bill___2

Spend time on all three roads out of Nome--the Teller Rd., Kougarok Highway and the Council Rd.

 

This cannot be stressed enough. Get out of town...Plan on at least two days to explore each of the roads. They are each about 80 miles long and offer so many photo opportunities you will be amazed. The Seward Penninsula is truely an amazing place and one of the least known in Alaska. The largest heard on Alaska-Canada Moose in the world lives on the Seward Penninsula so be ready. The Kougarok area was best when I was there. I also ran across about 15 muskox. There are pleanty of safe places to pull off and camp so, for me, I would think camping all the way.

 

Cheers

Thanks for the responses. It help to know. I want the 90 because it is farther from the 135 and is lighter than the 105. The camera I'm getting comes with the 105, however so I will try it before I trade.

 

Cheers

I am stepping up to medium format and am going to purchase a used P67

and lenses. I want a 55/4, 90/4 135/4 macro and a 200/4. My subject

is typically nature or low light urban/city... I have read on this

forum a lot about the 55 mm lenses and understand that there are three

versions??? the early 55/2.5, the early 55/4 and the newer 55/4. I

understand that the early 55/4 is slightly soft relative to the newer

version. I am very concerned with sharpness and am wondering how to

tell the two 55/4 versions apart on the used market. Serial number??

build??

 

Cheers

The three K's are kangaroos, kookaberras and koalas. Kangaroos of various species are found throughout the mainland and any of the national parks will have good populations. Koalas are very abundant on Kangaroo Island. Kookaberras are where you find them... In april I've had good luck with Eastern Grey kangaroos in Mt. Kosciusko National Park at The Tom Groggins campground. An Excellent base camp BTW, right on the Upper Murry R. Also they are abundant along with wombats and wallabies in Mt. Williams NP in Tasmania.

 

Speaking of Tasmania, you should really not miss it. April is autumn here and Cradle Mountain and Mt. Field National Parks are well worth the effort. Check out the sites below for a few shots. The parks are full of wildlife and birds and in my opinion are a match for any mainland area in terms of diversity.

 

http://www.view.com.au/

http://www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/garden/91/index.htm

 

Bring as much film as you can....Velvia 135-36 is $22/roll Aus.

 

If you want to plan a detailed trip in Tas. feel free to e-mail me off the net and I will be glad to help.

 

cheers

 

Bill

Start at dusk and stay out till well after dark. Photograph your town at night and at dawn, stores, neon, churches, the works. If you can get some rain, it helps too. Amusement parks at night are terrific. I also second the macro Idea. Try some new films, tungsten or better still, infrared......Really go challenge yourself.....

 

Cheers

 

 

Bill

I would also support Velvia. I have been doing a similar project here in Tasmania for the past year and a half. All of my work with Velvia has been very acceptable and my only disapointing results were with other films. I have recently seen some enlargements to 11x14 from E100VS and they were very nice but were of photographs taken in low contrast situations. My experience with E100VS is it is an 80 speed film and is very contrasty. I would stick to Velvia if I were you. Your reputation will certainly be enhanced..

 

Cheers

Dan is on my list.... I am compiling this list so that the photographers may be contacted for potential work. A new magazine has been launched called �Sanctuary.� The magazine is about rare animals and endangered species and the role zoos, wildlife parks and researchers have on their survival and protection. They are looking for top wildlife photographers who would be willing to contribute articles or photos.

 

Yes Bob, the list will be long but I am hoping that the people on this site might help cull the list a little....

 

BTW, I am not affiliated with the magazine, the editor however just published a folio of my stuff in another of his magazines and I am returning the favor by helping him compile this list.

I am compiling a list of the best wildlife photographers in the world.

I need names, publications and websites (if available). The object

is a global list, not just the Arthur Morris' and Franz Lanting's of

the world. I am particularly interested in highly talented but lesser

known names, particularly with regional or specific species expertise.

 

Can you help? Who are your favorites? If they have websites, please

include an address if you can....

 

Cheers

I put a piece of stiff cardboard in with them as well as a pre-paid return envelope, also padded. Also attach a buisness card....

Facing a similar dilemma, I figured I needed to define "Nature". Here in Australia, "Nature" means wildlife, bugs, etc. Landscapes are not nature, they are "landscapes". If you want to shoot "nature", 35 mm is OK, but if you are a landscape photographer, then you MUST HAVE MEDIUM OR LARGE FORMAT !!!!! The stock agencies here won't even look at 35 mm any more. The competition is so tough and they all have 6x7, 6x9, or 4x5. Side by side with a 35 mm negative, I don't blame them. So.... I'm shopping for a light 6x7 (Mamiya).

