Baltics/Picture Secrets! Key Tips, Ideas, etc.

[FrankinPA]

In Photobucket, which code am I supposed to copy into my posting? My choices are

 

Email and IM

Direct Link

HTML Code

IMG code

 

Sorry for my ignorance.

[TLCOhio]

In Photobucket, which code am I supposed to copy into my posting? My choices are

Email and IM

Direct Link

HTML Code

IMG code

Sorry for my ignorance.

 

No problem! This stuff gets confusing at times and it took me some time to figure it out. It's the IMG code (for imbedded) that has the squared parentheses marks at the front and back. Does that help?

 

Good luck. Let us know any added questions!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Just back from a June 7-19 Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. These postings are now at 27,209 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 48,106 views.

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

 

Appreciate those who have “tuned in” for these two posts. Don’t be shy and feel free to comment and/or ask any questions of interest.

[TLCOhio]

Since doing this original posting based on questions about pictures from the Baltics and Russia, I posted some visuals from last summer along the Norway coast, their fjords and up to their "Top of Europe" North Cape.

 

In June, we did Barcelona and departed on a cruise that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. I posted dozens and dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. These postings are now over 27,400 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity. The Solstice is nice ship that allow lots of interesting angles and views using my 10-20mm wide angle.

 

Last October, I upgrade from my Nikon D50 to their just out (at that time) Nikon D3100. It shoots 12mp with a larger, better back viewing screen. It also has the ability to do 1080HD video. It all works well and I am well-pleased. Also used a Nikon 55-300mm with VR for those longer shots. That lens worked well. Took about 3000+ photos on this cruise. Below are a couple groups for samples of what we saw in the Med and on this ship.

 

Fun and great trip. Let me know any questions, feed-backs, etc. You can see the complete postings and added info on these various ports at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

The Celebrity Solstice is positioned in the Villefranche harbor of southern France with this beautiful setting surrounding the ship.:

 

 

 

As we sailed into Venice, here is a tighter shot of the main square and the crowds that were there around 1 pm on June 14. Next are a couple of other views from that great sail-in to Venice and the sights of various interesting buildings and church. Love Venice so, so much!!:

 

 

 

In Dubrovnik, we started with a local cab driver who gave us a “panoramic tour”, including crossing this unique bridge near the main cruise ship docking area. Then we drove up and up through narrow twisting roads to the high point overlooking Dubrovnik and near the cable car high station. From this point, we could also see part of Bosnia and and Montenegro. The “super star” view was down below with this angle of the harbor and walled city. Beautiful!!!:

 

 

 

It was a big “WOW” for our first visit to Pisa. This tower is much taller than I expected. They just completed a major cleaning of it in the past few weeks, making things perfect, except for that little foundation problem with one tower. Also impressive here are the Pisa Baptistry and Duomo (main) church. Pisa has a couple of major universities here. There is another church here that also also a learning (and shorter) tower. We drove by that site. Two leaning towers in Pisa! How many knew that?:

 

 

 

We had visited San Gimignano in 1999 with our son, but it is a town that is always impressive in history and architectural styles. We had lunch here. Below is a long-shot of the hill town with its tower from the wonderful countryside below and nearby.

 

 

 

When the sun was setting as the Solstice sailed from Rome to Naples, here was the visual on the back lawn on the ship’s top, back level. Dramatic and beautiful!!:

 

[TLCOhio]

Here is the second sample group from our June cruise in the Med.

 

From that trip, I had a question from Jennifer from Sydney, Australia. It was about . . . whether there are any problems in having too large of a SD to use when taking cruise pictures? Here's what I replied:

 

The big downside in using too large of SD card is that you will keep shooting and shooting pictures, day after day. If there is a disk problem, data loss, camera stolen, etc., type of problem, then you are really in really bad shape. Lost, gone, nothing!!

 

On this past trip to Europe in June, I shot "RAW" on an 8 GB card with Nikon D3100 camera. That gave me lots and lots of pictures. BUT, I always downloaded at the end of each day to my laptop with all of those pictures taken. I then would back up my laptop with an external hard-drive that was kept in the room safe. I didn't think there would be a likely situation where my camera and/or lap-top would be stolen or lost, BUT, accidents and/or unfortunate things can or sometimes do happen. Didn't want to take those risks. Back-ups are important!!!

