FlyingFlip

Photography is my secondary hobby, not my primary hobby.  Since my primary hobby is social dancing, it seems unlikely that I'll get to indulge myself much in my primary hobby in the near future.

Since I've been working from home every day this week (and for the foreseeable future), I've started the habit of taking one or two walks around the neighborhood per day.  I take a camera (or two) with me, and see if I can find an opportunity to fulfill my hobby while getting a break/exercise.

I've mostly been doing bird photography.  But this afternoon it was drizzling, so I brought my waterproof/macro camera and took macro photos of flowers covered with raindrops.

About half the time, my wife joins me for my walks.  (No social distancing there.  And she's a member of the Audubon Society, which is why I do bird photography.)  Overall, in a world that has suddenly gone well off routine, it's nice to be able to indulge one of my hobbies.

8 hours ago, billandsue said:

Together, I think these will meet my needs for any type of photo opportunity I might encounter, depending on the situation, subject, and image quality I want.

Out of curiosity, what genre(s)/type(s) of photography do you shoot?

I never upgraded to full frame ... or anywhere above a 1" sensor.  If I ever get into certain types of photography, I might feel that the capabilities outweigh the negatives.  Generally, I'd much rather use my compact cameras instead of anything larger.

About six months ago we were in Yellowstone.  Three weeks ago we were on a Caribbean cruise.  After both trips, I've been perfectly happy with what my cameras could do.  I may have looked at a few of my photos and wished I was a better photographer, but I haven't looked at any and thought they would be substantially improved by a better camera.  (I'm not a professional, so the photos don't need to be pixel-peeping perfect.)

I own three compact cameras.  If I'm specifically going out to do photography, I'll often carry more than one.  My TG-5 is for macro, underwater, and all-weather photography.  My ZS60 is for telephoto.  My RX100 II is for everything else, particularly low light.

One photographer (maybe Tony Northrup) claimed that the best landscape photographs come from going further than other photographers did.  To me, that's incentive to take something smaller and lighter ... that I'll be willing to carry that much further.

Heavier cameras definitely might have dampened my enthusiasm for some of our more rigorous hikes in Yellowstone.  One hike had a very steep, 600' ascent to the top of a plateau.  While hiking along the plateau, I realized that I could see Old Faithful erupting ... 3 miles away.  It certainly wasn't the typical view of Old Faithful.  So I pulled out my ZS60, zoomed in, and snapped off a series of shots.  If I was using a DSLR or mirrorless camera, I'm not sure that I would have hauled a long lens up to the top of the plateau.

While horseback riding in Jamaica, I took a few photos, one-handed, as we were riding along the trail.  That would have been rather challenging with a larger camera.

Furthermore, I never feel like the camera is holding me back from doing other things.  I'll frequently carry a camera with me while wandering around the ship.  If I want to do something else, like hit the dance floor with my wife, I can slide it back into its case (on my belt) without it being in my way.

It would be hard to give up those kind of benefits just for a larger format.

On 3/2/2020 at 9:40 AM, allycat1964 said:

It took us to a company called Viator.  I am unfamiliar with them and wondered if most people book through them if they don't book through their cruise line?

My understanding is that Viator is a middleman.  It's like booking through TripAdvisor.  I'm sure that I've booked something through them in the past, but I can't recall any specific time.  (I'm more likely to remember the operator who provided the tour.)

My wife and I have our own snorkel gear, so we'll often just snorkel from shore.  In St. Thomas we took a van shuttle to Coki Beach and snorkeled from there.  Sapphire Beach is another common place to do the same.  At Coki Beach, the best snorkeling (if I remember correctly) is off to the right as you enter the water, toward the Coral World Ocean Park.  But that was almost a decade ago, so things might have changed.

In Nassau we used Blue Hole Watersports.  Again, it's been about a decade, but it's such a small operation that it was practically like a private tour.  Provided the quality has remained the same over the years, I would highly recommend it.  They launch from a dock that's an easy walk from the port.

When we were in Puerto Rico, it was not a cruise.  One day we took a short flight to Culebra, rented a golf cart at the airport, then snorkeled from Tamarindo Grande Beach and Tamarindo Beach.  There's a bit of a hike to the former, so I would recommend the latter for the less adventurous.  The shape of Culebra almost guarantees good snorkeling conditions.  If the surf is high in one beach, you can just drive to another part of the island where the beach is protected.  Culebra probably isn't a great option unless you have an extra day on the island.

