rawrainforest

<p>One last thought Skip, which I need to add to our FAQs. Microscopic fungal spores are in the air constantly in rainforest environments, but you just don't seem then. So it's a good idea to wipe your lenses after shooting to minimize chances of them getting into and "sprouting" as those nasty filamentous growths on the interior of your gear. Some people use an alcohol wipe. Best, Bruce</p>

<p>Hi Skip - <br /><br />As for white balance, go for shady/cloudy when using ambient light for your closeups, and then you can color adjust entire batches of images in Lightroom. Don't know you intentions for the images, but sharpness may not be optimal with 18-200 zoom range on a lens. I like breaking it down into maybe a 20-something - 100, then slight overlap with 70/80-200 lenses. On macros, consider the 100 macro to have more working space so you're not bumping leaves, scaring herps or getting too much of background in focus. Think you meant the Bogen 3021 lens. <br>

Regarding your concerns about humidity, I just lifted this from the FAQs section of my tour site www.rawrainforest.com. You might also be interested in my new Blue Earth project "Amazon Headwaters" at blueearth.org If you're looking for a great photography tour program in Costa Rica and a great guide!, contact my friend Greg Basco at www.fotoverdetours.com <br>

All the best,<br>

Bruce Farnsworth<br>

www.brucefarnsworth.com<br>

"How do I keep my equipment safe from humidity while in the rainforest" <br />(from http://rawrainforest.com/faqs/) <br>

The lush cloud forests and rain forests for which Ecuador is famous means that your camera gear will be exposed to high humidity. During relatively short tour visits, we’ve never had problems with our gear here in Ecuador and neither have our clients. Humidity is not a reason to miss the rainforest environment. Nonetheless, a three-pronged strategy will help avoid damage to your gear and allow you to concentrate on your photography.<br>

First, pack your gear well in water repellant camera bags. Fungal growth is not critical on short stays in the tropics, but it is cheap insurance to use desiccation units to minimize the conditions for fungus growth. Those little crystal packets that come with cameras and lenses do very little. They have no indicator to tell you when they are saturated and require an oven to “recharge” them. Consider the smaller version of the new “plug-in” units made by EVA. Keep one in your camera case during the night, then leave it plugged into a wall outlet during the day while you’re photographing. Whenever possible, pack each piece of gear into ziploc bags to avoid condensation that might occur when you take your equipment from cooler or air-conditioned indoor settings to the outdoors.<br>

Second, try to avoid actually getting your gear wet. We try to send our photo clients to lodges with covered shooting areas but these are not always available. A good rain cover for your camera and/or a small umbrella can be very useful. Rain showers can come down suddenly when you are out with your camera. Along with a mini-umbrella, it’s good to have a couple large trash bags stored in your camera bag. We like the all-weather camera bags offered by Lowe Pro and Think Tank.<br>

Links for the aforementioned gear which protects your gear from the elements can be found on our <a title="Resources for Nature Photographers" href="http://rawrainforest.com/resources-for-nature-photographers/" target="_blank">Resources for Nature Photographers</a> page. If we experience a rainy day, you may want to have a compact folding travel hair dryer to blow over your equipment when you return to the lodge (using the “no heat” setting). Our wilderness lodges do not provide hair dryers in the rooms."</p>

<p>Hi Emmanuel,<br>

I feel for you. Planning cam-trap work for editorial work in upper Amazon basin. When you are looking for SB-28’s do not buy the DX model. It is cheaper but does not have a good standby mode and will only last about 24 hours. The SB-28 charges up the capacitors that provide the high voltage for the flash before going back into standby and then monitors the voltage when in standby. This gives it instant wakeup. Good call on setting the triggering pulse. The recharge time between shots is dependent on the intensity of the flash as you know, but do consider researching animal's seasonal and daily behavior, so you can devote batteries to best times. You may have better results at dusk/dawn and just set an exposure for that.</p>

<p>For some details on good coverage I found, check out my post on another thread here: http://www.photo.net/business-photography-forum/00YiI5<br>

and look at packagechoice.com<br>

All the best, Bruce</p>

<p>What we're discussing here is <em>professional </em>photography liability insurance.<br>

Micah, many thanks for your posting! Great timing! I contacted Hill & Usher in Phoenix (602) 667-1813, and spoke with Breena who was great! (breena.davenport@hillusher.com). She gave me a fast quote and referred me to their specialty division at www.packagechoice.com dedicated to media professionals. I will be submitting an app there.<br>

