Photo Andy

Never had anything stolen from a bag to date.  Thankfully. 

Had the TSA on flights open bags, I think this is due to number of cables for charging - phone, shaver, toothbrush, photographic flash cabling etc, just a shame could not have one charging cord for everything.  They placed a notice in the bag re the search. 

From what Ricki has stated re suitcases - many years ago on a flight from UK to Central Asia my grey Samsonite suitcase pre TSA locks and 9/11, the bag disappeared from the airport carousel with another grey Samsonite case remaining on the carousel but not mine. Guessing that a case of mistaken suitcase took the remaining case and walked through the airport looking for a similar case. Saw someone outside the airport with another grey Samsonite case and noticed it was mine and we exchanged cases. My case had a small luggage label they had not noticed. 

Now our suitcases have multiple stickers on both sides,  garish but hopefully no one will mistake our cases. 

Derek. 

Internet- slow in comparison to our home router. Easier and faster to use your smart phone 4G network whilst in ports.
Eat in Lido - food excellent, had a French evening menu a few days ago - stunning, French onion soup, snails, French entrees and Grand Marnier and orange juice crepes. Wow, wow, wow. 

Age - we are presently on a Canary Islands  cruise and a much older age group, but active, reading, attending lectures, IT and internet savvy. Many were walking in Lisbon today. In Lanzarote we trekked on the moonscape and all looked fit and everybody kept up with the group. Age is just a number!! The previous cruise to this was the Atlantic coast - were younger, 10 day quick warm sun cruise in early winter. 
Derek. 

Turtles06

I tried on Queen Mary sailing into NY in October this year- utter failure. Just thinking about it I should have spot metered and focus locked on the S of L, as it is highlighted with lights, reduce exposure using exposure compensation (I shoot manual with auto iso, review highlights on histogram and dial in exposure compensation as needed by trial and looking at histogram). Shoot fast and review, maybe long winded but usually works for me but maybe just tired after a long cruise and very early am - my excuses. interesting to see what people say. Need lens longer than 200mm or crop in post production. Will need to practise on another statue to perfect my technique. 
Derek. 

No disappointment Host Hattie as Madeira is gorgeous. We were able to visit Monte on the arrival pm, dinner onboard then to the Christmas market and stalls later in the evening. Back onboard watched part of the election results then next day back to Monte with camera and tripod for photography. 
All delightful. 
Derek. 

Delayed departure from Soton due to bad weather and fully informed by Captain to reasoning. Eventually left 6.15 am Saturday 9 Dec, informed we were missing La Palma but overnighted in Madeira. Channel and Biscay were rough but life was sweet on QV. 
Derek. 

Spinnaker2

Thanks for posting this question.

I am in the UK next June to photograph Puffins on the Farne Islands and will travel for a few miles in an open boat with photo gear.  Found the following article from  Shutterbug magazine online.  

"Photo Bag Reviews June 3, 2015, The Best Dry Bags to protect your camera gear".

Have a nice holiday.

Derek.  

Lanky Lad

further to my earlier comments. Macys is useful for a drink and sit down after walking around NYC and whilst waiting for the bus to return to QM2. Macys has 2 cafes, 3 eateries and as Bigmike 911 states it will be warm especially if NYC has cold winds and  or snow.  

It will be a long day especially if you rise early to see QM2 sailing under the Verrazano narrows bridge at 4am then breakfast and early into NYC. I attach a photo of QM2 sailing under the bridge - just!

BW

Derek. 

Lanky Lad

we did this recently. Early start 7.30am, at Macy’s by 8.30am and collected at 2.30pm nearby. Cost was $50 each (I maybe wrong) bought on board. 
We walked from Macy’s to Flatiron building then up 5th Ave to Central Park and through CP, back via Times Square to Macy’s. Feet hurt afterwards and I was wearing trail shoes. We enjoyed the visit. 
Have a great time.

Derek. 
 

Se1lad

useful info regarding price of a UK sparkling water, especially as this is my local supermarket,  thanks.  

Were you able to carry on board? if so, how many as a 2l bottle is bigger than a 0.75l bottle. Are they sold in a pack ?

Thanks. 

Slight variation on the theme.

I want to bring onboard 3x 6 pack of sparkling water as I do not drink alcohol nor tea nor coffee etc but prefer water. Will drink in the room only so no corkage problem.  Plan on carrying onboard on a 2 wheeled collapsible  cart.

On board 750ml of sparkling water is £5 approx. and in  our local supermarket is £0.70, a considerable saving when I drink 2x 750ml per day.  

I am happy to pull the cart, have done a test run and it works. 

Any comments?

Derek. 

Coming up to flu season in the northern hemisphere, maybe all should have flu and pneumonia vaccination? 

