anil_sud

<p>Going on a trip to Cuba and plan to do some street shooting with 2 cameras/lenses. I am thinking about buying the double harness black rapid DR2 system. I would like to wear my camera backpack, (f-stop Anja backpack) while out for the day in order to carry water, raincoat, portable tripod and protection for gear in the event of a sudden heavy rain. Wondering how functional will the double harness system be while wearing a backpack. I'm about 5'6" 155 pounds and am considering the slimmer DR2 system over the bulkier DR-1. As an alternative, I could just get a rear facing fanny pack instead which would work but would be less functional - harder to affix a tripod too and the gear would have to be cushioned with some clothing in the event I have to stash gear during a heavy rain.</p>

<p>Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond.</p>

<p>Looking for a traveller tripod to use on a backpacking trip. Will need to support the weight of a Canon 5DIII with 70.200 2.8L II which is a combined weight of about 5.5 pounds.<br>

I'm about 5'6" and don't mind if I have to hunch over to use when the legs are fully extended (I usually shoot crouched down anyways without extending tripod legs unless I actually need the elevation).<br>

Would be nice to get down close to ground level without reversing the center column and I would consider buying a short post center column if the option is available to bypass this.<br>

Weight and stability/ease of use/flexibility are more important than cost so willing to pay a bit more if the features justify it.<br>

Right now I'm considering the Gitzo Travellers 1542T vs the 1544T but open to other suggestions. I plan to use a Markins ball head with QR if the profile is slim enough to allow the legs to fold back onto the head.<br>

I also only rarely ever extend the center column so the shorter the center post is (if not able to swap out) the better.</p>

 

<p>Thanks everyone for your input!</p>

<p>I'm going to be travelling to Holland around May 5-8th and want to photograph the tulips at the Kuekenhof gardens. Can anyone provide some insight as to how the winter season has been this year - this will give me a crude idea whether the peak of colour may coincide with the travel dates. I understand that in an average year, peak colour is typically mid-end of April.<br>

Any advice how to get early access to the gardens before the crowds arrive?<br>

Shooting the gardens or surrounding fields from the air? (would prefer not shooting through an airplane or helicopter window unless it was open)<br>

Other things to photograph in the area. I enjoy street scenes and modern architecture. I have seen photos of european architecture involving very modern design but don't know if such exists in near proximity. Underground scenes like subway tunnels with modern designs?<br>

Thanks!</p>

 

<p>I am interested in making a return trip to Antarctica on one of the larger expedition ships and wondered if anyone could provide advice as to what their experience with the various photo tour operators has been (nat geo, quark, cheeseman's, van os, etc). <br>

I was there this past season and travelled on a sailboat for 3 weeks which provided the intimacy of a small group and generous landing times. Unfortunately, I decided that the small vessel sailing was not for me. As well, we were not able to visit the South Georgia islands due to lengthy crossing times.<br>

Having plenty of time to shoot without being forced on a regimented schedule is important to me. I can spare up to 1 month for travel.<br>

In your experience, has the large group size been an issue with having photographers walking into the background of every image been a problem. Deploying large groups on and off the zodiacs resulted in "wasted time". Having to rush back to the ship for meals?<br>

Right now, Cheeseman's seems to be the best option and if anyone has direct experience with this group's service, I would love to hear some feedback. Of course, feedback on any other cruise options would help me to make an informed decision.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>As Arie touched on, keep an eye out for lens flare. Even though your front element will probably be out of direct sunlight, there will be lens flare affecting your shadows if you look carefully for it.<br>

I would use a deep lens hood as much as possible or use your hand to shield from the overhead sky-light or even strong areas of illumination on the side-walls. There is an abundance of light bouncing around from many angles so take the time to analyze how the contrast in your image is being reduced...and appropriate steps can be taken to minimize this.</p>

<p>Yah...and then escaping under the cover of darkness back to freedom to relay the harrowing tale. Could be the making of a Hollywood blockbuster!</p>

<p>Hector; thanks for the response. What if I tried this:<br>

Have 1 regulation bag loaded within the proper limit. For the second bag, I could take all the gear out ahead of time and put it in my photo vest with my camera bag basically being empty. If they make an issue of having a second bag, I could pay to check it in empty. If not, I could reload the second bag after I've left the check-in area. <br>

I'm assuming that I will get hung up with 2 bags at check-in, not when i'm actually boarding the plane.</p>

<p>I'm flying from Canada to Ushuaia for a photo trip to Antarctica. My carry on restriction is 2 bags at 22 pounds each leaving Canada but a connecting flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia has a carry on weight restriction of only 1 bag at 12 pounds.<br>