By the way, I received a quote of $650-700/year for international professional liability coverage (1million single/3 million agregate) that includes 15K camera gear, 15K computer, 15K misc. Also includes 35K E&O and the policy will cover me for workshop as well as long as established firms provide the transport (vs. carrying clients in my own vehicle haha). Since my vehicle is a dugout canoe as often as it is a car, they won't require "evidence of forced entry" for theft from a canoe I'm told. Just the police report. Note: lost/damaged/stolen gear is covered at replacement cost, and on the international coverage, the annual premium must be paid in one lump sum.<br>

Great coverage, and judging from Micah's experience, I feel real good about Hill & Usher/Package Choice!<br>

Best,<br>

Bruce</p>

<p>Hi James,<br>

I like the s<a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/57855-REG/Tiffen_44CGN9S_4_x_4_Graduated.html/">quare glass Tiffen split ND filters</a>. With square filters (using a Cokin-type holder or handheld), ability to place transition exactly where you need it including off-center. It may be that you don't need the polarizer, but I haven't seen your image to which you refer. Shoot under lower light as others suggest. Adding too many filters could affect optics/clarity. <br /><br />Best,<br>

Bruce Farnsworth</p>

<p>Hi Dave,<br>

There is a very rich quality to the lighting on your katydid shown here. You did a fine job! Those insects, with their forward-slanting face, legs and antenna protruding at all angles, are one of the hardest to photograph well. Shaw was a pioneer in his closeup book... one of my favorite combos still for work > 1X is reversing the enlarging lens on a standard 200mm!<br /><br />I'm a Canon guy these days and love the MT-24EX setup, but for you, I would really recommend using two small TTL strobes on flex arms or something, so you can fill the shadow created by the main light (and have some spill onto the background) and still have control over the lighting direction/dimension. The short pulse of strobe light really helps with sharpness. Ring lights are OK, but the light is often very uniform, and reflections in your subjects' eyes (eyes big enough to show it) reveal the unnatural light source. <br /><br />I know you didn't ask about lenses in your initial post, but in a later response it came up. Macro lenses are flat field, giving sharpness edge-to-edge. An image may be adequate for web viewing, but if doing high-res for publication, you might want to think about a macro lens vs. a zoom with "macro feature". If your closeup lens is a two-element made by Nikon that will give much better resolution than a single element sold by one of the third party manufacturers. I would need to check if you'd get TTL metering (very precise flash exposure) using an older 55mm f/2.8 AI micro-nikkor lens on your camera. Getting one of those used might be good. It does relate to lighting because the larger aperture allows better focusing, and because the macros focus closer, your lights also move closer creating a softer quality to the light (larger light source in relation to subject...ala cloudy day vs. pinpoint source of light from the sun).</p>

<p>One last thought, think about getting a small light and strapping it on your main strobe with a rubber band or velcro. This will give you a "modeling" lamp to preview lighting and make focusing easier. Some of these lights even have a zoom feature which will emulate the coverage of your flash for even better anticipation of your lighting results. I like the ones from Pelican, and there are some bright LED models out there now. I just included tips on nighttime closeup work in the downloadable white paper available to subscribers at my tour site rawrainforest-dot-com</p>

<p>All the best!<br>

Bruce Farnsworth<img src="http://www.brucefarnsworth.com/#a=0&at=0&mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=18&p=0" alt="" /><img src="http://www.rawrainforest.com/RAW_Gallery_LR_NWC/" alt="" /></p><div></div>

<p><img src="http://www.rawrainforest.com" alt="" />Hey there, Glenn. I photographed in New Zealand three years and in the Amazon basin for six.<br />There are fancy rain cover out there, but you'd be amazed what can be done with a large heavy-duty ziploc bag and a couple rubber bands. Consider getting a box of 6-mil heavy-duty polyethylene bags for makeshift camera covers and overnight storage bags. Look at the LowePro AW bags with pull-out rain-covers and pack a big black trash bag "just in case." You might like the Trekkers or their fast-opening "shoot from the hip" styles.<br /> The new EvaDry plug-in rechargeable dehumidifiers for great for long-term work in humid tropical environments. I don't know where exactly you will be in NZ, but over the course of a year, fungal spores in the air could enter your lens. Wipe your lenses at the end of a day's shooting. Spores can become filaments and actually etch the internal lens elements. Place an Eva-Dry into a big heavy-duty ziploc bag with your gear, squeeze the air out and store overnight. Product links on t<a href="http://www.rawrainforest.com/links_nature_photo_resources.htm">his page</a> of my tour site. All the best, Bruce</p>