We visited Culebra prior to Hurricane Maria, which tore the place up.  I'm not certain how much it has recovered.

Great bird IDs, Zackiedawg.  I was looking through your photos doing my own IDs (before reading your captions), and you clearly know your birds.  Particular kudos on the juvenile Cooper's hawk ID.  That's tricky, since so many of the juvenile raptors look identical.

We had a clutch of four Cooper's hatch across the street from us ... and spend much of the summer hanging out at the bird bath in our backyard.  But that's not an easy call without a great deal of familiarity.

I'll be snorkeling in Cozumel and Grand Cayman in the next week or two.  For those with recent visits, how have the water conditions been?

How rough was the water?  How clear was the water?  And (less importantly) how has the local fauna been reacting?

I'll be snorkeling some with my wife, and a little on my own.  I'm a strong swimmer.  Her ... not so much.  When we're out together, I escort her.  When I swim solo (yeah ... I know ... added risk of things going wrong), I play within my limits ... but they're a bit less limited.

I'll try to give an alternate view from someone who is a snorkeler.

As several people have already implied, if not stated outright, there are some spots that can only reasonably be reached by scuba.  If you're interested in those spots, it's a no-brainer.  Scuba.

If you have the option for both, and you're going to choose snorkeling, here are the spots where you would choose snorkeling instead.

First, the stuff you want to look at has to be mostly near the surface.  I can maybe make it down 20' on a snorkel dive.  (I've seen a pro do 50', but base it on what you can do, not someone else.)  But I'm barely spending any time down that far.  I want to snorkel where a lot of stuff is within 5' of the surface.  I'm diving down 10' (or more) occasionally.  Not every minute or so.

Second, how long are you staying out?  Your tank runs out at a certain point.  I can snorkel all day.  (Okay ... I poop out after several hours ... but that probably exceeds your tank(s) by some multiple.)

Third, have you investigated what's available at your port-of-call?  I'll be at Grand Cayman in a week or two.  The Wreck of the Cali (practically next to the tender port) is mostly 20' to 30' down.  For close-ups, scuba is the way to go.  However, 1/2 of a mile further down the coast is the Wreck of the Gamma.  It sticks out of the water.  10' down, your belly is on the bottom.

It's really a research thing.  I'll also be in Cozumel.  On a previous trip, we were taken snorkeling at a spot that was really a scuba spot.  No argument that Cozumel has some amazing scuba spots.  But as a snorkeler, I did better research for this trip.  We'll be hitting a shallow reef this visit.  I won't be wishing that I was 30' to 40' closer.  Most of the reef will be at/near the surface.

My goal is to spend a minimum of 3 hours doing underwater photography in both Cozumel and 3 hours in Grand Cayman.  And as a snorkeler, I can do that on a shoestring budget.

On 1/22/2020 at 8:29 PM, ljmandelbaum said:

I think I'm finally going to get a DSLR.  We have an alaskan cruise planed.  Both my daughters play soccer and want me to get better pictures than my iphone.  Which camera do you think I should get?

 

Photography is full of trade-offs.  That includes every detail from equipment to settings to processing.  So a lot of what you'll want is going to be based on the trade-offs that you can most easily tolerate.  Most importantly, you can't avoid these trade-offs just by throwing more money at the problem.

Here are the things you'll want to consider:

1. Sensor size - The larger the sensor, the more light it will let in.  This will allow you to either take faster photos (e.g. sports or moving wildlife) or photos with less noise (i.e. less grainy looking).  However, the larger the sensor, the larger the camera, and the larger the lens (for the equivalent focal length).

2. Lens for scenery - You will want a lens for scenery and a lens for wildlife.  Most of your scenery shots will be wide angle (to some degree).  These will be shorter, smaller lenses.  Wider aperture (low f/ number) is nice for taking photos in low-light conditions.

3. Lens for wildlife (and probably soccer) - Get a zoom lens.  At your level of experience, you'll need to zoom out to find the target, then zoom in to get a closeup.  For wildlife, you will almost always end up wishing that your lens provided more magnification.  I would estimate that 90% of my bird/wildlife photos were taken at maximum magnification.  More magnification, however, means a larger lens.  Wider aperture allows for faster shutter speeds, which is great for moving targets.

