What to take to Alaska

[gottagoacruzn]

Oh Crew News, some more questions to ask. What scenes to use, with or without flash?

1. Inside ship,

2. hallway to cabin, beach scene rather blah lookin

3. Inside cabin, bathroom, beach scene, blah

4. Lounges, casino

5. Theathers, in the centrum, blah

6 Dining room, food pictures, with or no flash. Not usin flash, the pictures came out blah

7. In ports, signs & etc, within reason of course.

8. Stores, like the Red dog saloon

9. Cloudy or sunny day

10 Window seat on plane, bus, van

Thanks, I think that's got everything!!

[pierces]

1 hour ago, gottagoacruzn said:

Rule of thumb: No flash.

Read my article on low-light shooting: https://pierce324.com/low-light-photography/

 

1. Inside ship, - Sometimes. Be aware of all the shiny surfaces.

2. hallway to cabin, - No. first ten feet bright, the rest dark.

beach scene rather blah lookin - No. Adjust exposure up one stop. You may have a beach/snow scene mode that will do that.

3. Inside cabin, bathroom - No. Many shiny surfaces

4. Lounges, casino. - Same as hallway, bright up close, dim after that (plus shiny stuff)

5. Theathers, in the centrum, blah. No - insufficient power for that large area. Try adjusting exposure up

6 Dining room, food pictures, with or no flash. Not usin flash, the pictures came out blah- Maybe. Try adjusting exposure up a little without flash too.

7. In ports, signs & etc, within reason of course. - Outside, no. In astore or a bar, maybe. Take with and without to compare later.

8. Stores, like the Red dog saloon. See #7.

9. Cloudy or sunny day. - Outside, no. Unless your subject has the sun behind them. Use flash to balance against the bright background.

10 Window seat on plane, bus, van. - No. Reflection from glass!

 

Dave

 

1 hour ago, gottagoacruzn said:

Threw in my 4¢...

 

Edited May 16, 2023 by pierces

[Crew News]

1 hour ago, gottagoacruzn said:

Oh Crew News, some more questions to ask. What scenes to use, with or without flash?

1. Inside ship,

2. hallway to cabin, beach scene rather blah lookin

3. Inside cabin, bathroom, beach scene, blah

4. Lounges, casino

5. Theathers, in the centrum, blah

6 Dining room, food pictures, with or no flash. Not usin flash, the pictures came out blah

7. In ports, signs & etc, within reason of course.

8. Stores, like the Red dog saloon

9. Cloudy or sunny day

10 Window seat on plane, bus, van

Thanks, I think that's got everything!!

Forget the flash since it is not adjustable and will produce super bright objects with deep shadows.  Try using your phone, or a small flash light, to illuminate someone's face with a constant light and then take a photo.  The same lighting technique will work for food photos as well.  I have two lumelights (disk-shaped flashlights) that are one-inch in diameter, rechargeable, and with built-in clips that make them great for for food photography. 

 

After comparing the above list to your users manual, your answers are in the manual on Pages 29 and 30.  You can make yourself a small card to remind you of each mode. 

 

FWIW indoor photos use a longer shutter speed which means the camera must be held especially still to prevent blurring and that means softly pressing the shutter button.   It also means photographing in a theater with moving actors is futile.  In addition, the color of light indoors will tint your photos and additional processing will be necessary to fix it. 

 

As noted in my previous posts, practice each of the above modes and then compare the results to just using AUTO except for moving objects.  Most outdoor shots will be fine with AUTO mode.Give the ASCN mode a try to see if it works better for you.

 

Practice, practice, practice until you develop your own best practices.

 

Let me know how you are progressing.

 

Edited May 16, 2023 by Crew News

[gottagoacruzn]

Hi, thanks guys!!!

[gottagoacruzn]

On 5/15/2023 at 5:46 PM, pierces said:

 

Dave

 

 

Hey Dave, got to readin your article about low light photography, an I think I'm gonna look into it. Copy it an add it my my updates. At the moment, have to go to the library. Thanks.

[eileeshb]

On 5/13/2023 at 5:57 AM, Crew News said:

FWIW by shooting continuous pictures I discovered that 8th grade basketball players have their eyes closed quite often.

Doing action shoots of male athletes in Ireland can be sketchy, I’ve twice wound up with pictures of genitalia flying free. Irish lads don’t believe in jock straps for leisure sport. 

