sean corley

Hi Matan,

I use the Cokin P filter system with Cokin and Hitech filters.

I don't think you will have problems with vignetting with any of these lenses.I have no problem using it on my EF 400 5.6l but have had to trim off the holder so that it only has one slot left for my EF 20 2.8. and can't screw it on top of another filter already on the lens. But as the 20mm has a 72mm front element and the 24mm has only a 58mm front element and a narrower angle of view you should be fine.

The only thing to think about is if you can afford glass ND filters they will last much longer as they are much more resistant to scratching than resin ones.

Hi Anthony,

I did exactly what you are planning to do in Febuary this year.On a road trip through the southwest I spent 2 nights in Moab.I drove from Bryce Canyon arriving at Arches late afternoon and walked to Delicate Arch for sunset. Next morning I was up before dawn to shoot Balanced Rock sillouhetted in the pre-dawn glow and then Turret Arch through North Window at sunrise. That afternoon I drove to Dead Horse Point,Mesa Arch and Grand View Overlook but the conditions were pretty hazy so I didn't take many shots.The next morning I drove back to Mesa Arch for sunrise and it was well worth the 1hr drive there and back.

I would have loved to have had time to explore and find more original shots but it was just not possible.

I also believe that the photograph is just one small part of the whole experience.You can look at countless photos of Delicate Arch or Mesa Arch etc but that is nothing compared to being there at dawn or dusk,watching the light play across the landscape and the colours change.

Everytime I look at my shots of Delicate Arch I am reminded of sitting on the slickrock in light snow, the tripod set up hoping the sun would breakthrough the heavy cloud and just when I had almost given up, having it shine across and transform the landscape for maybe 30 seconds.No print no matter how beautiful can ever give you that.

I hope you Enjoy Arches and Canyonlands as much as I did.

Sean.

Anthony

Jan and Feb this year I took a 4 week road trip through the Southwest visiting a lot of the places you are planning to see. I shot about 75 rolls of film. Most of it was Velvia but I used it mainly early morning and late afternoon when contrast was lower. During the middle of the day and for wildlife I used Provia 100F which pushes well up to 2 stops. I also used this for hand-held street photography.I had some Provia 400F which also pushes 2-3 stops but I found I didn't need the speed so I rarely used it.

If this may be the only chance you get to visit these places I would be inclined to stick with the Reala. Exposure with slide film is much more critical than negative film and your limited experience with slide film may lead to some dissappointment.If you do use slide film bracket your shots epecially in difficult exposure situations.

Nothing beats getting back from a trip and looking at your shots on the lightbox with a loupe or projecting them.You see exactly what you took (slight exposure mistakes included) not how the person printing your negatives thought they should look.

If you plan mainly to scan, then Reala is a good choice as it seems to be one of the best films for scanning around.

Have a great trip

Sean.

Ed,

Just got back to Australia from a 4 week trip through the southwest which included D.V. Zion and Bryce.

I would spend 3 days at Death Valley, 3 Days at Zion and 1 or 2 days at Bryce. If you get good light at dawn and sunset you may only need to spend 1 night at Bryce and stop at Zion for another day on the way back to Las Vegas. Zion has a lot more variety than Bryce and more opportunity for shooting outside the early morning and late afternoon than Death Valley.

At Death Valley if you shoot Zabriskie Point get there well before dawn ,don't shoot from the look-out but head north along the path along the ridge. The dunes at Stovepipe Wells are best in the morning after a windy night to get rid of footprints. I had plenty of wind no footprints and some good shots but I have to send my 20mm and 28-105mm away to be cleaned. Planned to go to the racetrack but got put off when we saw 2 brand new F250s at Ubehebe Crater that had just returned one with a flat the other with a leaking shock absorber.Later met some other people who had been to the racetrack who said that the F250s had passed them and were being driven really hard.They said that as long as we took things slow we shouldn't have any trouble geting there in our Buick Century. Unfortunately by then it was too late to get there by sunset.

At Zion don't forget to allocate some time for the sandstone country after the tunnel on HW 9.

If photography is your main aim I wouldn't go any further afield than this. If it is more of a roadtrip (and you like driving) combined with photography as a my trip was, you may want to spend 2 days at Death Valley,2 days at Zion, 1 Day at Bryce and take HW 12 and 24 through Capitol Reef to Arches.

Have a Great Trip

BTW.Estimate how much film you think you'll need and double it.

Hi,

Last year I posted a question asking for advice on a 4 week trip I

had planned through the southwest during Jan & Feb. Well after 5500

miles of driving on the wrong side of the road and not having to use

the snow chains once, I'm glad to say I'm still in one piece with

enough photos and great memories to last 2 lifetimes. I'd like to

thank everyone who gave advice as I found it invaluable.

