photo-shaman.html">http://jwallphoto.blogspot.com/2009/09/photo-shaman.html</a>) and am glad to see that I can jump back in with an old "friend" like Jung.</p>

<p>Another nice thing about using the tripod (w/ quick-release plate to keep your options open) with a 300/4 and 1.7X (much smaller than the 2X), is that in the case of your swallows, you could have let them fly away, then moved in closer with your tripod and awaited their return without straining yourself. Birds don't always return to their perch, but they often do. The point is that, as you learn the habits of your subjects, as you learn to move less obtrusively in their habitat, you can alter your technique to get better images. </p>

<p>A 10-year-old thread, but more food for thought: <a href="http://www.photo.net/nature-photography-forum/000a5J">http://www.photo.net/nature-photography-forum/000a5J</a></p>

<p>You don't have to get them to hold still to do good work. If you look at this photographer's profile you can see his rig and get some ideas: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnhallmen/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnhallmen/</a></p>

<p>What do you shoot wide open at 1:1?!</p>

<p>Emmanuel, I know you don't believe that going out and finding animals to photograph while you're still behind the lens requires no time and work!</p>

<p>Anyway, I remembered another solution that's a cross between camera-trapping and being behind the lens. You can have the camera set up and fire it remotely when you know an animal is in position. The guy who does this blog (<a href="http://www.my-photo-blog.com/">http://www.my-photo-blog.com/</a>) used the set-up to photograph bears moving along a river. Sorry I can't locate the exact post, but he'd probably respond to an email.</p>

<p>With very few exceptions, such as with snow leopards and jaguars and some other stuff I've seen in National Geographic where they have nearly limitless budgets and a staff of engineers to build whatever they need, the camera-trapped shots I've seen always look camera-trapped.</p>

<p>A couple of blogs you might be interested in perusing:<br>

<a href="http://cameratrapcodger.blogspot.com/">http://cameratrapcodger.blogspot.com/</a><br>

<a href="http://gamecamera-logbook.blogspot.com/">http://gamecamera-logbook.blogspot.com/</a></p>

<p>I've found the on-camera settings a bit too heavy-handed. Edward's remarks about Lightroom 2 are right on. You can easily use a slider to dial in exactly the correction you want and easily apply that same correction to all your images. Also, the basic cable release for the D200 is really great. It screws in and stays put. Much easier than using self-timer.</p>

<p>For the purpose of a day trip I have a dedicated camera backpack. It's got a lightweight daypack attached for carrying extras (light jacket, water, food), and I usually have a fanny pack (pack carried in the front so it doesn't interfere with the backpack) for things (filters, binocs) that I want handy. <br>

I do have padded lens cases that I use when I want to go super lightweight with minimal equipment. I put all that stuff in a standard daypack. I usually carry my camera attached to the tripod and slung over my shoulder, but if I put the body in the pack it just goes in a plastic bag and gets placed inside the pack so that it doesn't gouge me. Clothing can help with additional padding, but should not contact your gear directly.<br>

One thing you definitely don't want to do is wrap your lenses in clothing! Eventually, the lint will get into your lenses and require professional cleaning. This I learned the hard way.</p>

<p>"Lom says the biggest challenge is convincing the photography world to give away stock photography for free."<br>

But why?! ;)</p>

<p>If you like nature, check out Jepson Prairie Preserve and Cosumnes River Preserve. Both doable in a day from Vacaville.</p>

<p>I did a blog (<a href="http://www.jwallphoto.blogspot.com/">http://www.jwallphoto.blogspot.com/</a>), turned the blog into a Blurb, then started another blog with several other photographers. If I know the species of something I post it to UC Berkeley's Calphotos web site (<a href="http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/">http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/</a>). I donate pix to an environmental organization and either donate or charge a nominal fee to other nonprofits or similar orgs (<a href="http://www.mttam.net/">http://www.mttam.net/</a>) if they ask for a photo(s).</p>

<p>Nice to have a little point-n-shoot, like a Panasonic FZ-28, in a small case on the sternum strap if you can't put your real camera there. You definitely don't want to have to get into the whole kit and caboodle every time you want to take a shot.</p>