Dear Hattie

My wife and I sailed on  Queen Victoria, voyage V919 in late July / August 2019 the only difference we visited Lerwick. I have written an "Iceland Photography" July / August 2019 V919 in the Photo and Camera Discussions (P and C D forum). I did think of posting on the Cunard forum but very few articles on photography in Iceland so the P and C D forum gained.

Have a great time.

Best wishes

Derek.  

Thanks for posting the early am arrival of QV into the River Tyne. I will post a picture of QV leaving at 7pm later that day.

North East is wonderful with castles on the Northumberland coast, the Roman wall from Segedunum Roman fort, Benwell Roman Temple and the Roman wall out towards Chester's and Housesteads, Beamish open air museum, architecture of Newcastle, and shopping at the Metro Centre.       

Hope Cunard return in future years. 

For everybody reading this review and particularly tommui987 and ski ww.

This is a boiling mud pool just outside Akureyri an area called Namaskaro - yes it was boiling so extremely dangerous as I mention in my original article.  

Ken

thanks for the question. Used the D5 with 70 200 F2.8 in DX 1.5 mode so 300mm F2.8 equivalent. Looking at the picture on the computer - I cropped it. No it was not long enough. I have a Nikon afs 300f2.8 but it is heavy and only use for motor sports with a monopod, it causes biceps insertion pain after a few hours of hand holding. Whale watching excursion was 3 - 4 hours duration. 

I will use the 70-200 F2.8 on DX mode lowest ISO I can get away with and crop in post processing to maintain quality. 

Just a comment about the whale watching boat - at the bow with a good position but people were packed in behind me, monopod was not physically possible to use, just wanted a fast reasonably lighter lens with camera on DX crop and shoot fast.   

I thought about taking my 300mm F2.8 esp as we were not flying so no weight restrictions but opted for the above.  

Derek. 

This is my photographic experience on an Icelandic cruise sailing from and returning to the UK, including weather, equipment, techniques, practicalities, and potential problems. 

We have just returned from a 2 week Iceland cruise on board Cunard Queen Victoria, July / August 2019.

Iceland is stunning with many photographic opportunities including wildlife (puffins, whales etc), volcanic scenery, geysers and waterfalls.

We visited the Icelandic ports of Akureyri,  Isafjordur, and Reykjavik.   

Weather was warm and sunny 20C, we had been told the weather could be variable including rain, wind, sleet, snow etc and we prepared for bad weather with Gore-Tex boots and jackets, gloves, hats etc and rain jacket protection for the camera and lens. You are just south of the Arctic Circle and when crossing the Arctic Circle sailing from Akureryi to Isafjordur becoming a "Blue Nose". We were informed that summer of 2018 Iceland had 4 days of sun and was cold at 4c but in 2019 it has been sunny and warm since May to early August.  Be prepared for all weather.   

Equipment - Nikon D5 with 24-70 and 70-200 F2.8 zooms, Nikon circular polarising filter, Lee graduates and little stopper. Electronic cable release, kirk ball head, kirk quick release camera base plate, kirk quick release lens plate for 70-200 zoom and a Gitzo 4554t tripod capable of holding 50lbs of equipment. I use Lowe pro street and field bags and sad to say on arrival at home discovered my Toploader AW 75 had frayed at a corner, and was coming apart, sadly not repairable - great performance since 2005 and it has travelled the World! 

Techniques - due to potential wind I used my heavy Gitzo 4554t tripod being able to hang my camera bag and lens pouch from the centre hook to aid camera lens stability. Manual mode, using circular polariser,  2 - 6 second multiple exposures with differing focus points for depth of field and used an electronic cable release. F11 never smaller as danger of lens diffraction and for the 6 sec exposures I used the little stopper. My base ISO is 100 and used this for all tripod photography. 

Practicalities - we visited on separate days Godafoss waterfall (Akureryi), Gullfoss waterfall (Reykjavik), and Dyandi waterfall (pictured below) (Isafjordur). Some are a short walk from the car park, whilst Dyandi is a 15 min hike up the side of a hill, but the problem is the time limits at each location especially when composing long exposure and or multiple exposure images. At Dyandi the fog covered the top half of the waterfall, decided to photograph a lower waterfall, reasonably happy with the compromise and just as we were leaving the fog started to lift and opportunity lost to photograph the whole of Dyandi waterfall. The Strokkur Geyser on the Golden circle tour (Reykjavik), erupts every 5 mins allowing you to frame the geyser as it erupted 90ft into the air, 12 frames per second on the camera, needing large buffer capacity and fast write speed on your memory cards. As part of the Golden circle tour we visited Thingvellir national park and this is living geology with plate tectonics enlarging Iceland by 2cm per year. It is the separation of the Eurasian and North American plates but with many people walking the separation zone but if you wait at a place you want to photograph the people disperse, and the geology is more evident. We went whale watching from Reykjavik but only saw minkie whales and porpoises, someone forgot to invite the humpbacks and killer whales for a portrait session. That is life.

