St. Petersburg - 2 days vs. 1 day

[TLCOhio]

Fantastic photos Terry, as usual. I have had a very good run with sunny weather on my recent holidays, and kept that going on this last cruise except for Day 1 at St P so it was good to see your shots of Peterhof in glorious sunshine and that one of the Jester Fountains, which weren't spraying when I passed by.

 

THANKS for the kind comments on the pictures! Here are a few more that I haven't previously posted from the spectacular fountains, gardens, etc., at the Peterhof. Hope that these brings back nice memories and/or previews for those planning an upcoming adventure there. Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

Here are more of the fountains and water at the spectacular Peterhof outside of St. Petersburg. The greatest technological achievement of Peterhof is that all of the fountains operate without the use of pumps. Water is supplied from natural springs and collects in reservoirs in the Upper Gardens. This elevation difference creates the pressure driving most of the fountains for the Lower Gardens, including the Grand Cascade.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This shows a fountain in front of the Mon Plaisir (from French for "my pleasure") Palace that Peter the Great located on the shore of the gulf and which had a terrace for this single-story brick building. This smaller palace was Peter’s favorite place to be and for being with his family and closest associates. Notice the small rainbow at the base of the fountain?:

 

 

 

[dolittle]

We did this tour with DEN-RUS last Aug. Best port ever,I have all the same picture only yours are way better. We also had sunny days.

[Ashland]

TLCOhio..Enjoy your pictures so much...mind me asking what kind of camera you use..Looking to get a new one..:)

[caripoo]

Definetly a port you CANNOT see in 1 day, we had 2 days with a private guide and I wish we had 3 days. ENJOY!!!:D:D

[andy mac]

2days in st.petersburg is amust but still not long enough.

Was there 2007&2009 (2 days each time) some places 1 day would be enough,not st.petersburg. I still want to go again as there is still lots to see.

[rdr525]

We only had one day in SPB, wish now I picked a cruise with a 2 or 3 nite stop over. We used TJ travel. We did cram a lot into our one day, but lots to see that we missed. If u can afford it, opt for the 2nd day

[TLCOhio]

TLCOhio..Enjoy your pictures so much...mind me asking what kind of camera you use..Looking to get a new one..:)

 

THANKS, Ashland, for the kind comments on my pictures and asking about the camera, etc.!

 

My camera used on past travels has been a Nikon D50 SLR. Good, but not at the super-pro, high-end level. Lots of people have cameras at and near that quality or comparable. These days, the digital technology has improved so much that nearly everyone can take good to great pictures. Just last week, I upgraded to a new Nikon D3100. It does high definition video, plus its still pictures are done at a much pixel level and the viewing screen is much larger and sharper. Plus, this camera has many other improvements, etc. Below you can check some of my tips, secrets and suggestions for getting better pictures.

 

Since I have an "SLR" or single lens reflex camera, that bring up the question of lens. I have a 10-20 mm lens that gives a wider angle view than average. That really helped create some picture "drama" without being too wide and distorted as can happen with a fish-eye lens. This wide-angle lens does especially for the interiors of great churches and historic buildings. There are cases where my longer lens (have a Nikkor 70-300 mm zoom) can really help. In many cases, my basic Nikkor 18-55 mm zoom covers the middle range very well and is used the most. It's nice to have only one lens that covers all needs, but then you lose some in the desired picture quality.

 

On such trips as recently to Norway and the Baltics, I download my pictures most days to the MacBook Pro laptop that I usually bring along for such trip. Today's technology makes it easier to straighten pictures, adjust the cropping, fix color balance, etc. By taking the laptop along, downloading and checking the pictures as I travel, it helps to know what I'm getting and improve my "focus" as I travel in such great, scenic places. Playing with the pictures on the flight back while I listen to the "tunes" on my computer also helps pass the time quicker. Many laptops also have great programs to put these pictures into nice “slide shows” with various great visuals tools to add titles, do dissolves, etc.

 

I found taking cruise and travel pictures is fun, plus much, much cheaper than shopping for souvenirs. It also keeps these memories "fresh" as you can re-live your experiences, share them with friends, etc.

 

It's titled: Baltics/Picture Secrets! Key Tips, Ideas, etc. Check this summary out and let me know your feed-back, questions and comments.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=977864

 

Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 19,900 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[Atwell]

Terry,

Your posts are always so helpful and the photos are wonderful as usual. Wondering if any of the important sites in St. Petersburg did NOT allow photos? Did you have to purchase a photo pass at any of them?

 

Regards (from Mason, OH),

Greg

[TLCOhio]

Terry, Your posts are always so helpful and the photos are wonderful as usual. Wondering if any of the important sites in St. Petersburg did NOT allow photos? Did you have to purchase a photo pass at any of them? Regards (from Mason, OH), Greg

 

Hi, Greg, our neighbor to the south. Yes, know exact where Mason is at. We're enjoying nice fall weather in Ohio right now. Appreciate the nice comments on the visuals. It's been fun sharing these great places and their beauty.