I'm considering wearing a photo vest while checking in with the anticipation that one of the carry on bags will have to be checked at which point I plan to stuff the pockets of the photo vest with as much gear as possible.<br>

Ideally, the vest would house 2 canon 5d MKIII's as well as a canon 70-200 2.8L II. A rear pouch able to hold an Apple mac book air and a smaller pocket to hold either the canon 16-35 or canon 8-15 would be a bonus.<br>

I'm looking for advice about which photo vest would best suit my needs. I'm a smallish frame but don't care if the vest is oversized as I have no intention of using it for actual shooting, just for navigating around the logistics of moving gear via air travel.<br>

Thanks!</p>

<p>Thanks Ellis, I hadn't considered the RRS option you had presented. I didn't perceive slipping on a deck or gear going flying due to an aberrant wave hitting the boat as a significant problem but I suppose it doesn't hurt to plan for the worst. I'll check out the RRS rig you suggested.</p>

<p>I am going to Antarctica this winter travelling on a 54 foot yacht and will be bringing along a canon 200-400 tele. My plan is to do some shooting while on the boat and wanted advice about what type of support to use for shooting birds, icebergs, etc.<br>

Between the lens and the 5DMKIII body, the weight will be roughly 10 pounds to support and I'm a smallish frame so hand-holding for anything more than brief periods will probably be impractical. I'm debating using a bean-bag type setup or monopod. As I've never photographed from a boat before, I'm not sure what to expect trying to track moving subjects while on a moving platform.<br>

Tentatively, I plan to bring a tripod for use on the mainland but am looking at getting the Gitzo GM5541 monopod and the Wimberley C-12 QR clamp as the lens will have an Arca-Swiss compatible QR foot installed. I didn't have any intention at this point to bring a gimbal type setup nor an articulating head to mount on the monopod.<br>

How practical is it to use a monopod from a moving boat? Would an articulating head greatly assist following moving subjects or should a fixed QR clamp suffice? <br>

Any advice appreciated.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Bob, I was there attending a photo workshop last November and we did the hike into the narrows. The workshop leader said the water levels were about as low as he had ever seen there over his numerous trips to the area. For what it's worth, at that time of year, we were typically wading in water close to knee high and most of the currents were gentle although there were occasions where you really had to brace yourself when crossing the river. <br>

There was one instance where the river bottom dropped down and I was close to mid-waist in water (I'm about 5'6") at the deepest point. I would estimate that we walked in about 1.5-2 miles upstream.<br>

Prior to the hike, we went to a local outfitter in Springdale and rented dry bags for the camera gear and suits for keeping warm. They also post waterflow levels with recommendations about suitability for hiking into the narrows. The neoprene socks/boots will allow water in but will provided needed insulation so after a few minutes, you hardly notice the cold water. They also supply a walking stick which is handy...if your camera gear is on your back in a dry bag, and one hand to carry a tripod, you still have a free arm to stabilize yourself against the current. I would recommend to rent the neoprene boots/socks rather than wearing hikers or sneakers in the water as the cold will get to you quickly. The total rental cost including a fleece pullover was about $65.</p>

<p>Sue, I did attend the focus on nature tour (that Richard mentioned above) back in 2011. They have been in business for several years and are extremely well run. They also sport some highly recognized photographic educators which will be a valuable asset in enhancing your experience.<br>

Our group ranged from rank beginners to working professionals and the instructor was able to accommodate everybody. This particular company provided in class as well as field instruction including some critique sessions. Everything was pretty much looked after from the time we arrived until departure. I have some images on their website under 'participants gallery' which are representative of the type of opportunities we experienced.<br>

This past summer I attended 2 back to back workshops in Iceland with another operator Johnathan Esper of Wildernesscapes (http://www.wildernessphotographs.com/) for a total of about 24 days. He does run summer tours in July and August although I believe one of his summer 2013 tours is already filled. His tours are also cost inclusive but will be about $2000 cheaper than focusonnature and will be about 13 days long instead of focus' 1 week tour. <br>

Johnathan also provides individual instruction on his workshops tailored to the individuals skill level and need. His group size is generally limited to 5 participants so he is able to provide more one on one time than was possible with focus on nature. <br>

If you contact me directly, I can provide you with a link to a gallery of images taken during the 1 month spent on his 2 tours. <br>

Both are excellent tours and I can easily say that you won't go wrong with either. Overall, I did find that we experienced more opportunities on Johnathan's tour due to the longer workshop period but this also meant more time sitting in a vehicle travelling around from place to place.<br>