Potential problems - as mentioned previously time constraints and it was not a photographic tour so when your time is up you move on. We visited boiling mud pools, and waterfalls these have a rope with a do not cross sign, any human from small child to adult could easily cross with danger of serious injury or death. Be very careful at the edge of hot mud pools do not stray off the path or cross the rope as you may sink into the earth and it is hot. Wildlife - major problem is Artic Terns if you approach their nests they attack and dive bomb you. Our guide at Isafjordur told people to stay away from the beach and we did not have a problem. If you are doing coastal bird photography this maybe a problem. Develop a level of fitness as you are walking with equipment up hills and over rough terrain, I had upped my gym training prior to leaving the UK, used the stairs and the gym on board to maintain my strength and aerobic fitness. You do not want to be gasping for breath as you are taking an image - it is uncomfortable and danger of camera shake when composing your shots (should be using your electronic cable release for the exposures).         

Conclusion - we enjoyed Iceland and I tried to prepare for bad weather photography with protection for myself and my camera lens combination. The good weather was a pleasant surprise and the waterfalls are stunning. Be prepared for any type of weather but usually cold as you are just south of the Artic Circle. I am happy with my images within the time constraints and yes I would go again.     

We are cruising QV v928 Atlantic coast adventure returning to Soton then QV v929 to the Canaries. Can we stay on board or do we disembark and go through security etc? 

David and Toad

I do not use hand sanitizers as they dry my skin but very happy to use the hand washing facilities next to the sanitizers. Where have your hands been? only you know and are you comfortable with skin, urine and faecal debris on your hands as you eat. Sad to say eventually someone will become very ill with a bug and blame everyone but themselves. Whilst we are on this subject I was pleased to see the chefs happy to cook steak "medium well done" for me in Kings Court as I do not like undercooked food. Please oh please will people wash hands and reduce the chance of cross infection and we may all have superb holidays on Cunard's 3 Queens. Happy healthy sailing.

PhotoAndy.

Returned from a B to B on QM2. Very happy and excited so wrote a review according to rules on CC. It has not been posted on CC to date. Stated I would receive an email when posted. This probably about 5 days - how long does it take to be reviewed and then posted?

Thanks in anticipation

Photo Andy.

Sailing on QM2 back to back leaving Southampton on 13 July. The final is Sunday 15 July - where is the best place on board to view the match? Any chance of big screen anywhere? or is the ship a football free zone!

Probably only interested if England is in the final.

Thanks in anticipation.

Photo Andy

Good morning,

We are sailing on a back to back on QM2 in July. Need some advice whilst in NY city please. We want to walk the Brooklyn bridge, then visit a certain camera shop at 420 9th Ave, maybe something to eat and back to the QM2. We are reasonably fit as walking the Santiago to Compostella Camino way (only 5-7 miles) in October again with Cunard. Is this possible and how to organise, can it all be walked, is it safe to walk etc? - ideas please from anybody who has knowledge of NYC.

Thanks in anticipation.

Photo Andy.

Fellow photographers,

I went to Alaska in Sept 2008, actually bought a 300mm F2.8 specifically for the photographic opportunities. I was looking for advice on the net prior to booking the holiday in 2007- best advice - longest lens you can afford / carry and cover yourself in Goretex for the wind and rain.

The 70-200 F2.8 + TC may not be long enough though you could crop in processing. At the time I was using a Nikon D2x with a 1.5 crop factor so the 300mm was a 450mm F2.8. Considering returning to Alaska in 2020 and taking my 70- 200, 300mm and using the DX crop feature on my D5.

Few other thoughts - you will consume memory cards, have a secure area to replace mid shooting, protected from the rain etc. Have a rain cape for the camera and lens, a chamois to dry equipment. I was shooting at F2.8 on 800ISO no monopod due to deck vibration.

Have a great time, Alaska has wonderful photographic opportunities.

Photo Andy.

Always carry a camera.

Cruisers

when do the clocks on board change time during a transatlantic or World cruise? Do people find it easier with a wrist watch having dual time or 2 hour hands?

Thanks

Photo Andy.

Always travel with a camera.

Use high ISO for fast shutter speeds /auto iso if possible with max 1/8000 and slowest speed 1/2000, motor drive 2-3 fps, monopod on land not on deck as danger with vibration.

Sorry the wife was taken ill and hopefully now better. Appalled at the man on QV dipping his finger in the buffet, and the female tasting and replacing the cake - pure ignorance. I followed a man on QE Dec 2016 Canaries cruise in the breakfast buffet open and take one Weetabix from a packet of 2, leaving the packet with one remaining. I just threw it in the bin. I have had food poisoning from a swanky restaurant I will miss some details but ended up in hospital having numerous investigations, 22 months for full recovery. Makes you very sensitive to hand hygiene, food preparation and having food well cooked. Suggest have the flu jab and even pneumo jab. I asked for a legal opinion and was told firmly to forget and not even mention the restaurant in any reviews.