4. Weight and bulk - Larger sensors and more magnification lead to a lot more mass and bulk to lug around.  If you're hiking (or even just packing), all that extra mass and bulk can become a real pain.  I went to Yellowstone last summer, and it was convenient to be carting around a couple compact cameras, rather than a DSLR + lenses.

5. Weatherproof/splashproof - Much of Alaska is a rain forest.  You'll probably want to take some photos in the rain.  I'm sure some of the soccer games are in the rain, also.  If you get a weatherproof body and weatherproof lenses, that will give you the opportunity to use the camera in more situations.

However, more important than any of those considerations ... PRACTICE.  Give yourself enough time to learn how to use your new camera before you go on vacation.  Take at least several hundred photos, so you can learn what works ... and what doesn't.

47 minutes ago, Funatabi said:

What did you bring that you thought would be useful but never ended up using? ... What things do you leave at home nowadays?

Those two questions have some overlap, but they're not quite the same.  Some things are taken as "insurance" in case things go wrong (i.e. Imodium AD).  It doesn't matter whether I manage to go two dozen vacations without needing it.  It really came in handy that last vacation.

The area where you can really economize is in clothing.  My wife consistently over packs, because she'll start thinking, "I might want to wear that while I'm on vacation."  At the end of the vacation, while she's trying to cram everything back into her bag, she keeps saying, "Why did I pack ____?  I didn't wear it."  You will have to get your laundry cleaned while on a really long cruise.  I plan to take enough clothes to make it from one cleaning to the next, and cut myself off there.  I handle weather shifts by layering.

Also, given the choice between two pieces of clothing, look at versatility ... and how much space each takes up.

On 11/7/2019 at 8:51 PM, clo said:

Screw top is even easier and darn good wines also.

In principle, I agree that screw top is easier, and that many of those wines are very good wines.  However, I generally purchase my wine in the city of departure, rather than packing it in my luggage for the flight.  (Especially after the time a full bottle of wine was broken inside my wife's luggage by the baggage handlers.)  In order to keep my options open when shopping for wine in the port city, I pack some corkscrews.

I'll second and add to topspot's recommendations.  In St. Thomas, we went to Coki Beach, about 2 miles from Sapphire Beach, and had a wonderful time.  Sapphire Beach was equally highly recommended.  I don't recall what made me choose one over the other, but it might have been beach lockers.  Coki Beach has them.  I'm not sure whether Sapphire Beach does (or did).  Both beaches are about a 20-25 minute cab/shuttle ride from the port.

I've been looking at the Money Bar Beach Club (or the PalMar Beach Club next door) for our upcoming Cozumel port of call.  The snorkeling is supposed to be excellent at both.  It's even closer to the cruise terminal.  5 minutes or so by cab.

22 hours ago, Happyhens said:

My husband and I just started looking for a cruise to Alaska. For us getting the best possible price is important since we’ve budgeted tightly for this adventure.

When my wife and I did our Alaska cruise, we were on a fairly modest budget.  Here were the areas where we saved money:

1. May and September cruises are cheaper.  We took one of the first cruises in May.
2. Airfare is usually cheaper if you start and end in the same city, but cruise fare may be cheaper if you start and end in different cities.  For us, the cheapest option was to fly in to Seattle, take the train to Vancouver, cruise out of Vancouver, cruise back to Seattle, then fly home ... even counting the AirBnB due to the extra overnight.
3. We stayed in an Oceanview cabin, but interior would have been even cheaper.
4. Perhaps the biggest savings was through the shore excursions.  I researched through the CruiseCritic boards and through Tripadvisor, instead of going through the cruise line.  It's a bit time-intensive, but results in the best value and the best excursions.
5. Most cruise lines will allow you to each bring one bottle of wine aboard.  Remember to pack your own (inexpensive) corkscrew (and one that lacks any kind of knife on it).  I've heard of people having the corkscrews confiscated, so we'll pack a couple different ones into different pieces of luggage.  So far, we haven't lost a corkscrew.
6. Other than that, you can save money by avoiding drinking on board and avoiding specialty food options.

19 hours ago, pierces said:

I'll bet there's a ton of single millennials that wish there were enforceable ethics concerning photo manipulation...most notably in dating apps.

