Alaska

[jeffzoom91]

I a few short weeks, (fly out may 23rd) I will be traveling to Alaska and cruising for a week out of Seward and landing in British Columbia somewhere. Down yonder in my signature is what i will be bringing with me. What I ask for is some advice pertaining to how to shoot there, seeing as there will be much ice and the like. As for white balance, I have borrowed a "WhiBal" card, but any other advice would be apprecitated. Just so you know, I have been shooting for a while (like 5 years, but i am only 16) and this is my first DSLR. By first I mean I got it today and have until the 23rd to learn it. I played with my dad's Canon 10D alot, but I don't really think i measures up because of the glass on it. (28-135 IS and 70-200L 2.8 IS)

 

[mkrishnan]

Good polarizing filters? And don't feed the bears!

 

[jeffzoom91]

Yeah, I guess, but the current forcast (which has pretty much the same for the last two weeks) shows cloudy if not raining, I don't think a polarizing Filter will do a whole lot in overcast conditions, plus, with our action-packed schedule, I don't think i will have time to fool with it, at most, I would be able to use program mode if not auto the whole time. Ohh and the advice about the bears, made me think of Steven Cobert and his bear rant.

 

[WillJS]

Learn to use it to it's fullest, as you will get very beautiful pictures in Alaska. We cruised out of Seattle to Alaska and Canada and we got some very beautiful shots.

 

[SMM]

You will also be there within a month of solstice. So, you will have some interesting lighting conditions in the evenings. You may even catch the Aurora very late.

 

[jeffzoom91]

Seeing as how I do have some spending money, do you think i should get a monopod? Or would the fact that I will be living on a moving object for 7 days mean tripod?

 

[pna]

You will also be there within a month of solstice. So, you will have some interesting lighting conditions in the evenings. You may even catch the Aurora very late.

It's tough to see the Aurora this close to the summer solstice -- even when it gets dark at night it never *really* gets dark enough to see it. I've been to Alaska a number of times, always within a month of solstice, and while I've loved every trip, I'm going to have to go back a different time of year to catch the Aurora.