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Kilimanjaro and Tarangire photos



 
 
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  #11  
Old November 7th, 2003, 03:20 PM
nzuri
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Default Kilimanjaro and Tarangire photos

"Rydale" wrote in message
...
Ah well I confess I was in training for 6 months before going!
(At my age I wasn't leaving anything to chance).


Charles,

I'd be interested to hear about your training regime: reasons why follow.

I've visited Tanzania many times on business since 1996 but apart from a
long weekend in the Selous (highly recommended!), most of my experience of
the country has involved the inside of offices in Dar and Arusha, with the
odd brief trip to Mwanza and a couple of other places. I've flown over
Kilimanjaro on many occasions (including one flight with Swissair where the
pilot flew around most of the mountain and we had some fantastic views) but
have never set foot on it. As I'm planning to go in two years time to
celebrate my half century.

Many thanks for the excellent photos!

Andrew


  #12  
Old November 7th, 2003, 05:29 PM
Liz
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Posts: n/a
Default Kilimanjaro and Tarangire photos

In message
Hans-Georg Michna wrote:

I can see the photo already in the viewfinder, so I
usually take a first shot quickly, then wait for a better one.
Surprisingly often, in the vast majority of all photos, the
first remains the best, and quite often the second photo doesn't
get taken at all, because the situation deteriorates.

Good for you!
I'm not selective enough, so I to tend to fire off a shot fairly quickly,
especially if it's a species which is new to me, then wait to see if I can
get closer or something better happens, and often I do/it does. I do waste a
lot of film, though, so your way is no doubt best.
The thing is, I do different things with my slides.
If I'm doing talks to birding/wildlife groups, I show a mostly different set
of slides than if I'm talking to camera clubs.
Bird groups just like to see nice birds, and can forgive less than perfect
compositions if the bird is nice or interesting and you can talk a lot about
it.....(I can usually talk for Scotland...)

Liz

--
Virtual Liz at http://www.v-liz.co.uk
Kenya; Tanzania; India; Seychelles
New Aug '03: Namibia
"I speak of Africa and golden joys"
  #13  
Old November 8th, 2003, 12:05 PM
Hans-Georg Michna
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Posts: n/a
Default Kilimanjaro and Tarangire photos

Liz wrote:

In message
Hans-Georg Michna wrote:


I can see the photo already in the viewfinder, so I
usually take a first shot quickly, then wait for a better one.
Surprisingly often, in the vast majority of all photos, the
first remains the best, and quite often the second photo doesn't
get taken at all, because the situation deteriorates.


Good for you!
I'm not selective enough, so I to tend to fire off a shot fairly quickly,
especially if it's a species which is new to me, then wait to see if I can
get closer or something better happens, and often I do/it does. I do waste a
lot of film, though, so your way is no doubt best.
The thing is, I do different things with my slides.
If I'm doing talks to birding/wildlife groups, I show a mostly different set
of slides than if I'm talking to camera clubs.
Bird groups just like to see nice birds, and can forgive less than perfect
compositions if the bird is nice or interesting and you can talk a lot about
it.....(I can usually talk for Scotland...)


Liz,

if you need a documentary photo of a rare bird, then it's even
more important to take one shot immediately, before even
thinking. The reason is, of course, that the next second the
bird may be gone. And a bad photo is sometimes better than no
photo at all (although bad photographs always tire the audience,
so you have to be careful here).

On the other hand, it is one of the abilities of the
professional photographer to take one shot, and that one is just
correct in all aspects. It is perhaps a good idea for us
amateurs to strive for this as well, as it sharpens our
photographic abilities and draws our attention to the factors
that tend to be forgotten by laymen. The amateur who learns to
take each picture technically correctly and with the right
framing will make better photos. I'll ramble on a bit, because
this may give some newcomers some ideas about how to improve
their photos.

To give one example, one of the most prevalent amateur errors is
to have the main motive in the center of the photo, rather than
the correct frame selected. In other words, when he takes a
photo of a cat, the head or nose will be in the middle, one half
of the photo will show empty background, and part of the cat may
be cut off (which is not always bad, by the way), while the more
learned photographer will have the frame around the cat. Another
typical amateur mistake is the desire to have everything on the
picture, while a well-chosen detail may yield a much better
photo.

I sometimes ponder this strange first shot phenomenon. (Why is
the first shot so often the best?) One possible explanation is
that you drive around or wait for a photo opportunity, and when
you spot one, it is exactly because the situation is already
better than the many others before where you didn't pull the
camera. So there's a lot of ways for this situation to
deteriorate, but it is rare for such a situation to improve on
its own.

I also often spot a photo while driving. Then I stop and find
that I have to actually reverse and go back to the point where I
spotted it, because it looks best from there. This is why you
need to have to develop a photo culture with your driver when
you don't drive yourself. A good driver geared to supporting his
clients' photography should move the car even by a few feet if
desired.