I did online dating 11-12 years ago.  Photo editing isn't the real problem.  People using photos that were 5-10 years out of date, or 20-50 pounds out of date, or even someone else's photos....

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

What would be the disadvantage for boarding early? 

On our most recent cruise, we boarded a bit later, to avoid two obvious disadvantages for boarding early.

1. Many people want to board early, so the lines are longer if you show up early.
2. Lost opportunities: we were in Amsterdam, so we spent the extra hours touring the royal palace before grabbing our luggage, catching a cab to the terminal, and boarding.

If I board early, there's a predictable set of activities that I can indulge in prior to the time we set sail.  If the options near the port are less engaging, I'll board early.  If the port city offers better opportunities, then I should use my time better by staying ashore for a few extra hours ... without pushing things to the very last minute.

Given the lack of responses, I'll give you my general advice (which I used when snorkeling on the adjacent island, Culebra).  Do a few Google searches like:

• best snorkeling spots in Vieques
• best snorkeling beaches in Vieques
• best snorkeling in Vieques

After reading through several reviews/guides, you will start seeing some of the same beaches making most of the lists.  Those are very safe bets.

We visited last year during July/August, and the entire area was experiencing a heat wave.  (Up to 33°C, or 91°F.)  Other than the ship and the climate-controlled museums, no places had air conditioning.  I had been watching the weather forecast, so my wife and I packed like we were heading to the Caribbean, not the Baltics.  We were still somewhat uncomfortable, but we weren't suffering like most of the other passengers (or locals).

5 hours ago, tommui987 said:

What is the "ethics" on doctoring a photograph? Using curves etc on Photoshop seems OK but the total replacement of a sky seems like cheating somehow.

 

Comments?

Coincidentally, I was watching a video discussing this a couple days ago.  (Tony & Chelsea Northrup - Is photo editing cheating?)

A lot of it depends on how you're representing your photo.  If you're a photojournalist, representing your photo as evidence of the truth of a story, the rules are very strict.  If you're a fine arts photographer, representing a piece as your artistic creation and not at all representative of reality, anything goes.

Many of my favorite photos are travel photos from my vacations.  I'm representing them as such.  In part, they're documenting what I saw.  Therefore, the editing has to be minimal enough to represent what I saw.

In general, I'm a lot more relaxed about things being edited out of a photo, rather than being edited in.  For example, I got a nice photo of two barnacle geese dashing across the street, up close, at the geese's eye level.  When I went to process it, there was a pole from a street light sticking out of the gosling's head.  I cloned the pole out of the photo.

I'm representing the photo as a travel/wildlife photo.  This is what the animal I saw looked like.  It is not an accurate representation of the (unnamed and out-of-focus) street behind the geese.

On the other hand, I could add an element to the photo.  Like a small, yappy dog chasing the geese.  That photo would create a more compelling story.  But if I did that, I should represent the photo as my own artistic expression.  It does not represent what I saw, nor does it accurately represent the behavior of the geese.

Regarding the sky,  I've considered editing the sky in some of my oldest photos.  I was inexperienced and using the cheapest digital cameras, so I ended up with a lot of skies that were completely washed out white.  I don't remember what the sky looked like, so it would largely have to be my creation.  If I edit in a sky, I'd go for something normal and representative (so the terrible sky is no longer a distraction from the subject of the photo), not something truly interesting, which would be unrepresentative of the sky at that time.  However, that choice is still based out of my desire to keep the photo as documentation of my travels.

On 10/4/2019 at 4:59 PM, Taishartrueblood said:

I get bored when I get back on the ship pretty quickly no matter the cruise line. I am a workaholic by nature and I like having something to do...

 

Anyone else in the same position as me? Any suggestions?

A few hours into my first cruise, I was bored out of my mind.  Now I plan better for downtime.

In addition to the previous suggestions (minimize sea days, bring a laptop, etc.) have you considered taking a cruise based around a special interest?  For example, my next cruise will be a dance cruise, organized by a professional dance instructor.  On sea days, we'll have dance classes to attend.  I'll automatically have a group of people on board who I will already know, or quickly get to know, who all share a common interest.  I've heard of similar cruises based on other interests (authors, photography) where the sea days have workshops related to those interests.

