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Alaska Photo Countdown to 7/13!


Which is your favoriteAlaska Cruise Port/Stop?  

92 members have voted

  1. 1. Which is your favoriteAlaska Cruise Port/Stop?

    • Ketchikan
      20
    • Haines
      1
    • Sitka
      8
    • Juneau
      5
    • Icy Straight Point
      6
    • Juneau
      4
    • Hubbard Glacier
      9
    • Glacier Bay
      13
    • Seward
      5
    • Whittier
      1
    • Anchorage
      2
    • Vancouver
      2
    • Other
      16


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Thanks for the great picture of the HAL ship approaching Hubbard Glacier! We missed Hubbard Glacier (on HAL) in September due to bad weather. At least I got to see a ship there, I'll just imagine I was on it!!!!

 

You have to go back sometime - it's an awesome experience!

 

L.J.

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Thanks, LJ! We just booked our cruise for July and I am enjoying your beautiful photos. I am an avid amateur photographer and I can't wait to see more of your shots. I won't have anywhere near your zoom capacity, but I'll be giving it my best "shot". Keep the pics coming, you have a big fan with me!

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Thanks, LJ! We just booked our cruise for July and I am enjoying your beautiful photos. I am an avid amateur photographer and I can't wait to see more of your shots. I won't have anywhere near your zoom capacity, but I'll be giving it my best "shot". Keep the pics coming, you have a big fan with me!

 

Hey T-Rox,

 

Thanks! Picking out which ones to post each day is fun and gets me thinking about what things I'll get to see this trip! Who did you book with in July? We're taking Radiance southbound 7/13 from Seward. If you have a point & shoot or a digicam with a 15x or more optical zoom, you'll have the same reach. If you don't already have one, you can pick up a nice one for $275-$399 or so, depending on the brand. Just make sure it has image stabilization!

 

L.J.

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You are making me want to go out and buy a new camera. (Not as nice as your's I am sure!)

 

LOL - it doesn't need to be. Camera gear is my vice now (at least there are worse things - just don't tell my back!), but some of my favorite photos I've taken were with my first little 2MP digital camera with a 10x zoom:D!

 

L.J.

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I've got an older Canon S3IS with image stabilization that is a decent point and shoot and I have a Pentax K5 with several lenses, but the largest lens I have is 70-300. It still feels pretty heavy to me, so I am a little worried aboutnhan shake. I guess a tripod doesn't help much on a moving ship, does it?

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Hey T-Rox,

 

Thanks! Picking out which ones to post each day is fun and gets me thinking about what things I'll get to see this trip! Who did you book with in July? We're taking Radiance southbound 7/13 from Seward. If you have a point & shoot or a digicam with a 15x or more optical zoom, you'll have the same reach. If you don't already have one, you can pick up a nice one for $275-$399 or so, depending on the brand. Just make sure it has image stabilization!

 

L.J.

 

I got this shot with my Nikon P&S (18x optical zoom) set on auto (I'm a real putz when it comes to camera settings). Something I've learned is to take lots and lots and lots of shots and you're bound to get some really good ones. :)

 

DSCN1473.jpg

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I just realized I didn't answer your question. We are booked on Princess southbound departing Whittier on 7/14 ... So we'll be right on your heels. Any advice for excursions with great photo ops would be greatly appreciated.

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I've got an older Canon S3IS with image stabilization that is a decent point and shoot and I have a Pentax K5 with several lenses, but the largest lens I have is 70-300. It still feels pretty heavy to me, so I am a little worried aboutnhan shake. I guess a tripod doesn't help much on a moving ship, does it?

 

T-Rox,

 

The 70-300 has nice reach. The most I had last time was 400mm. I'll have 700mm this trip! If you're shooting in decent light, you should be ok. Basic rule of thumb would be that you have your shutter speed at 1/320 of a sec or faster when your at 300mm, you'll be fine. You can shoot even slower with a steady hand on land, but it's a bit tougher in a bobbing boat shooting whales. I also shoot at a minimum of 400 ISO. It gives you more speed than 100 or 200 ISO, yet still gives you low noise and nice prints. As for the tripod - you are correct, no good on the ship. Between the ship's natural motion in the water, and the vibration from the engine and/or the stablizers and thrusters, you'll do better handholding. Shoot away! Would love to see your pics when you get back.

 

L.J.

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I got this shot with my Nikon P&S (18x optical zoom) set on auto (I'm a real putz when it comes to camera settings). Something I've learned is to take lots and lots and lots of shots and you're bound to get some really good ones. :)

 

DSCN1473.jpg

 

Fantastic shot - was that at Anan Creek?

 

L.J.

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I just realized I didn't answer your question. We are booked on Princess southbound departing Whittier on 7/14 ... So we'll be right on your heels. Any advice for excursions with great photo ops would be greatly appreciated.