<p>I'm with Scott. Otherwise, you might find yourself helpless at sunrise - as a photo op presents itself and you are waiting for camera, viewfinder and lens to clear up. </p>

<p> </p>

<p>You might consider leaving the 50, 85 behind. Granted, those large apertures help viewing, but you've got a couple solid zoom lenses. Also the D3 has very low noise at high ISO. You might even leave the 1.4X behind since the D2's smaller sensor will boost magnification on your teles. The more gear you bring, the more pieces to worry about. Use a potato sack or something local to camouflage your bag, cutting slots for handles and straps. Seems risk of theft is proportionate to the number of transfers made (plane - train - automobile). Have fun.</p>

<p>I lived in NZ for three years and loved it. Definitely give Abel Tasman 3 days and consider hiring bush pilot from Milford Sound out to mouth of Hollyford River. Long Reef has colony of NZ fur seals and Fiordland Crested penguins. Allow sometime for beachcombing on the west coast of NZ, although be careful with ocean conditions and never turn your back on the waves. You should tie in a bike ride down the coast past Punakaiki (pancake rocks) and a helicopter ride up onto the Franz Josef glacier. You might appreciate a briefing on NZ slang such as the book Kiwi Speak by Justin Brown. Have fun! Bruce</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Hi Eric,<br>

Since your primary concern appears to be "photography equipment" - although I don't see that gear listed - you might look at the LowePro backpack line. I have used their larger Trekker bags for many years. If you're just train-hopping around Italy and Europe, you could increase capacity/reduce weight of the bag by temporarily removing the hi-density foam interior panels that come with the bag and using your clothing as padding instead (except for the stinky stuff I suppose). The bag has an internal frame. That way you come away with a totally awesome camera backback out of the trip. <br>

Happy travels!<br>

Bruce Farnsworth</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Just an afterthought Marc...if you are referring to a field guide, your best field guide is The Birds of Ecuador, Vol. 2 by Ridgely, Greenfield and Gill. Buy it before you leave and get a cover/ziploc bag for it. Take care, Bruce</p>

<p><img title="Copy selction" src="http://www.qtl.co.il/img/copy.png" alt="" /><a title="Search With Google" href="http://www.google.com/search?q=which%20you%20should%20buy%20before%20you%20leave%20and%20get%20a%20cover/ziploc%20bag%20for%20it." target="_blank"><img src="http://www.google.com/favicon.ico" alt="" /></a></p><div></div>

<p><img src="http://www.brucefarnsworth.com/#a=0&at=0&mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=0&p=1" alt="" />The Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge and Reserve is a very affordable option. Their trails can take you far from the lodge and really enjoy the forest. They are very nice people who employ Quito university biology students who know their birds as guides, so it's a good organization to support. They can pick you up in Quito as well, and offer a variety of additional locations and tours at very reasonable rates. I have a photography tour next summer which will begin at Bellavista before we spend five days in Yasuní National Park, hosted by the lowland Quichua community of Añangu. <br /> All the best,<br /> Bruce<br /> http://www.bellavistacloudforest.com/english/index.php<br /> http://www.rawrainforest.com</p>

<p>Hi Marc,<br>

I think you're referring to Sani Lodge. A good operation which is owned and operated by the Sani lowland Quichua community, and those are the kind of enterprises you want to support. You might also consider my next 8 day tour of cloud forest and Yasuní National Park in August 2011. <br>

I support the Añangu community and their Napo Wildlife Center with my tour there in August. Nicknames like "parrot world" are common in the neotropical tourism industry like "virgin jungle" and so forth. I would argue that Napo Wildlife Center is better for parrots, and certainly more reliable. On their lands are several parrot clay licks, two of which are open for viewing to visitors. Their "parrot lick" commonly hosts hundreds of Mealy Parrot, Orange-winged Parrot, Yellow-crowned parrot, Blue-headed Parrot, Dusky-headed Parakeet, and sometimes White-eyed and Cobalt-winged parakeets. Their parakeet lick is the place to see masses of Cobalt-winged Parakeets. From about October to the first part of April, Orange-cheeked Parrots are frequent. The Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet and occasional Scarlet and Red-and-Green macaws visit that lick also. <br>

The Sacha and La Selva lodges actually visit their site, and in the process, Añangu ensures that national park entrance fees are collected from their visitors. Unlike Sani, the Añangu is inside Yasuní National Park and they contribute to it's protection as Añangu members patrol park lands extending outside their own community.<br>