 

BTW, I do sell the occasional 35mm landscape, and have a few regular clients, but medium format will triple my sales without additional marketing.... It pays.

 

Cheers

Here is a related issue. The author of "The Sierra Club Guide to Close-UP Photography in Nature" is also the author of "The Sierra Club Guide to Landscape Photography". In that book he talks about how he takes photos that just don't quite make it and digitally fixes them. His cover shot on that book actually looks manipulated. He also talks a lot about sandwiching slides together to get "better" shots. He never talks about being honest about what you created and stating that your shot was not genuine. Since his books are sponsored by the Sierra Club, and the Sierra Club is an environmental advocacy group, it makes me wonder how much of what they say is "enhanced" too. I have lost a great deal of respect for them and for Tim Fitzharris as well.

If your goals are scientific documentation, your only real choice are the films that give "truth" to the colors. Sensia II/ Astia, or Elite Chrome 100. Any film that enhances color should be avoided for scientific use. That said, If I was in your position I would keep one camera body loaded for science and the other for the "tourist" in me. I would stay with 100 speed film, OK a few rolls of velvia for those exceptional sunsets, one film for science and the other slightly enhanced, and one brand. I strongly advise aginst taking that much film with you and waiting until you get back to sort it. I recommend finding a good E-6 lab in Cairo and keeping up with your labeling and captions. What if your cameras (I've read your other threads on body choices) stuff up? You won't know it until you get back to the US and all your work will be lost. To late for a second chance then. Labeling and sorting 18000 to 36000 slides will take months, and since most of them will be 2 years old, you will need super notes to help.

 

You have time now to try a few rolls of several types of film, MAKE SOME TESTS>>>>>>

 

Cheers

First, I am familiar with the upside down Bogen (Manfrotto) set up, I

own two of them. Also with the Benbo tripods. I don't want to buy a

new tripod. My question has a different twist. I like to do close-up

macro work (1:1) with my Tamron 90/2.8, usually in available light

(no flash). My best stuff seems to always be on or very close to the

ground. In the mud, so-to-speak. I find that setting up my Bogen to

get a shot takes a bit of the fun out of some of this work (I do go

through the trouble occasionally) as moving around tripod legs is

awkward and the setup is not bery flexable for small movements. In

the past I have used 400 speed print film, got down on my belly in the

dirt, braced myself as best as I could and fired away. I have some

great shots and have recieved some good feedback in competitions. My

dilema is this. I want to start doing this more often with my normal

slide film of choice, Velvia. The three stops of light difference

mean I need to mount my camera much more often, OK always... What

small sturdy tripods, or home-made alternatives do those of you who

also do this use? My gear is an EOS 1n body with the Tamron lens. I

want to do both very close to the ground verticals, as well as

horizontals. Camera in the dirt close, type of stuff. I am hoping

for a solid, adjustable, light, easy to carry result. A Quick

release plate would be nice too.

 

<p>

 

Cheers

OK, I think this is what you want. First two mainstream books that

were very inspirational to me. �The Art of Photographing Nature� by

Art Wolfe and Martha Hill, and Mountain Light by Galan Rowell.

 

<p>

 

These are not your mainstream books but deserve to be on every nature

photographers shelf/coffee table. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND �The Sacred

Earth� by Courntey Milne (see his site at

http://www.courtneymilne.com/). His photography is absolutely

outstanding. He truly is a master. He also has two new books out

�Visions of the Goddess�, and �Sacred Places in North America�. I

have not seen either of them but I suspect they are both worth having.

Inspiration is what his work is all about. NO how to stuff here.

The second recommendation of mine is by the man who inspired me to

return to photography after many years away from it. Peter

Dombrovskis� book �On the Mountain� by West Wind Press (P.O. Box 245,

Sandy Bay Tasmania, Australia, 7005) is in the �class by itself� that

we like to mention. It would probably be hard to find except here in

Australia where he was probably the undisputed king of medium and

large format wilderness landscape photography until his untimely death

several years ago. His wife has also recently published another book

of his works that is rapidly selling out. There is some information

about him on http://www.view.com.au/.

