Alaska/Glacier Photography Help

ry4n6226 · Jun 21, 2015

Hello everyone,

I'm brand new to this forum and a beginner at photography. The lens I have is a SELP1650. In two weeks, I will be going to Alaska and visiting the Hubbard and Glacier Bay glaciers.

Does anyone have any tips or tricks for photographing glaciers?

I'm planning also, to buy some filters (ND, polarizing, and UV filters). Will these help? Should I use certain ones for certain situations and photographing certain things?

For the ND filter, should I buy a 0.3, 0.6, or 0.9 ND filter?

In regards specifically to filters, how do I use them and put them on? Do I have to change the camera's settings after I put the filters on?

Any other information would be extremely helpful.

Regards, ry4n6226

The_Traveler · Jun 21, 2015

You are asking people to write a textbook when there are already lots of web pages with tutorials and explanations about all those things.

Start doing web searches and then ask questions.

ry4n6226 · Jun 21, 2015

I've looked online for some answers and here are the remaining questions and have. Even if anyone could point me in the right direction, would be helpful.
When using filters, should I change my camera's settings?
Any tips on photographing glaciers?

Thanks.

tirediron · Jun 21, 2015

ry4n6226 said:
Hello everyone,

I'm brand new to this forum and a beginner at photography. The lens I have is a SELP1650. In two weeks, I will be going to Alaska and visiting the Hubbard and Glacier Bay glaciers.

Does anyone have any tips or tricks for photographing glaciers? Nothing special to it; they're not pristine, bright white; more of a dirty white-ish/brown-ish/grey-ish.

I'm planning also, to buy some filters (ND, polarizing, and UV filters). Will these help? Should I use certain ones for certain situations and photographing certain things? Perhaps, yes, no. The polarizing filter will definitely be useful, the ND's maybe, and the UV will make a great coaster if you have a small drinking glass. Lots of info on line about how to use a polarizer.

For the ND filter, should I buy a 0.3, 0.6, or 0.9 ND filter? That's probably the most common set.

In regards specifically to filters, how do I use them and put them on? Do I have to change the camera's settings after I put the filters on? It depends. Most filters will simply screw on to the filter mounting threads on the end of your lens, others will use a specific holder and then be slid into that. If you're in 'Auto' or a semi-auto mode, you don't have make setting changes, if you're in manual you will need to remeter and adjust.

Any other information would be extremely helpful.

Regards, ry4n6226

In red.

NancyMoranG · Jun 21, 2015

I think you will overwhelm yourself at this point with the trip so close. Are you getting good pictures with 'Auto'?
People here are VERY helpful, but I think you are asking for years of experience in a paragraph.
Go and enjoy the trip, take the photos you can and don't forget to look out from behind the camera at the beautiful scenery.
I have been to Alaska, enjoy it, take some video with your phone too...
We look forward to some of the photos when you get back.
Nancy

TCampbell · Jun 21, 2015

A UV filter will not help with image quality -- your camera already has a UV filter inside (just in front of the sensor.)

A polarizer can help, but it needs to be a "circular polarizer" and should have good antireflective coatings (B+W is a top-brand). The filters come in different diameters. You'll need to find the thread size for your lens (often printed on the inside of your lens cap). At very wide angles (e.g. the 16mm end) you can get a dark band through the image -- that's because the amount of polarization depends on the angle of the light entering the lens and a wide angle lens allows light from a wide angle-of-view. It's not possible for one filter to optimize the whole view. But at mid-range and long focal lengths it will work fine. Do not get a "linear polarizer" or "top polarizer" (those are intended for use only on manual focus cameras that do not have built-in metering systems.)

An ND filter simply changes your shooting circumstances. Photographers will use this to slow the shutter speed to allow for blurred water in a waterfall shot (just one fairly common example), but those are typically at least 3 stops (ND 0.9) and are often more (there's a 10 stop version -- ND 3.0 -- but those are so dark that the camera cannot meter or focus accurately with the filter attached. You have to meter, focus, and frame the shot on a tripod, then carefully thread on the filter, switch off the auto-focus, and adjust the exposure 10 stops higher (longer shutter speed) than the metered exposure before taking the shot.

You might want to pick up a good beginner book on exposure... Bryan Peterson's "Undertanding Exposure" or teh Scott Kelby "Digital Photography" series.

bratkinson · Jun 21, 2015

Welcome to the forum, ry4n6226!

TCampbell gave you a quick rundown on what filters could be of use on your trip. However, in my opinion, an ND filter is probably unnecessary and adds a level of complexity except in special situations. After over 50 years behind a camera, I have yet to acquire or use an ND filter.

My thinking is more like what NancyMoranG also indicated...use Auto. As a newbie to photography, you've apparently read a lot of information from various places and come away with the understanding you'll need a 'whole bunch of things' to take good pictures. From my perspective, that approach seems like someone who just got his drivers license and after reading a lot of driving tips, decides he needs a high performance street rod to get around town.

There's perhaps a thousand or more combinations of settings within your camera alone. The three most important of them is shutter speed, aperture ratio (f-stop), and ISO speed...the exposure triangle. Mastering those three is the best place to start. While the rest of them will have an effect on the resultant images produced, if the exposure triangle settings are too far off, the rest of the settings won't matter.

I've also learned the hard way that learning to use a new camera effectively is best done outside of stressful situations. Getting a camera and trying to learn it - and photography in general, in your case - should be done in the comfort of home town rather than under the pressure to 'produce' right away. In short, vacation-time should be a time of relaxing, not trying to read the camera manual, try some settings or additional gear and see what comes out.

So, to repeat what Nancy said, use Auto. At this point in time, the camera is 'smarter' than you are when it comes to choosing the correct settings for a shot. Spend your time enjoying the vacation! Don't get so wrapped up in taking photographs and perhaps stressing over it that the enjoyment part is missed.

Oh, and by the way...on my vacation 2 months ago, perhaps 90% of the shots I took were in Auto mode. Now that I'm retired, I find it's easiest to let the camera do the work for most of my shots.