Consider a visit to www.rawrainforest.com</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

<p>Hi Marc,<br>

Guyana does have some travel advisories related to crime, specifically in Georgetown, Bartica and Buxton. Go to the U.S. State Department page for Guyana at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1133.html (look at safety/security).<br>

I don't know Guyana well, but I DO know Ecuador. Ecuador is wonderful. You'll be very happy I reckon if you go to Quito and then just plop yourself down in the community of Mindo. There many cozy lodges, and it is a mecca for birders. Veteran birders will refer you to the best locations and lodges from there.<br>

As for your safety concerns, generally speaking anywhere in Latin America the idea is to travel simply. Walk with confidence, dress low-key. Be aware of your surroundings, but be sure to enjoy the intimacy of conversation unlike anywhere else, even if only to practice your Spanish skills. In cities, use taxis and shuttle drivers arranged by your lodge or hotel. Avoid traveling at night, especially in city centers. Maybe carry your camera bag in a local potato sack when transitioning through airports and bus stations. Once you're in a ecotourism destination in Ecuador, you're fine, and I suspect it's similar in Guyana. Also look at TripAdvisor.com and the South American Explorer's club website for more information.<br>

All the best,<br>

Bruce Farnsworth</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

<p>Hi Stephanie,<br>

You might like the online tutorials provided by PhotoFlex lighting at <a href="http://www.photoflexlightingschool.com/Lighting_Lessons/Basic_Lighting/Portrait_Indoor/index.html">this site</a> . Lots of excellent and free education here to get you started. They also offer a very reasonable priced web-school which offers a much expanded collection of tutorials. When I need to do studio-style portraits, I get by with the basics and it's often rather improvisational. I would choose these tutorials for the same reason many people choose recipes - you can make great photographs (meals) using common ingredients. You don't need high-end quartz strobes (substitute specialized culinary gear and esoteric spices) to get great results. <br /> <br /> Online resources like this will get you introduced to the terminology, lighting principles, equipment and techniques. Once you get started replicating these tutorials you will enjoy many personal realizations that only come with some practice and experimentation. You'll discover new ways of doing things and have a real sense of achievement I'm sure.<br>

Once you're moving along, then you might attend a workshop of a photographer you admire. As far as the business side goes or selling your work, if you have a knack for photography already, I tend to say you should invest in a website, gallery/visibility and e-mail marketing vs. spending large sums of cash for formal photography school. <br>

All the best, <br>

Bruce Farnsworth</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Top photography schools in the U.S. include Brooks Institute and fine art programs throughout the major universities. Search "photography schools" and "reviews" in Google. In the current economy of the U.S. you will need a sizable budget for living expenses, tuition and multiple formats of equipment (35mm, medium and large format) which the school may require you to purchase such as Brooks. The tuition alone could run $20,000-30,000/year for non-resident tuition. <br /> <br /> I've seen the job posting boards at photography businesses and movie industry shops in Hollywood, California. They are littered with the "assistant job wanted" notes of Brooks Institute graduates whose educations cost over $50,000. Consider perhaps placing your efforts and finances with finding a master photographer mentor in Asia. Also, I don't know visa policies for you in obtaining an education visa for schooling, or a work visa for an internship should you need either of those. I don't want to discourage you, rather encourage you to look at the big picture in terms of costs and marketplace for photography students at this time. All the best to you.</p>

<p><img title="Copy selction" src="http://www.qtl.co.il/img/copy.png" alt="" title="Copy selction" /> <a title="Search With Google" href="http://www.google.com/search?q=where%20you%20are." target="_blank" title="Search With Google"><img src="http://www.google.com/favicon.ico" alt="" /> </a> <img title="Translate With Babylon" src="http://www.babylon.com/favicon.ico" alt="" title="Translate With Babylon" /></p>