 

<p>

 

Cheers

The usual locations in Tasmania are the National Parks. Cradle

Mountain offers alpine scenery and great vistas. Mt. Field offers

both Rainforest, and Alpine. Freycinet is my favorite and offers

costal scenery and great beaches. As Tom said there is no lack of

great opportunities here. The island is remarkable. Bring lots of

film. Velvia is $22/roll as are most other pro films. Plan on 3-5

per day here in Tas. or more. I just got back from four days to the

west coast and shot 18 rolls. Have fun and stay on the left side of

the road.

 

<p>

 

Cheers

Yes by all means go shoot. I frequently use Fugi superia 400 for

close-up hand held work and have taken some wonderful shots. I

recently entered a contest with a shot of a water drop on the tip of a

blade of grass taken hand held while lying on my stomach. In the

forest use the trunks of trees, stumps, branches etc. to give support.

Ditto for that water shot you want. I know of at least one pro

travel photographer that only carries a small table top tripod and

takes most of his photos without it. He uses what ever is available

and has become an expert of sorts at improvising some sort of support.

Sides of buildings, fences, even someones shoulder. Fast film(400-800)

will definately help with your slower lens. The key here is to make

mistakes and then look at your notes to know why. After a short time

you will start to know what works and what doesn't. One other thing,

bracket your exposures, 1 stop each way for prints, 1/2 stop each way

for slides. you will soon know what exposure you like best and can

bracket less or only in one direction.

 

<p>

 

Cheers

Why not expect something spectacular? You may suprise yourself. Since

you seem to want to shoot nature landscapes I would suggest you get

one of John Shaw's books, either his "Close Ups in Nature or his

"Landscape Photography". Either will help you enormously as well as

inspire you. If you can't find them in your local bookstore, try

Amazon.com. They are cheep and very fast (Amazon that is). Also get

lots of film (preferably slides), take notes on what you are doing, at

least while you are learning, and have fun.

 

<p>

 

Cheers

Try a search on Amazon.com. Search 'wildlife photographs" or anything

similar. Joe McDonald has several that I can recommend but it depends

a lot on your tastes.

I recently had a similar discussion with a gallery owner where I

intended to hang some prints. His opinion was based on his customers

opinions over the years. Is Nature Photography Art? He felt that a

signature on the print added value, especially if it was a limited

edition. Reason, people often reframe art years down the track when

their tastes and/or decor change. With the signature on the print,

the precieved value remains, if it is on the mat, it is lost.

Similarly, it the frame is broken (falls of the wall) and the broken

glass damages the mat, the value is lost. In addition he quoted

collectors as wanting to buy something that they knew was limited in

it production, not something that is 1 of infinity. Customers felt

that 1 of 100 was worth $300 and the signature on the picture itself

had helped sales. I see his points, as well as those of the other

posts. I elected to sign on the picture itself, discretely, along

with the limited edition number. Maybe it will help sales maybe not.

It is true that it is a matter of taste, but in this case I am a

seller, not a buyer so my tastes really don't count as much.

Steve,

 

<p>

 

Are the deer still there? When I was at Tech in the late 70's the

Bosque was also full of mule deer and I got excellent shots of some

very nice bucks. Also lots of pheasants, raptors.

 

<p>

 

Also, is the Owl Bar still there? It had the best green chile

cheesburgers in the U.S.

 

<p>

 

cheers

If the weather is clear (Big "IF") and you can see Denali, You may

want to race up toward Talkeetna for some shots of it and the Alaska

Range. The highway toward Talkeetna/Fairbanks via Palmer (No, I'm not

suggeating you drive all the way) has a lot of the true bush feel of

Alaska. Just depends on what you want.

 

<p>

 

Cheers

The three I know are shooting Fugi 617s..

Actually my choice for coffee is a little cappuccino place with hot

bread. Glad I'm not alone. Thanks for the responses.

 

<p>

 

Cheers

I used to hunt a lot with guns. Now I take photos. In reading John

Shaw's books he mentions how he loves to cruise back roads looking

for photo opportunities. I find myself doing the same thing. I have

my bag on the front seat, 1n with 70-200/2.8L on a tripod, EOS 5 with

300/4L, 20/2.8 ready to slap on. Film etc.ready, 5:00am and off I go.

By 9:00 I'm usually having coffee somewhere very satisfied with my

day. Does anybody else do this or am I just nuts? BTW, some days I

don't even get a shot.

North America in Feburary is Winter..........Brrr. Try Tasmania, Yup

that's in Australia. Feburary is the best month of summer. Wallabys,

kangaroos, wombats and scenery to rival New Zealand.

 

<p>

 

Cheers