Heading to the Carribean

[KJ_North]

Some good points thanks.

 

[MLeeK]

FLASH! No one has told you flash is worth a million bucks on the white sandy beaches! your camera will naturally expose for the bright bright sky and beach. Your subjects will be underexposed. To avoid that use your flash in the bright light of day! Your flash doesn't reach the sky and the sand, it does reach that really underexposed subject.

Learn to use exposure compensation. If the images you are getting are too bright a -EC and vice-a-verso.

Go to your local Michaels, AC moore, etc and get a can of silica gel. Put it in a sock or one of those baggie things they use for candy at weddings. Put it in your camera bag to keep that humidity at bay.
DO NOT CHANGE YOUR LENS ON THE BEACH! Do not leave your camera sitting in the sun or sand. Your camera and sand are NOT a good mix.
Always put it securely inside a camera bag. One of those thermal reflective blankets is nice to have if you are going to be just sitting on the beach with your camera next to you.

I am not against insuring your equipment and making sure it's covered on this trip. Sand, sun, theft...

The views are amazing, but remember to shoot the details!!! As in look deeper than that amazing water!!!

Buy yourself an underwater camera too!!!

 

[naptime]

i ruined a brand new p&s in the dr. from sand in my pocket.

it was only a hundred dollar camera.. but i destroyed on DAY ONE of the trip. and DAY ONE with that particular camera.

luckily i had friends coming down that night, they stopped at best buy and bought me a new one on their way to the airport AND a camera case. i never leave my room without my camera case now.

 

[KmH]

It's always interesting to see the same thread started on multiple photography forums.

 

[KJ_North]

It's always interesting to see the same thread started on multiple photography forums.

Yes I posted on 2 forums just trying to get as many ideas and points as possible.

 

[KJ_North]

Well picked up the following last night...

HOYA 72MM PRO-1D UV DMC FILTER and a HOYA 72MM PRO-1D CPOL DMC FILTER

 

[sm4him]

Pay special attention to your composition! Instead of just snapping all the typical, touristy, "look I'm on a beach in the Caribbean" pictures, look for the slightly different shots:
--Frame your shots
--Take your photo from a slightly different perspective
--Look for interesting details instead of just big wide beach or "market" photos all the time
--Make sure you are paying attention to aperture, shutter speeds and ISO so that YOU are controlling your results, not the camera.

And finally:
Practice ALL of this before you leave, every day if possible, so that you are more familiar with what settings to use when.

Even if it's dark by the time you get home, you can at least practice using different settings. Turn on some bright lights, or find somewhere in town that is particularly bright. Then take an object and shoot it in the light, and shoot the same object in a darker setting...you'll at least get some idea of how to change settings given different light conditions. No, it won't be anything like shooting in that bright, bright Caribbean sun, but at least it'll give you a little practice.

Oh...and one last thing:
TAKE ME WITH YOU!!!!
I was supposed to be going on a cruise about the same time, but had to cancel it due to a family situation. Blecch!! I love the Caribbean!

 

[KJ_North]

Oh...and one last thing:
TAKE ME WITH YOU!!!!
I was supposed to be going on a cruise about the same time, but had to cancel it due to a family situation. Blecch!! I love the Caribbean!

Not sure I can clear that with the wife LOL.. Thanks for all the input!