<p> </p>

<p>Hi Nilas,<br /> <br /> My editorial work focuses on Amazonian Ecuador, and I lead a tour there also. During my six years of residence and summers up through 2006 when I converted to digital, I had all my slide film processed exclusively at two locations in Quito where most pros went: Fujifilm and Fotorama. I highly recommend them for your print-processing needs as well.<br /> <br /> Fujifilm is the Fuji distributor for Ecuador (near corner of Amazonas and Colon). They will print a roll of 36 and give you 4x6 prints for $9.50. Since you'd like to post them on Flickr, you'll probably want them burned to CD. That's for $4.00 processing included (I verified that with a phone call this morning). There are other print labs along Ave. Amazonas moving south from Fujicolor. <br /> <br /> Now if you need to process slide film, that's a different can of worms. The proliferation of digital technology in Ecuador has rendered slide processing equipment almost obsolete. You will pay a $1.40 PER FRAME for E-6 slide film (that's right, per frame!) at Fujifilm, or $43.20 for a roll of 36! For E-6, possibly Kodachrome and all your print processing, I also highly recommend Fotorama at Roca 231 y Tamayo, about 150 yards down Roca from the Catholic University.</p>

<ul>

<li> Here's a <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&ll=-0.203247,-78.48474&spn=0.039568,0.06197&z=15&msid=100729622894734401734.00047e8b4488018cc781d">Google map</a> I made for you which shows these two locations in Quito.</li>

</ul>

<ul>

<li>Here's a <a href="http://www.in-quito.com/picture-development-quito-ecuador/quito-picture-development.htm">webpage</a> I found with contact information for these and other labs in Quito. </li>

</ul>

<p>I won't presume you're not already fluent in Spanish, but once you get a taxi ride, this may help:</p>

<ul>

<li>I want you to burn these pictures to a CD = "Quiero que me des quemando estas fotos a un CD"</li>

</ul>

<ul>

<li>How much does this film cost? = "Cuanto cuesta este rollo de película?"</li>

</ul>

<p><br /> All the best on your adventure!!<br /> Bruce Farnsworth</p>

<p><img title="Copy selction" src="http://www.qtl.co.il/img/copy.png" alt="" title="Copy selction" /> <a title="Search With Google" href="http://www.google.com/search?q=Google%20map" target="_blank" title="Search With Google"><img src="http://www.google.com/favicon.ico" alt="" /> </a> <img title="Translate With Babylon" src="http://www.babylon.com/favicon.ico" alt="" title="Translate With Babylon" /><br>

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<p>Just curious what subject matter you are photographing. Sometimes there can be creative ways to stabilize the camera without a tripod. Even under low light, there are often moments of still as animals transition from one movement to another which would facilitate sharper images. <br>

You will notice the difference at those print sizes as you go from ISO 100 > 800, but your decision will be as much as aesthetic one as a technical one. You will have a readable image, but the added "texture" can be complementary depending on your scene/story/intent. On images like these, the convenient control panel in the developer module of Adobe Lightroom (related to "noise" especially) is a great help.</p>

<p>Hi Zander,</p>

<p>First of all, enjoy your trip! You will need the tripod for continual low-light situations. </p>

<p>Your tripod with the legs closed can act as a monopod, since you want to minimize gear to free your mind to creativity. I don't know how soon you're leaving, however I can't urge you enough to consider a Bogen or Gitzo tripod in which the legs are not connected to the center post. It will really improve your shooting experience and I'll explain why. I think the question here is not monopod vs. tripod, but tripod vs. TRIPOD.</p>

<p>Bogen and Gitzo have tripods that allow you to get down to ground level for macro work and landscapes (the Bogen can me modified to go totally flat). Benbos are uncoventional but kind of cool also. Depending on where you live, you may find a used tripod. It's good to have that independent leg spreading ability so you can get low and stable for many of your shots. </p>

<p>There are often many obstacles (roots, vines, thorny plants, muddy areas) on the forest floor and so you want a tripod that will position itself wherever you need to be. You want a ballhead to work fast...avoid three-way pan tilts for any animal work. Look for a model that goes close to eye level without any extension of the center post. Relying on center post extension creates a three-legged monopod that decreases image stability, and it looks like the center post is held rigid by a single thumbscrew on that Nikon, so it will probably wobble with your 70-300 on board. <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/602430-REG/Manfrotto_by_Bogen_Imaging_7302YB_7302YB_4_Section_Aluminum_Tripod.html">Here's a Bogen tripod</a> with ballhead (granted it's not an Arca-Swiss head) but will get you started for only $125. Do look carefully though at your camera >camera plate > tripod head connections, because that is critical to image stability. It's best if you have a professional camera shop in your area to compare tripods. Tripod performance really makes a difference in giving you more, and better, images. And if you scratch it, even better, because that means you're using it.</p>

