daveesl

During our recent trip to the Yucatan, I did a time-lapse sequence of the descent of Kulkulkan on El Castillo on the equinox. This was a REALLY tough shoot, as I could not use a tripod and had forgotten my intervalometer at my hotel. This meant I had to lay on the ground, holding my Canon in my hand like a rifle for about 1.5 hours, taking a shot every 5 seconds. Hope you enjoy it.

I have finally compiled the sequence and uploaded it to Vimeo. This makes it easy for anyone to watch, in HD. With Vimeo, in case you have not used it before, due to the large file sizes, it is best if you first click on the PLAY arrow and then immediately click on the PAUSE button. You'll see that the video is downloading to your computer. Give it a couple of minutes before pressing PLAY again. Here is the URL

http://vimeo.com/22953653

Dave

Fra_Diavolo

Thanks -- I'd heard of this phenomenon but had never seen it. A good production under difficult circumstances. Do they really charge $500 to use a tripod?

daveesl

If you use a tripod in any of the archeological sites in Mexico you are considered a "professional" and must get a permit. The INAH permit costs, normally, $450 per day per camera. I actually had a letter from the Mexican Consulate allowing me to shoot using a wheeled dolly for educational purposes, but the letter was ignored in the first few sites we visited and thus I ended up shooting everything by hand in 14 locations.

daveesl

Oh and what I was talking about with the intervalometer- it is an electronic device that you can program to automatically take shots. It allows you to determine the length of the shot, the time between shots, shutter speed and number of shots to take. Needless to say, if I had remembered to bring this, then I could have simply placed my camera on the ground, set the intervalometer and let it run on its own. I did not realize I had left it until we had gotten into the insane asylum that Chichen Itza had become on equinox, so there was no way I was going back for it. This was the most difficult series I have ever done.

sassy_cat

Very cool!

hopefulist

Thanks!

trekkercr

Thank you so much for sharing this awesome video of Chichen Itza.

Elainee

It has been deleted!!

daveesl

Sorry, the vimeo site messed up. Here is the YouTube link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAwzfSqMNk4

dave

november_moon

Dave (or others) - Do you have a link to a site explaining what camera equipment is allowed at archealogical sites and still be considered a non-professional? I want to make sure we don't take the wrong gear - "we" meaning my husband, but I always end up carrying, holding, babysitting the gear too, so I take credit as part of the photography team

daveesl

You can pretty much bring any kind of camera. I carry several DSLRs, an HG10 as well as an XHA1. What they want you to pay for is tripod / monopod / any other type of stabilizing gear. The cost is either $450 for a day or $450 (USD) per site (depending on who you speak with at the site). Here is from the official Mexican tourism board "...The use of tripods at all archaeological sites and some museums requires a permit. If you want to use a tripod you will need to apply for special permission from INBA (the government department that manages archaeological sites and some museums) and there will be a significant fee and plenty of paperwork involved. If you are outside Mexico, contact your local Mexican Consulate for information and details. These sites offer a "package hold" facility for people carrying tripods, where they can be left until you leave the site or museum."

There is also a small fee, paid at each site, if you use a video camera. I think it is about $4 (USD)

A way around this is to bring along a bag of rice and place your camera on it. While I had a stabilizer bag with me, I couldn't use it as I had to do the shutter by hand. Had this happened a few months later, when Magic Lantern firmware became available, I could have used ML as a built in intervelometer. Nobody charges for these bags. Some places will not bother you with a monopod.

dave

virginia

thanks for sharing. what a wonderful treat