[eileeshb]

On 5/16/2023 at 12:05 AM, gottagoacruzn said:

What scenes to use, with or without flash?

my 2c
I have managed to permanently disable the on-camera flash on my mirrorless system and I never use it on my dSLRs either. Those dinky flashes are next to worthless and the reflections they trigger just make things more complicated. If your camera can handle an external flash you can get a diffuser for that if using it for portrait pictures. 
 

[KYBOB]

11 minutes ago, eileeshb said:

my 2c
I have managed to permanently disable the on-camera flash on my mirrorless system and I never use it on my dSLRs either. Those dinky flashes are next to worthless and the reflections they trigger just make things more complicated. If your camera can handle an external flash you can get a diffuser for that if using it for portrait pictures. 
 

 

 

The camera gottagoacruzin has I think he said it was the Kodak pixpro fz151 looks like it will not accept an off camera flash. Good suggestion though. 

  

Edited May 18, 2023 by KYBOB

[gottagoacruzn]

No, Kkbob, I don't think so.

[gottagoacruzn]

On 5/15/2023 at 5:46 PM, pierces said:

 

Dave

 

 

Hey Dave, do you have any recent posts, on camera usage on a cruise? Would like to read up on that. Thanks.

[pierces]

11 hours ago, gottagoacruzn said:

Hey Dave, do you have any recent posts, on camera usage on a cruise? Would like to read up on that. Thanks.

Other than the short article back in April, not really. 

 

What sort of info are you looking for?

 

 

Dave

[gottagoacruzn]

Hey guys, have learned how to reset camera to factory defaults, an quality on there, is best, normal or fine, I've set it for the best. Never mind Dave, changed my mind.

Virginia

[gottagoacruzn]

Hey Crew News, you back yet or still on a cruise?

[Crew News]

Just now, gottagoacruzn said:

Hey Crew News, you back yet or still on a cruise?

I have indeed returned from Alaska.

[gottagoacruzn]

Hey Crew News, did you enjoy the tour in Ketchikan, any pictures?

[Crew News]

2 hours ago, gottagoacruzn said:

Hey Crew News, did you enjoy the tour in Ketchikan, any pictures?

I have pics from previous Ketchikan visits and just now starting to process about 500 new Bering Sea Fishing excursion pics from mid-May.  Here is a link to previous Ketchikan photos:  Ketchikan Photos

Edited May 30, 2023 by Crew News

[Host Bonjour]

On 5/30/2023 at 12:53 AM, Crew News said:

Bering Sea Fishing excursion pics from mid-May.

 

Hi Crew News!

 

Thanks for all of the wonderful contributions in the topic and on the board!

 

I was wondering, once you've settled in back home and done some editing, if you'd share a few images here in the topic? Add a watermark/copyright if it feels more comfortable...

 

I've been working with a nonprofit that produces exhibitions locally, nationally & internationally and I can definitely say it's not often we see any work from areas such as the Bering Sea.

 

There are some occasionally from Antarctica or Greenland, but even then, not many, and even fewer fishing! I do recall a project looking at Indigenous people at work on the annual whale catch and storage. 

 

Obviously no rush/no pressure, but it would be lovely to see here if you're willing, maybe share what you shot with...etc. I think the insight everyone is getting from folks with high level or pro knowledge is really amazing, including yourself and @pierces @eileeshb, to name a few. 

 

Thanks again! 

[Crew News]

4 hours ago, Host Bonjour said:

 

Hi Crew News!

 

Thanks for all of the wonderful contributions in the topic and on the board!

 

I was wondering, once you've settled in back home and done some editing, if you'd share a few images here in the topic? Add a watermark/copyright if it feels more comfortable...

 

I've been working with a nonprofit that produces exhibitions locally, nationally & internationally and I can definitely say it's not often we see any work from areas such as the Bering Sea.

 

There are some occasionally from Antarctica or Greenland, but even then, not many, and even fewer fishing! I do recall a project looking at Indigenous people at work on the annual whale catch and storage. 

 

Obviously no rush/no pressure, but it would be lovely to see here if you're willing, maybe share what you shot with...etc. I think the insight everyone is getting from folks with high level or pro knowledge is really amazing, including yourself and @pierces @eileeshb, to name a few. 

