Going to Alaska

[silverafstang]

Im leaving this saturday to go to alaska, and there are a thousand things to photograph, does anyone have any tips for me for when i shoot. ie...icebergs, wildlife, water, sunsets, etc...many thanks for the help

 

[silverafstang]

really, no body, with all of these people on here i would think someone would have something to say

 

[Josh66]

Never been there, so I have no advice. Sounds fun though.

Hope someone jumps in to offer a few tips for you.

 

[icassell]

I'm going in June .... can't help yet

 

[silverafstang]

like iso setting, aperature, ie

 

[icassell]

Are you flying? Do you have "Understanding Exposure"? You might consider reading it on the plane.

 

[Josh66]

like iso setting, aperature, ie

...That's pretty vague.


If there's a lot of snow and ice, I suspect that you will have to overexpose a little- your meter will be fooled by so much white, it will try to make that grey and underexpose to make that happen.

 

[silverafstang]

right now its in the 60s there so there will be plenty of green, i know im going to go to dutch harbor and take some shots, but im new to the slr scene, underexposure?

 

[Josh66]

...Yeah...I forgot that it's almost summer, lol.

[...] underexposure?

Don't worry about it. If it's going to be nice and green there you shouldn't have too many problems.

When you meter something, the camera thinks that you want that to be 18% grey. If you meter white snow, it will try to expose so that it's grey. You would have to compensate by overexposing a little.

 

[Torus34]

Bracket.

 

[farmerj]

Enjoy the scenery. The parts of Alaska I have been to were incredible. I was reminded a lot of the Pacific Northwest along the coast.

I use a gray card (whibal) when the shots really matter to me.

Don't forget your camera's manual if you have to figure out how to get it to do something.

 

[Gregoryniss]

I definitely recommend picking up Understanding Exposure. It's an amazing book and it will help you so much if you are just beginning. I bought it a couple months ago and it's taught me a ton. Plus, it'll keep you entertained on the airplane

 

[christopher walrath]

And if you'll be in the Anchorage area, take a day or two and go down the Seward Highway to the Kenai Peninsula. My boss's son is in the Army and stationed at Elmendorff. He absolutely loves it up there and I am now doubly absolutely jealous (he's going up in July). Get Understanding Exposure and have fun.