When I drive and have photographing passengers, I often tell
them to shout "stop" when they spot a photo opportunity. This
reduces the problem that somebody in the car does spot one, but
doesn't dare to ask to halt the car or even go back. But I find,
that, often enough when this is done, the other passengers also
pull out their cameras and thus prove that it was worth the
effort.

Hans-Georg

--
No mail, please.
  #14  
Old November 11th, 2003, 10:20 PM
Rydale
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Safari Photography

Hi

I still tend to go for the second (or third) shot of a scene
..
One reason is to change the composition: as Hans-Georg says - it is often
better put the key focal point off centre, and when pressed for time (e.g.
mammal on the move, bird fidgeting etc) pausing to get it 'right first tmie'
may result in a good photo of the animal just leaving the frame. Having got
one or two shots 'in the can' I also make sure I get a selection of vertical
and horizontal compositions. With a good view / subject /composition I will
happily take 5 or 6 shots over a couple of minutes (don't forget the light
changes as well). This is not a blunderbus approach - rather I try for 6
excellent pictures. Inevitably one or two will be better in some detail.

One of the most common points I edit for is catchlights in the eye. If a
bird flicks its head round just right, you can get that magical point of
light which brings the whole thing to life. Similarly, active large mammals
have a tendency to move their heads around at the critical moment. With
digital I don't have to worry about the costs anymore, or the time to switch
films/cameras every 36 shots.

Cheers

Charles

www.wildviews.com
Natural History Photography

"Hans-Georg Michna" wrote in message
...
Liz wrote:

In message
Hans-Georg Michna wrote:


I can see the photo already in the viewfinder, so I
usually take a first shot quickly, then wait for a better one.
Surprisingly often, in the vast majority of all photos, the
first remains the best, and quite often the second photo doesn't
get taken at all, because the situation deteriorates.


Good for you!
I'm not selective enough, so I to tend to fire off a shot fairly quickly,
especially if it's a species which is new to me, then wait to see if I

can
get closer or something better happens, and often I do/it does. I do

waste a
lot of film, though, so your way is no doubt best.
The thing is, I do different things with my slides.
If I'm doing talks to birding/wildlife groups, I show a mostly different

set
of slides than if I'm talking to camera clubs.
Bird groups just like to see nice birds, and can forgive less than

perfect
compositions if the bird is nice or interesting and you can talk a lot

about
it.....(I can usually talk for Scotland...)


Liz,

if you need a documentary photo of a rare bird, then it's even
more important to take one shot immediately, before even
thinking. The reason is, of course, that the next second the
bird may be gone. And a bad photo is sometimes better than no
photo at all (although bad photographs always tire the audience,
so you have to be careful here).

On the other hand, it is one of the abilities of the
professional photographer to take one shot, and that one is just
correct in all aspects. It is perhaps a good idea for us
amateurs to strive for this as well, as it sharpens our
photographic abilities and draws our attention to the factors
that tend to be forgotten by laymen. The amateur who learns to
take each picture technically correctly and with the right
framing will make better photos. I'll ramble on a bit, because
this may give some newcomers some ideas about how to improve
their photos.

To give one example, one of the most prevalent amateur errors is
to have the main motive in the center of the photo, rather than
the correct frame selected. In other words, when he takes a
photo of a cat, the head or nose will be in the middle, one half
of the photo will show empty background, and part of the cat may
be cut off (which is not always bad, by the way), while the more
learned photographer will have the frame around the cat. Another
typical amateur mistake is the desire to have everything on the
picture, while a well-chosen detail may yield a much better
photo.

I sometimes ponder this strange first shot phenomenon. (Why is
the first shot so often the best?) One possible explanation is
that you drive around or wait for a photo opportunity, and when
you spot one, it is exactly because the situation is already
better than the many others before where you didn't pull the
camera. So there's a lot of ways for this situation to
deteriorate, but it is rare for such a situation to improve on
its own.

I also often spot a photo while driving. Then I stop and find
that I have to actually reverse and go back to the point where I
spotted it, because it looks best from there. This is why you
need to have to develop a photo culture with your driver when
you don't drive yourself. A good driver geared to supporting his
clients' photography should move the car even by a few feet if
desired.

When I drive and have photographing passengers, I often tell
them to shout "stop" when they spot a photo opportunity. This
reduces the problem that somebody in the car does spot one, but
doesn't dare to ask to halt the car or even go back. But I find,
that, often enough when this is done, the other passengers also
pull out their cameras and thus prove that it was worth the
effort.

Hans-Georg

--
No mail, please.