If you're interested in photography, it can provide a lot to do while on board.  During my downtime, I can start reviewing my photos, sorting them, editing them....  That can consume hours of downtime.  When cruising, I always keep a camera with me, just in case something photo-worthy catches my attention.  When I have spare time, I'll wander the ship looking for interesting photography subjects.

On 10/21/2019 at 1:11 AM, anniedave said:

We also want to record our adventures ourselves and are hoping to purchase a new camera in black Friday or Jan sales. We dont want to spend loads but want something that can be used underwater and will take a decent photo without too much effort of changing settings etc. Any recommendations?

Could you clarify what your approximate budget for the camera is?  Oakman58's recommendations cost in the $400-$450 range, which is fairly modest.  (Photography can be a very expensive hobby, if you want it to be.)  But when I first started, I was using cameras that cost a fraction of that.

I own a TG-5 (predecessor to the TG-6), and it works well as a general-purpose camera, as well as being waterproof, shockproof, snowproof, etc.  The Olympus TG line of cameras should outperform the GoPro Hero line if you want to do fairly standard photography.  The Hero line should outperform the TG line for first-person action videos.

If your budget is a little tighter, you could look at older models on eBay (new, used, or refurbished).

In any case, you will need an SD card.  (The GoPro might use a micro SD card instead.)  You'll probably want spare batteries.  I also highly recommend getting a wrist strap that floats.  (The TG line is a little chunky, so compare the buoyancy of the wrist strap to the weight of the camera.)

1. My wife uses a Tribord Easybreath.  I wear a traditional mask and snorkel, so I can get a mask with prescription lenses.

2. Any swim/snorkel shirt with a decent SPF will do the trick.  I think ours are Ocean Pacific.  As for reef-safe sunscreen, I would rely on the Hawaiian recommendations here: https://www.hawaii.com/blog/reef-safe-sunscreen/

3. Unless you're super athletic with no body fat, you should float quite well on salt water.  You'll be far more buoyant in salt water than in fresh water.  But if you want the extra buoyancy, I'd recommend an inflatable snorkel vest.

4. I'm not sure what happened with your shoes.  That sounds a bit atypical, but you might have stepped in something a lot worse than average (and a lot larger than plankton).  I typically just rinse my gear in fresh water (mostly to get the salt out).

5. I've never felt the need to use ear plugs.  If you have problems with your ears, they might be worthwhile, though.

6. Practicing in a pool is a good idea.  For your husband (or anyone using a traditional mask) don't exhale through the nose.  He'll fog up his mask.  (If your full-face mask fits properly, you won't have to worry about it.)  If he fogs up his mask, he can rinse it off in seawater to defog it.  Try to find a good YouTube video explaining the proper way to kick with swim fins on.

7. Have you considered getting a waterproof case for your smartphone?  Or for your regular camera?  I think you'll be much happier with the results.  Taking photos underwater is more challenging than normal, and the disposable cameras make it substantially more difficult.  Look for a case that's good to at least 30' deep ... and get a floating wrist band to attach to it.

I just wanted to follow up.

I ended up spending less time in San Antonio (and much less time doing photography) than I had originally anticipated.  But I spent a full morning photographing the missions.

I caught Mission Espada under near-perfect conditions (right time, great light, great sky).  Based on my initial review of the photos, I got some really special ones.

Mission San Juan is a little plain, but some of the outlying buildings might become great photos.  I also did some EV bracketing, which might result great photos in post-production.  It at least allows me to attempt something new.

Mission San Jose was closed, due to the shutdown.  Unlike the other missions, it has a wall, which got in the way of most photos.

Mission Concepcion was beautiful, though it was well past golden hour.  I still think some of the photos will turn out well.  I also got some practice with wildlife when a woodpecker caught my attention.

I didn't bother with Tower of the Americas.  Our hotel room was on the 35th floor, so I got some great shots overlooking the Riverwalk during blue hour, right after we got to our room the previous evening.

After visiting the missions, I walked along the Riverwalk to the San Fernando Cathedral.  Some fool was flying his drone in most of my photos of the cathedral, so I'll get practice editing it out.

I had lunch at Casa Rio.  While waiting for my wife, I got to practice "wildlife" photos on the ducks and grackles.  After lunch, my wife spotted a red-shouldered hawk along the Riverwalk, which provided more practice.