 

On the photos, they are allowed in most places. In certain locations, such as the Hermitage, inside Catherine's Palace and at the two major churches, you need to have a sticker. The cost is not huge, but that's the requirement. The cost might be higher if it's a video versus still camera. The Peterhof is all about the gardens and fountains and no added permit or sticker is needed there. Requiring the stickers is partly for the added revenue, but also to lessen mobs of folks just snapping lots of pictures (with the flashes going off) inside these historic places. It helps protect the art and make things more manageable for the crowds. Let us know any other questions. Or, if there are some special visuals you are interested in seeing.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 20,500 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[Cornishpastyman1]

Hi Greg

 

Just to add that photography is not permitted in the Amber Room at The Catherine Palace, and there are signs in the room pointing this out. However you are not physically prohibited from taking shots or footage. There are a couple of staff on hand who I suppose are there to police this. Whether they would demand that you wiped out your images there and then, who knows ? I guess not.

 

When I was there no-one took photos but from outside the entrance some may have done using the old zoom facility. Terry's camera accidentally went off in there, and fortunately for us it captured the best photo of the AR I've ever seen ! You couldn't do better if you had meant to take it. (post it one more time Terry, not for me, because I have my copy, but for anyone else who hasn't seen it)

[TLCOhio]

Hi Greg. Just to add that photography is not permitted in the Amber Room at The Catherine Palace, and there are signs in the room pointing this out. However you are not physically prohibited from taking shots or footage. There are a couple of staff on hand who I suppose are there to police this. Whether they would demand that you wiped out your images there and then, who knows ? I guess not. When I was there no-one took photos but from outside the entrance some may have done using the old zoom facility. Terry's camera accidentally went off in there, and fortunately for us it captured the best photo of the AR I've ever seen! You couldn't do better if you had meant to take it. (post it one more time Terry, not for me, because I have my copy, but for anyone else who hasn't seen it)

 

THANKS for the mention on that picture at this amazing palace! Yes, I've got to replace that "accidental" camera. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Actually, I did get a new Nikon D3100 that just was released in early October. It does shoot a much larger 14mp visual size and has pretty amazing 1080p High Def video. Things work well, with lots of other touches and features. It might still, go off on "accident", too, sometimes, maybe.

 

As you go through Catherine's Palace, things are a little narrow as you walk down through those various rooms and the main, long corridor. Limiting the number of people doing pictures and taking video is a practical thing as it can slow things up if everyone would be wanting to pop off flash pictures in all directions, waiting for people to move to get a better picture, video shoot, etc. I understand the "trade-offs" on and with those policies. The Amber Room is very, very spectacular. Such craftwork to re-create this original art that was destroyed during World War II is very amazing. Happy to share. Let me know any other visual requests from our Baltics trip. If you like the fjords, puffins, western Norway Coast, check out the below postings from our early July cruise out of Copenhagen.

 

Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 20,500 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

At Catherine's Palace, here is the spectacular Amber Room:

 

 

 

At Catherine's Palace, here is a small sampling of its historic and highly-detailed furniture:

 

[Atwell]

Terry,

Thanks for explaining about the camera passes and for sharing the photo of the Amber Room!

Greg

[TLCOhio]

Terry, Thanks for explaining about the camera passes and for sharing the photo of the Amber Room! Greg

 

Glad to be of help. Let us know any other questions, photo needs, etc. It's especially nice to help a good "neighbor" in Cincinnati.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now nearly at 20,800 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[Shooraq]

THANKS, Ashland, for the kind comments on my pictures and asking about the camera, etc.!

 

My camera used on past travels has been a Nikon D50 SLR. Good, but not at the super-pro, high-end level. Lots of people have cameras at and near that quality or comparable. These days, the digital technology has improved so much that nearly everyone can take good to great pictures. Just last week, I upgraded to a new Nikon D3100. It does high definition video, plus its still pictures are done at a much pixel level and the viewing screen is much larger and sharper. Plus, this camera has many other improvements, etc. Below you can check some of my tips, secrets and suggestions for getting better pictures.

 

Since I have an "SLR" or single lens reflex camera, that bring up the question of lens. I have a 10-20 mm lens that gives a wider angle view than average. That really helped create some picture "drama" without being too wide and distorted as can happen with a fish-eye lens. This wide-angle lens does especially for the interiors of great churches and historic buildings. There are cases where my longer lens (have a Nikkor 70-300 mm zoom) can really help. In many cases, my basic Nikkor 18-55 mm zoom covers the middle range very well and is used the most. It's nice to have only one lens that covers all needs, but then you lose some in the desired picture quality.