 

Nice! Do you get to go to Glacier Bay? It looks like if we want to go there we'll have to leave RCI:). We've only been to Alaska once, but in Skagway we rented a car and drove into the Yukon and went orsebackriding and sightseeing. In Juneau we went wahle watching, and in Ketihikan we took a float plane trip into Misty Fjords. All had terrific photos ops all along the way on each trip. Only way you go wrong in Alaska is if you don't get off the ship:D!

 

L.J.

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Nice! Do you get to go to Glacier Bay? It looks like if we want to go there we'll have to leave RCI:). We've only been to Alaska once, but in Skagway we rented a car and drove into the Yukon and went orsebackriding and sightseeing. In Juneau we went wahle watching, and in Ketihikan we took a float plane trip into Misty Fjords. All had terrific photos ops all along the way on each trip. Only way you go wrong in Alaska is if you don't get off the ship:D!

 

L.J.

 

Thanks. We will be cruising Glacier Bay. I have been to Alaska once (a few years ago, with my mom). This will my husband's first time. We usually travel independently and have been focusing on Europe, but I suggested we take a break from museums and art and enjoy natural beauty this time. He is worried about being captive on the boat, so I want to take advantage of all opportunities off ship we can squeeze in. If you don't mind one more bit of free advice, can you tell this southern girl with no snow photog experience if the white balance setting should be manipulated to compensate for all the white with glaciers and/or snowy mountains? I am brand new to this board and still haven't figured out how to attach photos, but would be happy to share and get your opinion on how I can improve. Thanks, again

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Hey All,

 

5 weeks from tonight we'll be on our 2nd leg flight from Phoenix to Anchorage! In the mean time, here are a couple of shots from our float plane trip into Misty Fjords National Monument...

 

 

IMG_9533-b.jpg

 

 

 

IMG_9421-b.jpg

 

 

L.J.

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Thanks. We will be cruising Glacier Bay. I have been to Alaska once (a few years ago, with my mom). This will my husband's first time. We usually travel independently and have been focusing on Europe, but I suggested we take a break from museums and art and enjoy natural beauty this time. He is worried about being captive on the boat, so I want to take advantage of all opportunities off ship we can squeeze in. If you don't mind one more bit of free advice, can you tell this southern girl with no snow photog experience if the white balance setting should be manipulated to compensate for all the white with glaciers and/or snowy mountains? I am brand new to this board and still haven't figured out how to attach photos, but would be happy to share and get your opinion on how I can improve. Thanks, again

 

 

T-Rox,

 

Here's a couple links to some different options for photo posting from another thread here on CC:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=618069

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1357128

 

I use Photobucket just for posting here on CC myself. Click on the 4th link option (IMG Code) when you select an image, and then just paste into your post. Those links above will give you other options.

 

The auto white balance settings, while often very good, tend to try and make overly bright/white scenes 18% "neutral" gray. The result is often sort of murky looking photos that aren't bright enough. As for the glacier & snow photos, you can try a beach or snow automatic setting if you have it on your camera(s).

 

If you shoot in regular settings (Program, A/P/M), you can dial up your exposure compensation +2/3 to +1 full stop. The same in the opposite direction. If you shoot in a dim/dark area and it makes the photo too bright, dial down -2/3 to -1 full stop. It'll make the scene look more like how your eye sees it, and it'll do that by increasing your shutter speed, reducing the chance for blur some in low light photos.

 

Hope that helps!

 

L.J.

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T-Rox,

 

Here's a couple links to some different options for photo posting from another thread here on CC:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=618069

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1357128

 

I use Photobucket just for posting here on CC myself. Click on the 4th link option (IMG Code) when you select an image, and then just paste into your post. Those links above will give you other options.

 

The auto white balance settings, while often very good, tend to try and make overly bright/white scenes 18% "neutral" gray. The result is often sort of murky looking photos that aren't bright enough. As for the glacier & snow photos, you can try a beach or snow automatic setting if you have it on your camera(s).

 

If you shoot in regular settings (Program, A/P/M), you can dial up your exposure compensation +2/3 to +1 full stop. The same in the opposite direction. If you shoot in a dim/dark area and it makes the photo too bright, dial down -2/3 to -1 full stop. It'll make the scene look more like how your eye sees it, and it'll do that by increasing your shutter speed, reducing the chance for blur some in low light photos.

 

Hope that helps!

 

L.J.

Thanks so much. I've been looking forward to your daily photo. My mom and I took the catamaran out and the float plane back and your view actually looks familiar. I'll try to figure out the photo attachment procedure. Thanks for the link.

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US Air is what we flew. Felt really wierd carrying our coats in Phoenix where it was 105 deg.

 

LOL - I can imagine. The people who work in the airport must know what the deal is, but other travelers must really wonder...:)

 

L.J.

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