We went up to Menger Hotel.  The architecture was definitely worth the visit.  The bar, in particular, provided some great practice with low-light photography.  (And my wife is a lot more patient with my photography when she's sipping on a beer.)

We also wandered by the front of the Alamo.  On a lark, I decided to do something different than the other tourists, so I pulled out the infrared filter for the older camera.  One of the photos looks like it might work after the processing and post-processing are complete.

There wasn't enough time for anything else, but thanks for all of the suggestions.

On 1/19/2019 at 8:38 PM, markeb said:

If you were going in April, I'd have a lot of suggestions for wildflowers. Having said that, if you're into photographing buildings, there's [...] the various buildings in Gruene (New Braunfels) [...]. Etc...

I've been through the hill country a few times during wildflower season.  Definitely no shortage of places to get fields of bluebonnets, Indian paintbrushes, etc.

Gruene is an excellent suggestion.  It's not much of a detour when I drive home.

On 1/19/2019 at 8:38 PM, markeb said:

To the right of the Alamo is the Menger Hotel. This is where Teddy Roosevelt organized the Rough Riders. It's hard to isolate from the surroundings, but it's a great building. The bar inside is wonderful. At twilight, go to the bridge over the Riverwalk extension from the Rivercenter Mall and look right. All those multi-colored umbrellas are Casa Rio, the oldest restaurant on the Riverwalk and one of the most photographed scenes in San Antonio. And the grounds of the Alamo have an amazing collection of native Texas plants.

All of those are practically next to the hotel, so I'll keep them in mind.  I can always grab a drink and work on my photography simultaneously at the Menger Hotel.

For Casa Rio, why twilight?  I'm looking at Google Maps, and it looks like the building next to it would put it into shadow ... and block any view of the sunset.  I'm guessing there's something else that's not obvious from looking at a map....

On 1/19/2019 at 8:38 PM, markeb said:

I don't know how much effort is involved, but the Quadrangle at Fort Sam Houston is apparently open  to the public, and is very photogenic. There are typically peacocks, whitetail deer, and potentially other species of "wildlife" in and amongst the limestone buildings and a wonderful clock tower.

It looks like a 15 minute drive ... so ... very little effort.  Again, thanks for the suggestion.  The "wildlife" should provide good practice for taking photos of actual wildlife later this year.

21 hours ago, kenevenpar said:

I was always underwhelmed by the Alamo, but it certainly is historic and worth a quick visit.

 

If you can get out of town a bit, Hill Country can provide some wonderful landscapes.

I visited the Alamo about 30 years ago.  While it was fascinating to visit due to the history, I recall that it wasn't the most picturesque location.

Do you have any thoughts about particular spots in the Hill Country?  It's definitely an interesting possibility.

I might check out the Tower of the Americas if the weather is terrible.  That might produce something a bit different than the average photo I've seen taken from the observation deck.

Thanks for the ideas, everyone..

I realize it's a bit land-locked, but I was wondering if anyone has thoughts regarding photography spots in San Antonio.  I'll be there in about a week or so.  I'll have two mornings, and I intend to spend at least one of them photographing the missions (Espada, San Juan, San Jose, and Concepcion).  I'll likely wander around the Riverwalk some as well, though I don't have a preferred time of day for that.  I will likely be spending the evenings with my wife, rather than taking photographs.

I'm primarily trying to practice with a couple used cameras that I recently purchased: Panasonic ZS60 and Sony RX100 II.  Given my cameras and interests, suggestions for any of the following types of photography would be appreciated:

• Landscapes & architecture
• Birds / wildlife
• Macro photography
• Infrared photography
• Indoor (just in case the weather is terrible)

Though if anyone has other ideas that are too good to pass up, I'm open to other suggestions.

Excellent advice. I've personally benefited from turning around and looking at the scenery behind me. It's one of my number one pieces of advice for places like Iceland.

They missed a couple of tips that I like....

• If you're visiting a famous landmark, don't get the same shot that everyone else gets. (For example, photograph the back of the Taj Mahal instead of the front.)
  
• Bad weather makes great photos.
  
• Use people in photos when you need to provide a sense of scale. (The second photo in the previous post is an excellent example.)
  
• Don't take every photo from your own eye level.