 

Thanks again! 

I go on the HAL Bering Sea Fishing excursion (over multiple years) to photograph eagles in flight but also photographs to show what takes place during the different crab species fishing seasons in the Bering Sea.

 

Olympus EM-1 MK 2   40-150mm lens

 

Olympus EM-1 MK 1   40-150mm lens

 

Olympus EM-1 MK 2   40-150mm lens

 

Canon G7X MK 111

 

Olympus EM-1 MK 2   40-150mm lens

 

Olympus EM-1 MK 1   40-150mm lens

 

Olympus EM-1 MK 3   40-150mm lens

[Glaciers]

On 6/2/2023 at 12:53 PM, Host Bonjour said:

I've been working with a nonprofit that produces exhibitions locally, nationally & internationally and I can definitely say it's not often we see any work from areas such as the Bering Sea.

Seems its already a given but these photos were taken nowhere near the Bering Sea.

[KYBOB]

I took that tour back in 2018. I too really enjoyed it. These were taken with a Nikon 70-200 F2.8 and a Canon G7x MarkIII. 

[KYBOB]

 

Edited June 4, 2023 by KYBOB

[abcyoyo]

I have been going back and forth between my Leica M setup or the SL for the past few weeks.  I want to take the M, as it has been my favorite since I switched over 2yrs ago.  I love the size, simplicity, and did I say size?  However, I was worried that the lack of range on this cruise would make me regret not just lugging the extra weight.  

 

I finally decided to take the M for the following reasons...

 

1) I have 2 small kids, so camping out for hours to save the perfect spot on the Endicott Glacier excursion is going to be difficult.  As others have said in this thread, I will probably just get pictures of other people heads or ipads in the air.

 

2) The longest range I have is a 90-280 lens, and I don't plan on renting any others.  Other than Endicott, I don't see that this range will make all that much of a difference.

 

3) I could just take the 135 M lens with me, and crop the photos to get the picture I want.

 

My only concern now is the weather sealing of SL body and lens.  I know the weather is unpredictable for Alaska.  What would you guys predict around this time of year?  Right now it shows rain next week, but clear on the week we go (June 16th).

 

 

[pierces]

Creeping up on our Alaska trip and I think I may have the kit figured out. I refuse to take anything that won't fit in my trusty old PacSafe CamSafe under-seat backpack. Of course, that rule would have gone the way of the Dodo in a heartbeat had the new 70-200 GM2 not fit. It did, so the rule survives. 😁

 

The list is now:

A7rV body with the 24-105 f/4 attached

A6600 body with the 10-20 f/4 PZ attached. (Just got it and am impressed so far)

70-200 GM2

1.4x TC

2.0x TC (not currently owned)

8mm Rokinon APS-C fisheye

2 extra batteries

Some extra SDXC cards

Charger

Tablet

 

Works out to around 9½ pounds (the 70-200 only weighs a little over a kilogram!) plus a little less than 4 for the backpack.

 

We have whale and bear tours booked so the 2x converter may become a reality. Reviews show that the 2x doesn't really slow down the focusing on the GM2 telephoto and having the potential of a 600mm f/5.6 equivalent reach with the APS-C mode on the A7rV or on the A6600 is tempting. I used the 1.4x indoors at our grandson's hockey game and focus stuck like glue, even wide open at f/4.

 

If that doesn't cut it, I need to find a new hobby.

 

Dave

 

 

[KYBOB]

When do you go? Are you just doing a cruise or land and cruise?

 

 I too love the 70-200 gm2 supper light weight and tack sharp and is the lightest weight 70-200 f2.8 lens I have ever owned. You should also try the new 24-70 f2.8 GM2 an amazing lens. 

 

[pierces]

14 hours ago, KYBOB said:

When do you go? Are you just doing a cruise or land and cruise?

 

 I too love the 70-200 gm2 supper light weight and tack sharp and is the lightest weight 70-200 f2.8 lens I have ever owned. You should also try the new 24-70 f2.8 GM2 an amazing lens. 

 

Cruise only in the last half of July.

 

I thought about a 24-70,  but I'm really happy with the 24-105 f/4 G. Holds up to the A7rV resolution and really works as my 98% lens for walkabout and general shooting.

 

Besides, I think I have used up all my happy wife camera karma for a while. 😶 

 

Dave