Hope this helps!<br>

anil sud</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Sue, I did attend the focus on nature tour (that Richard mentioned above) back in 2011. They have been in business for several years and are extremely well run. They also sport some highly recognized photographic educators which will be a valuable asset in enhancing your experience.<br>

Our group ranged from rank beginners to working professionals and the instructor was able to accommodate everybody. This particular company provided in class as well as field instruction including some critique sessions. Everything was pretty much looked after from the time we arrived until departure. I have some images on their website under 'participants gallery' which are representative of the type of opportunities we experienced.<br>

This past summer I attended 2 back to back workshops in Iceland with another operator Johnathan Esper of Wildernesscapes (http://www.wildernessphotographs.com/) for a total of about 24 days. He does run summer tours in July and August although I believe one of his summer 2013 tours is already filled. His tours are also cost inclusive but will be about $2000 cheaper than focusonnature and will be about 13 days long instead of focus' 1 week tour. <br>

Johnathan also provides individual instruction on his workshops tailored to the individuals skill level and need. His group size is generally limited to 5 participants so he is able to provide more one on one time than was possible with focus on nature. <br>

If you contact me directly, I can provide you with a link to a gallery of images taken during the 1 month spent on his 2 tours. <br>

Both are excellent tours and I can easily say that you won't go wrong with either. Overall, I did find that we experienced more opportunities on Johnathan's tour due to the longer workshop period but this also meant more time sitting in a vehicle travelling around from place to place.<br>

Hope this helps!<br>

anil sud</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Does anyone have any current information about access to Fly Geyser in Nevada? I was told that a historical organization recently purchased the property that Fly Geyser is located on, and now provides access to the public for viewing/photographing. Any details in this regard would be appreciated. Thanks</p>

<p>Thanks...I was there in February and decided to take the early entry fee option for 2 reasons. Generally, I found that winds coming up overnight often erased any footprints providing for a clean slate to work with. Evening shoots were much more problematic from tracks created by daytime visitors. Second, the park opens the gates right at sunrise. This meant a mad dash to drive down to the end of the park and then hiking in 15-20 minutes into the dunes resulting in precious minutes wasted commuting (~45 minutes) and looking for the right scene. I found the 1 hour early entry gave me plenty of time to walk in and scout out an appropriate location before the sun hit the horizon. <br>

I chose not to pay for a late exit fee since the park gates don't close until 1 hour after sunset. I found that I would have about 25 minutes after sunset to shoot and provided that I made a beeline to the park gates right that, there was just enough time to exit before the evening closure. Usually, the light on the dunes became so flat within 10 - 15 minutes post sunset, there wasn't much to be achieved by staying later. <br>

So my advice to visitors choosing to pay an extended hours fee would be to opt for a early morning entry. <br>

Oh, 2 other things: 1) I was able to obtain the entry permit with only 1 or 2 days notice and it only required a minor bit of paperwork. The fee was $50 per hour. 2) A park employee would meet me at the gates about 15 minutes before the scheduled time of arrival so I had a few minutes extra to play with. They will wait there if you are late but only up until the scheduled time of entry. As well, there is no way to contact the park employee after hours, so if you decide the night before to cancel due to a dust storm, bad weather, etc. you forfeit the prepaid fee. The same applies if you just don't show up. </p>

<p>Thanks...I was there in February and decided to take the early entry fee option for 2 reasons. Generally, I found that winds coming up overnight often erased any footprints providing for a clean slate to work with. Evening shoots were much more problematic from tracks created by daytime visitors. Second, the park opens the gates right at sunrise. This meant a mad dash to drive down to the end of the park and then hiking in 15-20 minutes into the dunes resulting in precious minutes wasted commuting (~45 minutes) and looking for the right scene. I found the 1 hour early entry gave me plenty of time to walk in and scout out an appropriate location before the sun hit the horizon. <br>

I chose not to pay for a late exit fee since the park gates don't close until 1 hour after sunset. I found that I would have about 25 minutes after sunset to shoot and provided that I made a beeline to the park gates right that, there was just enough time to exit before the evening closure. Usually, the light on the dunes became so flat within 10 - 15 minutes post sunset, there wasn't much to be achieved by staying later. <br>

So my advice to visitors choosing to pay an extended hours fee would be to opt for a early morning entry. <br>

