brad_carlson

the "older" (canon d60, 20d) images i have archived and bring up in bridge

(cs2) cannot be rotated. i get a message says: "there was an error writing

metadata to the file". i don't know how to solve this. do you? thanks!

i thought the canon i.s. technology required you to turn it off when mounted on a tripod to prevent it from "searching". is this not true and if so then what advantage is there on a tripod?

i too regret ever purchasing such an expensive head that does not perform well. same problems as described above after one month of owning it. i sent it into the official repair facility and got it back after a month with stiffness still present (better than the very bad condition it was in when i sent it but still akward to use). also, after the repairs, i am not able to turn the locking knob to zero any more. very frustrating ballhead and i do not recommend it to anyone.

i recently purchased a b1 and only used it a short time before i had to send it in for repairs and it has been gone now for a month with promises "it will be there any day now". i am regretting the huge investment for a ballhead that is giving me indications that it will be reminding me forever how much i paid for a bunch of aggrevation!

as stated, the south rim is open and there are two roads to get there from flag. i suggest taking one up and the other back. that way you will have opportunities to drive the entire rim road from the village area all the way out to cameron. along the way there are plenty of overlooks. desertview is along the eastern side of the park and is a very nice sight. you get the western facing escarpment along the painted desert from there. also as you leave the park on this road headed for the highway back to flag you will crest the top of a hill and begin to drop in elevation - watch for a place to park on the side of the road (i think there are little dirt areas where locals sell handmade things) and take in the view of the painted desert stretching away to the east with the little colorado gorge cutting a 1000 foot swath through it and cedar mountain (a beautiful mesa) in the middleground! when you take a right on the road to flag you will eventually pass the road to sunset crater national monument. here you will find the extinct volcano cone along with two sets of anasazi ruins - all an easy loop drive from the highway you were on. wupatki ruins are especially nice. plenty to photograph and unless the timing is unlucky with regard to a major storm you should be fine driving. timing will be obvious as far as sunrise sunset locations when you look at a map of the locations and the relative placement of things.

gorman falls at colorado bend state park near lampasas is quite impressive and very photographable! if you pick up any literature on texas waterfalls you are sure to see an example of it. if you are in central texas you could check out the ones mentioned above as well as mckinney falls state park here in austin.

beautiful places all over the state! in the city, don't miss minnehaha falls in st paul. i happen to partial to the northern half of the state. if there is any time for you to get up to the north shore of lake superior don't miss it - world class scenery!

what are you talking about? your description is very vague but sounds helpful. pls elaborate.

i assume you will be shooting many more subjects than just "snow" so though your question doesn't directly ask it, i would suggest you look at threads that explain the advantages/uses of polarizers in various conditions. after all, you will probably be near a lot of water, outstanding colors, animals, and so on. you will definitely find a use for a polarizer and since it is a once in a lifetime opportunity you should not leave it at home.

many variables here, of course. you will need to check your favorite birding book to find out what species of birds will be present during the season you plan to visit and where you will find them. for example during the month of september you will find a number of hummingbird species migrating through and a great place to find them congregating is in the rockport-fulton area where they promote them as a tourist attraction by luring them with tons of feed. whooping cranes can be found in the aransas refuge during certain winter months, tropicals are found closer to the border in santa ana refuge and benson state park and so on. there is also the complication of how wet or dry it has been in general or as indicated typically by the season. if you want to find alligators at the same time you are shooting birds, don't go to laguna atascosa during the dry season because you won't find them but you will probably see some during this same time of year at aransas. one final thing i should mention is the spring break season when you should avoid certain parts of this coast due to the migration of adolescent humans craving the vast quantities of beer and sun they need to continue their collegiate pursuits. they far outnumber any species of bird in the area and tend to dominate the beach.

i don't know what y'all are talking about - i've looked and looked but i don't see anything close to resembling a face!

I USE THE 17-35 L WITH A B+W CIRC POLARIZER AND HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH VIGNETTING. I HAVE NOTICED THE INCONSISTENCY OF POLARIZATION MENTIONED IN THE COMMENT ABOVE DUE TO THE WIDE ANGLE OF COVERAGE. INCIDENTLY I USE A B+W POLARIZER WITH THE 28-105 USM LENS AND IT CAUSES CONSIDERABLE VIGNETTING IN THE WIDEANGLE POSITION.

i second the "stop at aransas" advice. there you will find not only the whoopers but also roseate spoonbills. look for high concentrations of birds all the rest of the way down the coast - especially around rockport/fulton. texas is in the process of creating a "birding trek" along this route all the way to the valley and beyond. it will include free guides to the stoping areas, species to observe, migration times and so on. check the texas parks and wildlife web site for updated info.