Any photography tips
 

I am planning on lugging my 35mm SLR camera along on a land drive through the interior of the Forget-me-not state and was hoping to get some advice on what accessories to bring. We have hotel lodgings and as mentioned traveling via auto. I like to take photos but am not nor trying to be a professional. I do have the following lenses: 20-80; 75-300mm zoom telephoto, wide-angle; 50mm macro for botanical closeups. Should I buy film in Anchorage or bring it from home (I will have to pass through security twice on the way there)?

I suspect I will shoot a roll or two a day. Any tips for shooting the glaciers -- white fields. 400 film speed ? Thanks for your comments

This is what I know about photography.

The best lighting is natural light in the very early morning, at sunset, or on an overcast day.

I'd use 400 film speed. Probably Kodak, not Fuji, for white fields; Fuji for botanicals. I was told twice that as long as the film is not higher than 800 speed it would be fine in airport security. So far, my pictures have always turned out fine. I'd bring a tripod too.

Make sure you take your film in your carry-on bags and DO NOT check it in your luggage. The x-ray machines for checked luggage are powerful enough to ruin film nowadays, or so they say.

Andrew

I always have my film HAND CHECKED and never pass it though x-rays. I always take 2 bodys and run between 200 and 400 film. For glaciers, you need to over expose and it is best to braket. I always shoot manual. A tripod is a handy tool, I have brought my along on my winter aurora trips, but is useful for me anytime. I always take my own film, I also like Agfa.

I am not a fan of 400 speed fil for daytime shots. I much prefer 100 or 200. I love getting up early for photo ops. Invariably my best photos come early in the day.

In summer of 2003 returning from a SW Utah trip with 18 rolls of exposed film in a clear zip lock bag carried in the open...the security at McCarren refused to hand check it. They did ask if there was any 800 plus film in there and there was not. I thought I made it very easy with the plactic bag for them to do this but they would not. It ran through the scanner and in the end there were no issues with the photos.

Your choice of lenses is fine. Only thing I can add is that you *will* want a tripod and remote shutter switch for the closeups as well as the long zoom shots.

Don't be cheap and get the $20 tripod - they are wobbly and extremely difficult to frame the shot properly. You should be able to get a sturdy, lightweight tripod for about $60. It's a bit of an investment but it will pay off when you get home and see the results :)

Buy your film at Fred Meyer or Costco in Anchorage. Lower 48 prices and no sales tax.

400ASA for pictures of glaciers will require very short exposures and high f-stops or else you will overexpose. I would recommend 200ASA as a default film choice.

Your lens selection is more than adequate. If you're going to use your 300mm zoom lens a lot, then the faster film might be a good idea unless you want to schlep a tripod around.

There are numerous 1-hour or 24 hour processing labs in Anchorage and other communities. I would probably just get your film developed/printed as you go so that you can enjoy your work on the plane, and not worry about x-rays of hand-carry or checked bags. BTW, most TSA folks now require that you remove film from the boxes and canisters, so if you plan to take umpteen rolls, be prepared for a long (shoeless) visit with the TSA folks at every security point. What a drag.

Prepare for the inevitable: digital. Have your photos put on a CD, and buy some photo software. You then at least have some control if you don't like what the processor's result.

I used to only travel with a 35mm SLR...but have since switched to a digital.

The deciding factor for me was when I enlarged a digital image to 16x20 for framing. The clarity was superb.

A lot of good advice here already. Ditto on the tripod, especially if you are going to be doing lots of low light (which you should) and macro work. Good advice about overexposing for the glaciers/snow and bracketing your shots. I wouldn't worry at all about the security, as long as you don't send the film through in checked bags. However, here in the U.S., they are supposed to hand inspect on request, and usually you get no grief over this. I would take 100 and 400 speed, but if you are using the tripod you might as well go with the lower speed and trip the shutter with a remote switch or the self timer. Some people like warming filters for such locations, but I have seen others say they took them but didn't need them. You might want to take a look at www.photo.net's community and do a search for topics on glaciers, snow, Alaska to get additional information.

Even if you're checking film in your bags and/or hand-checks aren't offered (more common now in crowded airports) 4-5 x-ray passes @ 400ASA = potential fogging. Big powerful luggage x-ray machines now in use. Don't risk it.

We had NO problem having our film hand checked on our trip to and from Alaska last year.

One more opinion:
*take or buy twice as much film as you think you will need. I have never heard of anyone complaining about taking too much film. 200 is good, 400 with long lense or shooting wildlife, whales, birds.

* assume you have uv or skylight filters for your lenses plus a polarizer.

* plenty of batteries, charger if needed

* tripod--ok, I know we are supposed to and I actually bought a new monopod to take with me on last trip and used it twice. With faster film and f-stops, you shouldn't need it all of the time unless purpose of trip is to take pictures and you have extra room in suitcase.

*per BQ, always insist on handchecking your film in nice manner and never have a problem Never put in checked luggage.

* don't forget video camera, binoculars, digital!!!!

..since it's a photo subject, I'll ask...any tips on talking slide film ?...

If you are shooting mostly landscapes then I would go with a much lower ASA film 100 would be my fastest and I usually use 50 ASA.

This will give you smooth grain and better color saturation.

Silde film is great for this but has less exposure lattitude than negative film. Negative film is a bit more forgiving and so many people use it. I would never use ASA400 or ASA800 for outside sunny photos. Inside shots you certainly can, but you will get more grain and less color pop generally.

For my tips; I would always use fill flash during the day for any people shots, and since you won't get the morning and evening light unitl what around midnight in the summer, you will just need to use the light that is there at the time...

Use a Tripod as much as possible and always try to get something in the foreground that is interesting like a flower with the mountains in the distance...

Move around to frame your shots better, instead of using a zoom when possible.

For shooting white fields & glaciers make sure to overexpose +1-+2 or use a grey card or handheld meter. You don't want your snow to be grey!

Thanks for the advice -- I forgot to add or ask that I want to take a waterproof disposable camera for the Denali rafting trip. Should I purchase that in Anchorage? -- I think that it has a fast film speed -- usually around 800. I do have a circular polarizer -- will that make the glacier have a greenish tint?

I have also in the past, taken mailers and shipped my film directly to my pro lab in Florida- superior developing compared to Walmart etc.. I use Pro Photo, excellent consistant lab. As stated you need to be exact with slide film. I have shot that several times for presentations I have done. I use a hand held light meter, and again braket and take twice as many as you will need. (which is the rule anyway). :)

For anyone using a digital cam that wants professional quality prints....I highly reccomend White House Custom Color

http://whcc.com/

I would probably go with something like Velvia 50 speed or Provia 100 for slide film. However, as others have said it has a lower exposure latitude, and especially if you are not used to shooting snow or glaciers with it, I would bracket the heck out of my most important shots.

I wouldn't think you would have green snow from a polarizing filter. You can see the effects pretty well through the viewfinder anyway before taking the photo. I wouldn't think of traveling without a polarizing filter, but it shouldn't be overused. It is great for nature photography to darken skies, cut glare, and enhance colors. Make sure you don't over-darken the sky, overdo the color enhancement (unless that's what you want), or cut out reflections you don't want to cut out.