Oh, 2 other things: 1) I was able to obtain the entry permit with only 1 or 2 days notice and it only required a minor bit of paperwork. The fee was $50 per hour. 2) A park employee would meet me at the gates about 15 minutes before the scheduled time of arrival so I had a few minutes extra to play with. They will wait there if you are late but only up until the scheduled time of entry. As well, there is no way to contact the park employee after hours, so if you decide the night before to cancel due to a dust storm, bad weather, etc. you forfeit the prepaid fee. The same applies if you just don't show up. </p>

<p>In my experience, the expectation of tipping varies considerably. In a touristy area of Jaipur, a young girl of 9-10 years of age, hinted that a tip of 100 rupees (about 2 dollars) was the norm...she makes a living by hanging out in tourist areas and posing for photographs requested by the visiting tourists. As indicated above, once I paid her for taking her portrait, other kids nearby all wanted to be photographed. The fee seemed to be easily negotiable although I didn't haggle and met her request.<br>

On a side excursion to an extremely rural farming area, I ventured into a local community, and photographed several women posing with their young children and the farmers (usually male) working in the fields or posing with their farm implements, or animals. No fee was ever asked for and no one refused to pose. Mostly, people were thrilled to have the opportunity to be photographed and enjoyed the fact that someone was genuinely interested in their lives and livelihood. There were a couple of young teenage mothers who were reluctant to be photographed either due to shyness or cultural differences. (Several kept their face covered while in the presence of a male foreigner).<br>

While waiting at a bus shelter, I ran into a group of about 10 children and they all wanted to pose for a photograph one by one. It seemed that showing them their portrait on the back of the lcd monitor was reward enough; the candies that we provided them after for their time and effort was an added bonus.<br>

If you should gain access to the Taj, you may want to make arrangements ahead of time to use a tripod. The gate attendants and security will forbid you from using any kind of 'stand' on the Taj grounds, but I had determined several years ago, that special permission can be obtained from an office in Delhi for a permit to use a tripod at select destinations where tripods are normally forbidden. As I recall, it will run you about $100 US for the permit, and must be done at least a couple of days in advance. I don't remember the specific office where the permit is given.<br>

Good luck!</p>

Thanks to everyone for posting a response.

<p>I plan to be in White Sands Desert, New Mexico this winter and wondered if anyone knows of how to obtain access to the desert before the park gates open at 7 am.<br>

I've heard that a fee can be paid to the park's personnel to arrange an earlier arrival but wondered if anyone has actually been successful at negotiating such a request, and if so, who specifically needs to be approached. If this is feasible, what is the customary fee for requesting access as such. <br>

If the gates to the desert open at 7am, it would be nice to be able to drive in by 530-600 am to secure an undisturbed location away from footprints well before sunrise.<br>

Thanks.</p>

<p>I was there with a friend in March and wanted to do the same thing. We went to the lower level where the tickets are sold and were told that we would be able to photograph the skyline unencumbered by glass so we purchased tickets. When we went to the next floor up, we were stopped at the security check point since we had tripods and we were told that while photography would be permitted, no tripods are allowed. <br>

Fortunately, when we returned back downstairs to the ticket agent, she apologized for not having informed us earlier of their policy (nor did we ask), and refunded our money without any hassle. <br>

She did make some reference, although, to the possibility of obtaining a permit for a tripod on special approval, but this was not an option for us on such short notice.<br>

A friend had mentioned that an opportunity for a twilight shot of the strip could be obtained by going up to the observation area of the Eiffel tower. You would have to shoot from a small opening between some metal gratings but the possibility is there...he did recommend arriving well before twilight to <em>secure</em> your spot since there were very few openings and lots of competition for them.<br>

Good luck.</p>

<p>I'm using Lightroom 3 as my main processing software with Silver EFex Pro 2 for black and white conversion. I can't seem to obtain rich images in my black and white conversion that I would have expected from SEFx2.<br>

The raw files from LR3 are exported to Silver Efex with no pre-processing performed on them. Is it better to do any lightroom processing on the colour raw image first (contrast/clarity/saturation) or even convert to B+W prior to export to Silver Efex in order to obtain a better end-result?</p>

<p>Thanks for the responses everyone...does anyone know if there are any glass museums or underwater aquariums to photograph in Vegas?</p>

<p>Travelling to Death Valley for a photography workshop in mid-November; I have a week to spend in Las Vegas the preceeding week....any must see locations to stop in while visiting the city.<br>

I am also hoping to make it out to Valley of Fire, Hoover Dam and possibly a helicopter tour in the Grand Canyon.<br>

Any suggestions for photography within the city limits appreciated. As well, any lodging recommendations for spending the night near Valley of Fire would be helpful. I definitely would not be equipped for camping but a reasonably priced hotel nearby would do.<br>

Thanks,<br>

anil.</p>