  #15  
Old November 11th, 2003, 10:35 PM
Rydale
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Kilimanjaro and Tarangire photos

Hi Andrew

I guess there are a few things I did -

See the doctor a year before you go for a check-up, e.g. blood pressure and
anything else he hasn't told you

Think about your weight. I decided I needed to lose 15lbs to get to my
'ideal weight', and I didn't want to carry the extra weight up the hill....
From there I set a target weight for each month for the six months leading
up to the climb. Don't overdo the weightloss, as you need a bit of spare
stored energy (maybe 3-4 lbs worth) before you start. Its surprising how
much you burn off despite being well fed on the trek.

Also don't try to be losing weight up until the last minute. Aim for your
target weight at least 4 weeks before you go to let your body settle into
it.

For actual training I went for hard graft circuit training (an hour) once a
week for 5 months, and twice a week for the last 4 weeks. This was really
tought o start with, but did get eaasier after 3-4 weeks. I also started off
taking a walk every Sunday morning, with a trip to the Peak District once a
month ( I live in Bedford which is real flat...).

I increased the walks gradually from 8-10 miles to around 15 miles each
week; then switched to running 5 miles every Sunday for the last 6 weeks.

I also took the last week off completely (to allow a little recovery and
avoid late injuries). I actually broke my toe 2-3 months in, which meant I
had to skip 4-6 weeks completely, but it didn't affect me in the end.

The last tip (I got from someone else) was to bulk up on Carbohydrates
during the last week. Athletes do this before a big race, as it provides
easily accessed energy for the body. Plenty of pasta and rice etc.

I probably overdid it really, but I felt great when I got to the top (not
even a headache - thanks to Diamox?), whereas some of the others (somewhat
younger) were far more tired. I confess I've put half a stone back on since
getting back four weeks ago, but who cares now!!

If anyone wants more info (I am not an expert here, but willing to share my
experience) - drop me a line....
Just lose the "nospamspam" bit from the email.

Charles
www.wildviews.com
Natural History Photography

"nzuri" wrote in message
...
"Rydale" wrote in message
...
Ah well I confess I was in training for 6 months before going!
(At my age I wasn't leaving anything to chance).


Charles,

I'd be interested to hear about your training regime: reasons why follow.

I've visited Tanzania many times on business since 1996 but apart from a
long weekend in the Selous (highly recommended!), most of my experience of
the country has involved the inside of offices in Dar and Arusha, with the
odd brief trip to Mwanza and a couple of other places. I've flown over
Kilimanjaro on many occasions (including one flight with Swissair where

the
pilot flew around most of the mountain and we had some fantastic views)

but
have never set foot on it. As I'm planning to go in two years time to
celebrate my half century.

Many thanks for the excellent photos!

Andrew




  #16  
Old November 12th, 2003, 09:07 AM
Hans-Georg Michna
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Safari Photography

"Rydale" wrote:

One of the most common points I edit for is catchlights in the eye. If a
bird flicks its head round just right, you can get that magical point of
light which brings the whole thing to life.


Charles,

ever thought of photoshopping them in? :-)

Hans-Georg

--
No mail, please.
  #17  
Old November 14th, 2003, 02:09 PM
Liz
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Safari Photography

In message
Hans-Georg Michna wrote:

"Rydale" wrote:

One of the most common points I edit for is catchlights in the eye. If a
bird flicks its head round just right, you can get that magical point of
light which brings the whole thing to life.


Charles,

ever thought of photoshopping them in? :-)

hollow laugh
One of my slides which is doing quite well in comps has a bird feeding its
chick and both have highlights.

At one comp, one of the other entrants said, "Och, Liz attacked her slide
with a pin".

Such a thought had *never* occurred to me, but apparently it's an old trick.

Liz

--
Virtual Liz at http://www.v-liz.co.uk
"Okay, who put a 'stop payment' on my reliaty check"
  #18  
Old November 18th, 2003, 01:11 PM
Hans-Georg Michna
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Safari Photography

Liz wrote:

In message
Hans-Georg Michna wrote:


"Rydale" wrote:


One of the most common points I edit for is catchlights in the eye. If a
bird flicks its head round just right, you can get that magical point of
light which brings the whole thing to life.


ever thought of photoshopping them in? :-)


hollow laugh
One of my slides which is doing quite well in comps has a bird feeding its
chick and both have highlights.

At one comp, one of the other entrants said, "Och, Liz attacked her slide
with a pin".

Such a thought had *never* occurred to me, but apparently it's an old trick.


Liz,

I once took a slide of a vulture on a tree from the side. The
picture looked good, but the vulture's face was rather dark, and
the eyes were invisible.

So I did just that, poked into the vulture's eye with a needle.
The result was a tad more than I wanted. The vulture now has a
cyan-colored glowing eye that keeps surprising the audience no
end. :-)

I also have photos of dik-diks and several other animals with
glowing eyes, but those were caused by the flash that I used in
some situations, occasionally even in bright sunlight. These
pictures look eerie.

Hans-Georg

--
No mail, please.
 




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