Newbie in need of some guidance.

[blueron85]

Hi all,

This is my first post so thanks for taking the time to read and in advance thanks for any help.


I'm a novice when it comes to photography so I will be greatful for all the help i can get. I am off to Finland next month to go bear watching and need some tips on getting the most out of the pictures I take.


I am using a canon 600D with SanDisk extreme pro cards.


I currently have two lenses, a Canon EFS 18-55mm and a Sigma DG 70-300mm. I may also be looking to get the Sigma 150-500mm lens also (any feedback on this would be appreciated).


I will be using a tripod and shooting in possible twlight hours as there should be a midnight sun, from what I understand the light will be anything from midday sunshine to early evening sunset or possibly cloudy.


I am told the bears will be anything from 5 - 35 meters away.


Any tips will be greatly received.


Regards


Ronnie

 

[Mully]

Don't get eaten...... carry large bear pepper spray canisters. A famous nature photographer extremely familiar with bears got killed about 10 years ago.

 

[blueron85]

Don't get eaten...... carry large bear pepper spray canisters. A famous nature photographer extremely familiar with bears got killed about 10 years ago.

Thanks for stating the obvious, but I am in need of some photography tips.

 

[KmH]

At 500 mm the Sigma 150-500 has a maximum aperture of f/6.3. For the price it's a great lens, but because of it's low price it also has some limitations like the max aperture when zoomed out.
That and the ISO performance of your EOS Rebel T3i (EOS 600D, EOS Kiss X5) will make it difficult to maintain sufficient shutter speed to stop subject motion during twilight hours.

 

[blueron85]

Thanks for the info.

Would my current Sigma lens be good enough for the shots or could you recommend a lens I should consider buying instead.

Regards

Ronnie.

 

[TCampbell]

Don't get eaten...... carry large bear pepper spray canisters. A famous nature photographer extremely familiar with bears got killed about 10 years ago.

Thanks for stating the obvious, but I am in need of some photography tips.

At the risk of seeming to be contrary... giving advice about not getting eaten IS photography advice and may not necessarily be "obvious".

UNLESS you're shooting from a protected location (e.g. inside a protected vehicle), we tend to use "long" focal length lenses when shooting anything that can run faster, is more muscular, toothier, and has sharper claws than we have (which is... pretty much most of the animals) that might consider us as their next meal or as a threat to their young.

Long lenses are not cheap. If this is for just one special trip, then I'd strongly consider "renting" a lens rather than buying it.

 

[blueron85]

Don't get eaten...... carry large bear pepper spray canisters. A famous nature photographer extremely familiar with bears got killed about 10 years ago.

Thanks for stating the obvious, but I am in need of some photography tips.

At the risk of seeming to be contrary... giving advice about not getting eaten IS photography advice and may not necessarily be "obvious".

UNLESS you're shooting from a protected location (e.g. inside a protected vehicle), we tend to use "long" focal length lenses when shooting anything that can run faster, is more muscular, toothier, and has sharper claws than we have (which is... pretty much most of the animals) that might consider us as their next meal or as a threat to their young.

Long lenses are not cheap. If this is for just one special trip, then I'd strongly consider "renting" a lens rather than buying it.


Thanks for the advice on the lens.


In regards to the stating the obvious, if either of you had read my post in full then you would notice I was asking for advice in getting the most out of my shots rather than how not to get eaten by a bear. Just to clear things up I will be staying in various protected huts. If I needed tips on how not to get eaten by a bear I would not be asking on a photography forum. Maybe this forum isn't for me if people are going to focus more on handling the bears rather than handling the camera.

 

[grafxman]

I have that lens and I have used it extensively for wildlife photography in Florida. I replaced it with the Sigma 50-500mm lens. The 150-500mm closest focus is over 7 feet while the 50-500mm at little over a foot and a half. That close focussing gives me near macro ability for shooting insects. The 50mm feature is also invaluable. I never use a tripod. I once used a monopod but quit using it years ago. Five meters is about 16 feet so the 150-500mm might be OK. Since you're talking about a tripod I'm assuming you will have your feet on the ground. I started out learning how to hold a camera steady back in the '60s. You just take a deep breath, exhale about half way and snap. Try to find a rest on a car's door sill if possible. If there's a wall nearby then brace your back against that and spread your legs a little bit. The Sigma lenses have an excellent stability system.