 

Reactions?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

Overlooking Positano along the Amalfi Coast, this is the view as we dined, family-style for lunch, at the Elisir di Positano per La Caglioita. The views here were super and the sun came out in strong force as we enjoyed our three-course lunch with local wine and drinks.:

 

 

 

It was a full moon for our evening in Venice. Here is that view of the moon as we walked at night past the Doge’s Palace. At night, you want to hang out in and around San Marco Square to hear the various orchestras playing, see people enjoying, etc.:

 

 

 

From high above Montenegro's Kotor along the Croatian Coast, this is the view of the fjord bay with the Solstice in prime position to soak up the spectacular sun on our visiting day there.:

 

 

 

The Solarium was one of our favorite areas on our Solstice ship. Food and drinks were nearby and it was very relaxed and sophisticated. Quieter, too, as it is an adults-only area. Two hot tubs here. Not crowded, especially in the evenings. Nice art and design with this sparkling ship facility.:

 

 

 

This is the dramatic front view of St. Peters and the Square with the beautiful sky over this historic setting.:

 

 

 

Tuscany's Lucca has so many cute and interesting shops. Here is one example that we enjoyed so much. It is the Antico Caffe Dei Simo at Via Fillungo 58. Its origins date back to 1846 and has seen famed artists such as Verdi and Puccini pass through its doors.:

 

[FrankinPA]

Thanks for your help. Let me try one.

 

This is the main hallway in the Parliament Building in Budapest

 

[FrankinPA]

Early Morning on the Infinity going thru the narrows on the inside passage heading to Alaska

[TLCOhio]

Thanks for your help. Let me try one. This is the main hallway in the Parliament Building in Budapest.

 

Great!!! You've got it working well. Two for two. You're ready to "Rock & Roll!" in doing more posts on other boards. Glad that I was able to help a neighbor in Pennsylvania. Let me know any other questions or reactions.

 

Have been to Budapest and in that spectacular Parliament Building there. Very interesting building and great city.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[FrankinPA]

Terry,

 

Thank you very much for the coaching. Looks like I have the hang of it now.

I also had a D-50 and loved it. The two photos above were made with it. Gave it to my daughter who really got into photography a few years ago. Now I have a D7000 and it does a super job, especially on flash.

 

All the best, Larry

[TylerRose]

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and images.

Did you shoot in RAW?

What was your favorite lens.

(DH drags his 400mmF28 with us)... I get to hold the unipod between lens swaps... not fun!:rolleyes:

[TLCOhio]

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and images. Did you shoot in RAW? What was your favorite lens. (DH drags his 400mmF28 with us)... I get to hold the unipod between lens swaps... not fun!

 

Appreciate your posting and nice comments. YES, do shoot RAW and it gives me more to "work with" when doing any editing with my laptop, allowing larger prints that are excellent quality, etc. With today's larger and lower-cost SD chips, plus taking my laptop along on the trip, it is not a problem keeping and working with these larger files. Really like to have 12x18 prints done for $2.99 each at Costco. Looks so super!!

 

Of my three lenses, I use the 18-55mm the most as it covers the widest range that is needed in travel and other situations. For many key interiors with churches, palaces, etc., the 10-20mm wide angle is so sweet and special. I also am very pleased with the Nikon 55-300. Great for wildlife, close-up on certain buildings, etc. Like with your children, you don't say which one is your favorite when all are important and serve important purposes. Seems like lots of work dragging that 400mm lens. I like having the zoom to make quick adjustments as you are shooting.

 

Below are a few more from the June Med cruise from Italy, Barcelona, Croatian Coast, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 61,624 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 57,553 views.