 

On such trips as recently to Norway and the Baltics, I download my pictures most days to the MacBook Pro laptop that I usually bring along for such trip. Today's technology makes it easier to straighten pictures, adjust the cropping, fix color balance, etc. By taking the laptop along, downloading and checking the pictures as I travel, it helps to know what I'm getting and improve my "focus" as I travel in such great, scenic places. Playing with the pictures on the flight back while I listen to the "tunes" on my computer also helps pass the time quicker. Many laptops also have great programs to put these pictures into nice “slide shows” with various great visuals tools to add titles, do dissolves, etc.

 

I found taking cruise and travel pictures is fun, plus much, much cheaper than shopping for souvenirs. It also keeps these memories "fresh" as you can re-live your experiences, share them with friends, etc.

 

It's titled: Baltics/Picture Secrets! Key Tips, Ideas, etc. Check this summary out and let me know your feed-back, questions and comments.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=977864

 

Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 19,900 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

I always meant to ask you that, Terry. I currently have a Nikon D70 that I've been using for the last 2 years. Bought it used because my DH wasn't sure if photography was a passing fad for me or not. Turned into a passion that I thoroughly enjoy. I definitely want to upgrade, especially before my Baltic cruise in May. I am supposedly getting my husband's D300, but he's waiting to see if the replacement for the D700 will happen in the next few months. I really hope I can upgrade so I can practice the D300 before my cruise, but if not, my trusty D70 will certainly do the job!

 

I'm definitely going to rent a Tokina 11-16mm lens for all the landscape and architecture. I rented one when on my southern Caribbean cruise last year and had fun with the creative angles. I wish I could afford to buy my own (most of my camera gear is used and half my lenses were bought affordably from eBay) but the lens is not practical to own on a regular basis and I can rent one for a week at under $100 with insurance.

[TLCOhio]

I always meant to ask you that, Terry. I currently have a Nikon D70 that I've been using for the last 2 years. Bought it used because my DH wasn't sure if photography was a passing fad for me or not. Turned into a passion that I thoroughly enjoy. I definitely want to upgrade, especially before my Baltic cruise in May. I am supposedly getting my husband's D300, but he's waiting to see if the replacement for the D700 will happen in the next few months. I really hope I can upgrade so I can practice the D300 before my cruise, but if not, my trusty D70 will certainly do the job! I'm definitely going to rent a Tokina 11-16mm lens for all the landscape and architecture. I rented one when on my southern Caribbean cruise last year and had fun with the creative angles. I wish I could afford to buy my own (most of my camera gear is used and half my lenses were bought affordably from eBay) but the lens is not practical to own on a regular basis and I can rent one for a week at under $100 with insurance.

 

WOW! Having both a D300 and D70 in the family is lots of photo firepower. If your husband can upgrade to the D700, then I would get that wide-wide angle lens. Renting it a few times, does add up. I'll let you work that one out. It is amazing how the technology keeps improving for BOTH shooting and "processing" on your laptop, etc. Plus, how much can be stored and handled on those SD chips. And, the prices keeping dropping as quality goes up. Let me know any other questions, comments, suggestions.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 21,000 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[Shooraq]

WOW! Having both a D300 and D70 in the family is lots of photo firepower. If your husband can upgrade to the D700, then I would get that wide-wide angle lens. Renting it a few times, does add up. I'll let you work that one out. It is amazing how the technology keeps improving for BOTH shooting and "processing" on your laptop, etc. Plus, how much can be stored and handled on those SD chips. And, the prices keeping dropping as quality goes up. Let me know any other questions, comments, suggestions.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 21,000 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

I agree with you, Terry. I might just treat myself to the lens to share with my husband. I do know that over the next few years, we are going to want to travel to Europe more and wide-angle shots are so worth it! Hmm... maybe I should start making suggestions for cash donations during the holidays... :D

 

- Robyn

[TLCOhio]

I agree with you, Terry. I might just treat myself to the lens to share with my husband. I do know that over the next few years, we are going to want to travel to Europe more and wide-angle shots are so worth it! Hmm... maybe I should start making suggestions for cash donations during the holidays... :D - Robyn

 

Great news, Robyn! Go for it! You might check out the Sigma 10-20mm, f4.0-5.6 that I got. It was about $500 in 2008 through Amazon. It's 16.5 oz., equals 15-30 mm. It was introduced in 2005 and probably gets highest marks compared to Nikkor lens. I checked out all of the options at that time, talked with experts, etc.

 

This Sigma 10-20mm EX HSM lens is designed for use on digital bodies only. It is in Sigma’s “EX” line, which designates a pro build quality and distinct finish. 102.4 degrees at 10 millimeters and 63.8 degrees at 20 millimeters. 9.4 inch focus. I'm super well-pleased with this lens, its construction, quality.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 21,000 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923