<p>As for lenses, I tend to think you'll be moving from your wide-angle zoom to the tele zoom. However, that fast 50 is a nice tool for indoor scenes with local people or impromptu hand-held work. Try the wide-angle to emphasize forest flowers as capivating foreground in an otherwise all-green landscape. You didn't mention anything about composition, but that cloud cover before and after rains gives you a wonderful soft light for landscapes. Consider cropping out the sky, so viewers will focus on the details in the land.</p>

<p>As for bodies, I'm a Canon 5D user, but I can tell you that I chose it for the same reason I would recommend the D700: it is better sealed against moisture. On the other hand, the D300 with the smaller sensor will give you more reach on your telephoto without any further loss of light (your max aperture is already f/5.6 @ 300mm). If you expect to do more tropical work, I would go with the D700.</p>

<p>Re: bags, I'm a big fan of the LowePro bags with built-in rain covers (and bring a couple garbage bags inside, too) Also, on keeping lenses dry, use those micro-fiber cloths. Otherwise, know that any time someone bumps a branch on those early morning hikes, you might have water drops coming down on you.</p>

<p>All the best!! Bruce</p>

<p>www.brucefarnsworth.com</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Have a great trip, Mark.</p>

<p>Easier to get between locations at Joshua Tree. Interpretive programs are well-done and you might enjoy photographing on the Keys Ranch tour with lots of antiques remaining on site. Rock-climbers galore on weekends so shoot early those days or avoid. I've seen some fun work done by "painting with light", placing boulders against the twi-lit sky and lighting them with a flashlight. You might look at Salton Sea also for something stark. Winter bird diversity high there.</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

<p>Hi Neil,  I used to use a Domke telephoto bag which gave some rugged cordura without all the extra padding and bells/whistles.  Slung it over my shoulder, sliding an 8inch accessory pad (LowePro?) on wide strap where it passed over my shoulder.  Often the camera backpacks allow you to remove the padding inside.  You can replace it with a lighter weigh padding (maybe just cut from a foam sleeping pad for backpacking, or by wrapping the lenses).  Yet you will retain the great harness of bags like the LowePro Trekkers.  If you can post - or send offline - link to the "oxygen tank harness", I would like to see that.  All the best, Bruce</p>

<p>Hi Emmanuel,<br>

I looked into this for my own work in Amazonian Ecuador (www.brucefarnsworth.com), and I highly recommend Trailmaster. The owner is very happy to speak with you, and if you call them, you will learn much. They will explain the rationale in choosing the equipment. If you are working with the mesopredators like fox, coyotes and bobcats, then you need to understand their movements, which can require some time, observation and testing. You would also want to do this perhaps in early Spring or when the animals are hunting more to feed young. There is literature that suggests that during full moons these animals need to extend their hunting well into the morning. If you can collaborate with a local park ranger or grad student biologist who already has working knowledge of animals' whereabouts and could use your help, that could be very helpful. You might place the tripper along likely trails initially just to get a sense of their movements. When photo-tripping is incorporated into wildlife surveys for elusive predators, typically several units are deployed in many different locations to see which ones get activity and increase the odds. You need to be able to identify your "target" animal's tracks, scat (poop) and other field signs such as tree scratching, scent posts or whatever. While normally you might go for a wide angle closeup, first you might place the camera a little further away initially. This way, if an animal trips the unit, you will have a sense of what path/direction it is taking toward the camera location. Then you can hone the camera position for pictures of higher impact. You need to place the sensor high enough so that housecats won't trip it, but not too high to miss the shoulders of the animals you describe. Trailmaster has features such as limiters on the number of shots that are fired, and at what rate and so forth. It's very important to not leave a scent, even placing the unit before a rain would help. Heavy ziploc bags or homemade plexiglass boxes (handsaw & crazy glue) will sheid the gear. Looks like you've already done some research because the Rebel is the least expensive of the cameras that work well. (in case one gets stolen). One issue might be the flash. Canon flashes don't spring back to ready status quite like Nikon's. There was a gentleman who made a gerry-rigged Nikon flash cord that connected to the Rebel, and I can't find his contact info. Definitely go with Trailmaster. They are designed for getting great images. They have added features to give more control of the process, but it will still take some dialing-in! I was on the verge of purchasing a setup last year, but my work took another direction. I can't think of a better testimonial than Michael Nichols who speaks about their 1550PS unit here: http://www.trailmaster.com/tm1550ps.php I apologize if I rambled, but I hope that gave you some things to consider. In a tropical environment, you would also need to consider ants that might eat through cable housings :) Feel free to email me offline at bruce@brucefarnsworth.com</p>