Since I started shooting digital I eventually evolved into the shooting technique I currently use. I shoot in manual mode, set the shutter speed to 1000 or 1250 then set the aperture to 8.0. This way when I shoot the camera selects the ISO for me. In other words, my expensive Canon 7D works almost like a point and shoot camera. Since I photograph many critters in the brush I changed the focus system to use the back focus button. That's just one less thing to worry about when taking a picture. Once things are in focus, they stay in focus unless the critter moves and I have to refocus.

I suggest you get the Sigma 50-500mm if you can afford it. Make sure it's a newer one. They did make an earlier model without stability. If the price is too much, by all means get the 150-500mm. Then start practicing shooting 500mm hand held. My method works fine when there's sufficient light. However I do occasionally get a dark image that has to be corrected in software. You may have to use a slower shutter speed but open the aperture all the way first. Practising hand held shooting will prove invaluable. While you have been told the bears will be from 5 - 35 meters away I wouldn't count on it. They may very well be much closer or much farther away. Be prepared for both situations. With the Sigma 50-500mm you will be prepared. BTW, don't let anyone tell you that shooting hand held won't work with a long lens. All of the photos in this set were shot handheld:

Huguenot Park Jacksonville FL - a set on Flickr

Some photos are as much as 1000mm although most are at 500mm. It was dim, dreary overcast day too. Notice how slow my shutter speed was. Those photos were shot years ago my old Canon 50D and the Sigma 150-500mm was used for most of them. I got to 1000mm with the Sigma doubler. Good luck on your expedition.


I just saw where you will be in a protected hut. In that case maybe a tripod is a good choice. Still practicing good shooting technique hand held will prove valuable.

 

[Big Mike]

I have moved this thread out of the 'Canon' sections, as this isn't really a gear specific issue.

 

[Mully]

Careful bears think snarky people taste nice!!

 

[480sparky39 38]

In regards to the stating the obvious, if either of you had read my post in full then you would notice I was asking for advice in getting the most out of my shots rather than how not to get eaten by a bear. Just to clear things up I will be staying in various protected huts. If I needed tips on how not to get eaten by a bear I would not be asking on a photography forum. Maybe this forum isn't for me if people are going to focus more on handling the bears rather than handling the camera.

I'll state something far more obvious. Having all the experience in the world, toting around the best gear available...... don't mean squat when half of you is getting digested by a grizzly and the other half is getting picked over by scavengers.

 

[jwbryson1]

Don't get eaten...... carry large bear pepper spray canisters. A famous nature photographer extremely familiar with bears got killed about 10 years ago.

Thanks for stating the obvious, but I am in need of some photography tips.

Carry lots of raw beef with you for snack time.

 

[tirediron]

Don't get eaten...... carry large bear pepper spray canisters. A famous nature photographer extremely familiar with bears got killed about 10 years ago.

Thanks for stating the obvious, but I am in need of some photography tips.

Carry lots of raw beef with you for snack time.

Nah beef is heavy, just make sure you're not the slowest runner in the pack!

 

[tirediron]

In regards to the stating the obvious, if either of you had read my post in full then you would notice I was asking for advice in getting the most out of my shots rather than how not to get eaten by a bear. Just to clear things up I will be staying in various protected huts. If I needed tips on how not to get eaten by a bear I would not be asking on a photography forum. Maybe this forum isn't for me if people are going to focus more on handling the bears rather than handling the camera.

Lighten up... I would submit that coming back alive is definitely going to help you in getting the most of your images. There is much more to wildlife photography than simply taking pictures of wildlife; there's knowing the animals, there's knowing common-sense protective measures to take, there's knowing how to minimize your impact on their environment, and a lot more. While Mully's comment may have been made tongue-in-cheek, it was actually very valid advice.

With respect to gear advice, my suggestion would be to rent an appropriate lens, since both your 70-300 and the Bigma are very slow (small maximum aperture) lenses, and shooting in twilight/low light is going to make for challenging exposures. I would suggest looking into either the Canon 200-400 f4 or one of the super-telephoto primes such as the 400 f2.8 or 500 f4.

 

[O'Rork]

Start practicing shooting over your shoulder while running past the person in front of you....You don't have to be faster than the bear. You'll get some conversational pix.