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What Equipment is used, and why? The majority of my nature photography is achieved with 35mm SLR cameras. The two bodies I use are a Nikon F100 and and Nikon N70. Various lenses included in this system are:
The versatality of a 35mm camera system, with various lenses, teleconverters, extension tubes, flash and macro accessories are ideal for nature and wildlife photography. My equipment is carried in a Tamrac Expedition 5 backpack. Most essential to shooting wildlife and nature photography is a good tripod system. I carry a Bogen 3001 with Bogen 3265 and 308RC ballheads, as well as a monopod for shooting fast moving creatures such as butterflies. The Bogen, though not sturdy enough for "big gun" lenses, is suitable for me, as I'm petite and I find I can tote this setup without any difficulty. Digital Photography I'm also aware of the recent great advances in Digital Photography. My latest digital camera acquisition has been a Fujifilm S1 Pro Digital SLR camera. I am extremely impressed with the superb quality of images produced by this camera. It uses all of the existing Nikon F-mount lenses, with a couple of limitations. The S1 Pro won't take advantage of silent wave or vibration reduction technology incorporated in the newest crop of lenses. My feeling is that is a miniscule limitation given the high image quality and excellent color renditions (Velvia like) this camera produces. For more information on digital cameras, check the Photography LINKS button where I've listed a couple of great sites. Many images here have been taken with a compact Kodak DC 4800 digicam. This camera yields impressive results with it's 3.1 megapixel range and great color rendition. The zoom range on this handy digicam is equal to 28 - 115 mm, and the lens is of great quality. It's a joy to shoot macro with the DC 4800. I always have with me when I travel, a lightweight Minolta Vectis 30 Point and Shoot camera. Though not as creative as a 35mm SLR system, I believe P/S cameras are handy, take excellent pictures (panoramics too!) and are a light way to travel! Film Favorite film choices are Fujifilm slide emulsions, particularly Velvia, Provia II and Provia F100, as well as Sensia II. For color prints, I believe Kodak Royal Gold, ISO 100 and 200 yield excellent results. I process about 8o% of my film in a home darkroom; and also use A&I Film Processing service when I'm on the road. Images appearing on my website are scanned with a Nikon Cool Scan III film scanner. Long life, high quality photographic prints are made with an Epson 1280 Inkjet printer, up to sizes 13 x 19". Larger print sizes are created from digital scans sent to our supplier for Crystal Archive long-life prints. |