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

 

 

On our first visit to Pisa, we were very impressed by its famed Leaning Tower. This tower is much taller than I expected. It is 185’ high. Big for that era and their construction tools/techniques! They just completed a major cleaning of the tower in the weeks before our June visit. Below shows its lower ground-level. The second shot shows the top of the tower with people. Work on the white marble campanile began in 1173, during a period of Pisa’s military success and financial prosperity. The tower began to sink as construction started on the second floor in 1178. This was due to having only a three-meter foundation, set in weak, unstable, sandy subsoil. Construction was halted for almost a century, due to the Republic of Pisa being almost continually engaged in battles with the city-states of Genoa, Lucca and Florence. The seventh floor was completed in 1319. The bell-chamber was added in 1372. Also impressive here are the Pisa Baptistry (begun in the mid 12th century) and Duomo (main) church (construction started in 1064 as a model of Pisan Romanesque style of architecture). Pisa has a couple of major universities here. There is another church here that also has a leaning (and shorter) tower. We drove by that site, also. Two leaning towers in Pisa! How many knew that?:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inside St. Peters, this is a portion of the main floor area where the body of the late Pope John Paul II has been moved. On May 3, 2011, he was give this new resting place in the marble altar in Pier Paolo Cristofari's Chapel of St. Sebastian. This prominent location is next to the Chapel of the Pieta. They completed this change as he was elevated and moves towards Sainthood. Crowds were big and busy inside this huge Cathedral, the world's largest.:

 

 

 

Near Positano along the Amalfi Coast, this is the super luxury hotel, its gardens and views where the rooms go for about $1200 a night. Costly, but million-dollar sights from each of the rooms.:

 

 

 

Ravello sits high above the water overlooking the great views of the Amalfi Coast. This charming town of 2500 people has many interesting buildings. Shown is a sample of its structures, flowers and views to nearby, terraced hillsides. In the summer months, the "Ravello Festival" takes place in Ravello. The Festival started in 1953 in honor of Richard Wagner, who did inspired writing at this location. Ravello was founded in the 5th century as a shelter location against Barbarian invaders at the end of the Western Roman Empire. In the 9th century Ravello was an important town of the maritime republic of Amalfi. In the 20th century, many famous artists, including Virginia Woolf, Greta Garbo, Joan Mirò, Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams and Leonard Bernstein, visited and stayed in Ravello.:

 

 

 

In Venice, here is a unique framing of the famed Tower from an arch of the Doge’s Palace.:

 

[themnms]

Your pictures are good and I enjoy seeing it all again. Memories. Nancy

 

Nice tips!! Thanks

[themnms]

When we did our early July cruise along the Norway Coast, there were lots of pictures opportunities along this scenic coast, in the spectacular fjords, around the dramatic Lofoten Islands, going up the North Cape at the top of Europe, seeing puffins and reindeer, doing Copenhagen, Windsor Castle, etc. This live/blog posting has gotten nearly 19,000 view, so far. Feel free to check it out and make any comments or raise any questions. Took about 3,000 pictures on this trip, having my laptop along to edit, upload as we traveled, etc. Below are a few visual samples for what we saw and experienced.

 

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.

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

 

 

You go on these Norway Coast cruises for the spectacular fjords. From the journey to Flam, Gudvangen and Sognerfjord, here is one picture giving you a sampling of the skies and views for these beautiful internal coast lines of the fjords.

 

 

 

This is the dramatic overview of Alesund from the Aksla vantage point. This spot allows a nearly 360 degree view of this setting for this island city and the surrounding mountains and islands. It is at a 597’ height overlooking the five islands making up the scenic town.:

 

 

 

We went to the end of the road for the dramatic Lofoten Islands. It is a village called “A”. In their alphabet, this “A” has a small “o” above the letter. Simple name for a charming fishing town. We had box lunches from the ship and dined on a picnic table on the wooden dock. This was our view with the busy and noisy birds.:

 

 

 

This is one of my many puffin visuals, showing their bright orange feet, plus their cute and unique beaks. We had a private boat from is the harbor in Gjesvaer near the North Cape.:

 

 

 

As we departed Svolvaer in the Lofoten Islands on a perfect, sunny day, these are two of the green, tree-covered mountains rising up from the sea that we saw with the small out-islands in the foreground.:

 

 

 

In Bergen’s historic Hanseatic warehouse area, this folk music group is entertaining as people sit outside, drink beer (at $13 each) and enjoy the great weather day.:

 

 

 

gorgeous!!

[Blueboss]

Did you use any filters while taking these pictures? If so, what kind?