The weather was great for travelling (exceptionally warm for the

southwest I was told) but almost a little too good for photography.

(too many clear blue skies).

Got to see Morro Bay, Elephant seals at San Simeon, Sequoia Nat Pk.

Yosemite, Hadn't planned to originally, but took the 88 & 395 to Mono

Lake before heading to Death Valley, Zion, Bryce, Then took HW 12 &

HW 24 through Capitol Reef to Arches (I'd recommend this drive)

Unfortunately I didn't have time to stop in Capitol Reef. If I had of

stopped I would most probably still be there. The landscape blew me

away. Spent an afternoon and morning at Canyonlands before heading to

Mesa Verde, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon,Saguaro Nat Pk. & Sonoran

Desert Museum, before heading back to San Diego and then L.A. to fly

home to Australia.

I couldn't pick a favorite place. Crowds were non-existent. Delicate

Arch at sunset, Mesa Arch, Mono Lake, Bryce Point & Valley View at

dawn totally deserted except for me. I've been spoilt. If, or should

I say when I come back it will have be another winter trip. The

thought summer crowds just doesn't appeal.

Thanks again for everyone's help and when I get organized I'll scan

some of my shots and post them.

Thanks again

Sean Corley.

I�ve put together a tentative itinerary of stopovers for the trip. Please have a look and offer suggestions (alternative stopovers/routes, things worth seeing apart from the obvious sights) as a lot of the places are just dots on a map to me a comfortable driving distance apart. Are any of these roads likely to be closed in winter ?

San Diego - Morro Bay � Davis � Yosemite (Ca99/Ca58) � Death Valley(US95) � Las Vegas(I70) � GreenRiver(US191)- Kayenta(US160) � Grand Canyon(I17) � Phoenix(I8) � Yuma(I8)� San Diego

Thanks Sean

Thanks everybody for the advice and info, it will be a great help. I would like to see all the places listed but it depends how much time I end up staying in each place. I'll let you know how the trip goes.

Getting used to snow, snowchains, tipping and of course driving on the wrong side of the road ( we drive on the correct side in Oz)will be interesting.

Thanks again

Sean Corley.

Mid January 2003 my fiance and I are travelling from Brisbane,

Australia to San Diego for a conference. I then plan to hire a car

and travel up the coast road to the Uni of California, Davis outside

San Francisco for some work related buisness. I want to take about 3

weeks going to Yosemite, Mono Lake, Death Valley, Las Vegas, Grand

Canyon, Monument Valley, Sonora Desert, Joshua Tree N.P and Painted

Desert and back to San Diego. Unfortunately the trip will be more a

touring holiday than a photographic holiday with limited time in each

location. Any tips, specific locations, other locations etc, would be

greatly appreciated. I want to keep my plans are pretty flexible so

is it necessary to pre-book accomodation at this time of year. I

would prefer not to if possible

Thanks

Sean Corley.

Thanks for the tips.The shots I was taking were more of 'egret in habitat' because I couldn't get close with my 300mm for frame filling shots so the subject was a bit small to get a "spot" reading with my eos 50. If I can get a bit closer I will try taking a "spot" reading and use Bob and Shun's advice.

Thanks again.

When using the sunny f/16 rule you need to close down one stop to

maintain detail in a white subject. If I am photographing a white

egret under overcast conditions and manually meter a mid tone (green

grass) do I still need to close down by one stop? I took some shots as

above (elite 100 1/250 @ f/5.6) and the plumage was a little washed

out.I am not sure if this was because my mid tone grass reading was

not quite mid tone, or under such conditions should I have stopped

down 1 stop.

Take a look at Lowepro's Trim Trekka. It will hold all the gear you mentioned. I have done full day hikes with 20 pounds of gear and found it quite comfortable.(I am used to carrying 60-70lb packs so it's all relative)The harness is easily adjustable and can be quickly changed from my fit (6'2") to my girlfreind's (5'4").It offers good protection form light rain (haven't been out in heavy rain) and I have landed heavily on the pack on a number of occasions after slipping down steep rocky slopes with no damage to the equipment inside.

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The only complaint I have, is with the recommended tripod mounting points.I use a Bogen 3001 (fairly heavy and long for a hiking tripod) and find that when strapped to the bottom of the pack it gets a annoying sway up as you walk and mounted on the side it unbalances the pack. I now strap it across the pack above the front pocket using the large D rings on either side and find this works well. This most probably will not be an issue with smaller lighter tripods.

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When not being used as a back pack the harness stows tidly away, leaving a bag that can be carried by the handle on the top or over the shoulder with the supplied strap.This bag should suit your needs well. The only question with any bag this size is what to take and what to leave at home.