At 12:04 AM 27-07-99 +0200, Olaf Greve <Ogreve@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>Hi,
>
>As an avid traveller (and especially within Europe), I'd like to add my 2
>cents:
>
>> In April and May next year, I hope to take my first ( and maybe
>> only) overseas trip, accompanied by my wife & ten year old
>> daughter.
>
>First off, consider the weather situation around that time...
>
>> UK and Ireland into the first 4 weeks,
>
>...April and May is spring, meaning that there should definitely be nice
>days, but in these two countries you'd better expect heaps of rain too. This
>shouldn't be all too much of an issue, but you might want to make sure to
>have some fast lenses and film with you.
>
>Main photographic items of interest: expect to see lots of green (no, not
>dollars). Also, these countries have some spectacular coast scenery, nice
>pubs (esp. Ireland), old towns and castles. London is a very big city; lots
>of impressive big buildings etc. Bring your wide angles (incl. the
>shift!!!!). Dublin is smaller and cosier, it has lots of lovely small
>streets with heaps of pubs and a much more relaxed atmosphere to it than
>London.
For anyone who is interested in taking a look at some of the more unusual
and yet scenic places in England, I can recommend two books by retired BBC
broadcaster John Timpson. His books are:
"Timpson's England, a look beyond the obvious, at the unusual, the
eccentric, and the definitely odd" published by Jarrold Colour Publications
ISBN 0-7117-0307-8 [hard cover] and 0-7117-0324-8 [soft cover] ..... first
published in 1987
"Timpson's Other England, a look at the unusual and the definitely odd"
published by Jarrold Colour Publications
ISBN 0-7117-0645-X [hard cover]..... first published in 1993
The books contain detailed maps, lots of photos, and a lot of detailed
informative writing and cover such features as animal houses, bridges and
tunnels, carvings, castles, chimnies, chapels and churches, clocks and
clock towers, cottages, effigies, ghosts, gibbets and gallows and stocks,
hillside carvings, lakes and ponds, lamp posts, lighthouses, lock-ups,
mazes, memorials and monuments, milestones, mills, obelisks, odd buildings
and features, pillar boxes, pubs and inns and hotels, pyramids, rocks and
stones, signposts and village signs, stately homes, stones, sundials,
temples, tombs and graves, towers and spires, trees, village crafts, wells,
windows, windmills, and other oddities.
You can pick a subject and trace them to their various locations across
England by country or you can pick a county and identify all the
opportunities in that county.
For example, anyone who wanted to spend a week or two or three or four
visiting unusual pubs across England I can think of no better reference
source than Mr Timpson's books.
Hope this helps.
John Hudson
Vancouver, BC
>> and France, Switzerland, Germany (mainly Bavaria), and Austria into
>> the second 4 weeks.
>
>Weather over there should be pretty o.k. (although it can also rain a lot
>over there too at times).
>
>Main photographic items of interest: expect to see a more varied landscape
>(esp. in France), if you plan to visit the Alps in these countries you
>should bring a nice wide angle (and a UV filter!). Other items of interest
>are the small towns, which you will find vary substantially from place to
>place (just compare Austria with France and you'll know what I mean). Again,
>these countries have a substantial amount of medieval stuff (castles, etc.)
>left, along with reminders of the first and second world wars. Don't miss
>out on Paris, of course, and oh yes, did I already tell you to bring your
>wide-angles? ;) Ah yes, France also has a nice coastline and you'll love the
>every-day life of people playin Jeu-des-boules in the tiny villages.
>
>> equipment, as I expect I will encounter very different subject
>> matter, lighting and weather conditions to what I am used to in
>> Australia.
>
>Indeed you will, the above are only a few of the main topics to capture on
>picture. Regarding the weather, as it's spring take into account that you
>will have both bad days as well as good days, so prepare for both weather
>types.
>
>> (At home I concentrate mainly on nature/landscapes etc., and almost
>> always use a large tripod.
>
>Don't expect to see too much wildlife in Europe, it's too crowded for that
>over here :((( You can of course see some interesting animals, but you'd
>have to search a quiet spot. You'll love the Alps and the mountains in
>England/Ireland.
>
>> On the trip I will be hoping to capture the fantastic
>> architecture, interiors of the Cathedrals & other historic
>> buildings, Village, Town & City-scapes as well as the usual
>
>Yes, after all, that's Europe's main (photographic) attraction!
>
>> My plan at this stage is to take my OM-4 body, 21/3.5, 28/2,
>> 40/2, 85/2 & 200/5, plus a light tripod with a small Manfrotto ball
>> head fitted with a Uni-Loc quick release mechanism.
>
>Not bad...
>
>> Other options are:
>> - substitute my 35-70/3.5-4.5 for the 40/2. (sacrifice speed for
>> flexibility of composition)
>
>An option well worth considering, it is very, very handy to have a versatile
>lens with you. I would also add something like the 65-200/4 zoom for some
>nice candid pictures when you don't want to get right in the face of the
>person you're taking the picture off.
>
>> - substitute a 70-210 (which I would have to buy) for the
>> 200/5 ( no real loss of speed but maybe greater flexibility?)
>
>Try substituting a 65-200/4 for it, better and worth every penny of the $200
>(USD) it more or less costs.
>
>With a 35-70 and a 65-200 zoom you're very versatile, ditch the 40/2 and the
>200/5.
>
>> - substitute a 135/2.8 (which I would also have to buy and
>> may be hard to come by) plus my Kiron 1.5x TC for the 200/5 (gain
>> in speed plus an intermediate focal length, but sacrifice quality
>> at 200mm when using the 1.5x TC)
>
>Hmmm, if you really want to go down that road try the following option:
>135/2.8 + Oly B-300 1.7x TC -> 230/2.8+, not bad eh? Also, I expect this to
>give higher quality images than using an off brand TC, and the very little
>loss of light is a BIG bonus.
>
>> - include my 35 shift (may be useful for the architecture,
>> but may not really be wide enough for a lot of situations).
>
>YES!!! Don't leave home without it, or you'll be kicking yourself. IMO this
>lens can't be missed when taking pics of churches etc. The only time one can
>justify not bringing a shift on a trip like this is when one doesn't have
>one! :)
>
>> I would be prepared to lug the extra weight of this lens if someone
>> convinces me it will be really useful.
>
>Take my word for it, you'll feel _very_ uncomfortable without this lens.
>
>> Also any thoughts on film would be appreciated. I am thinking of
>> standardising on 100 speed, perhaps Sensia 2 or Provia (or
>
>You might also want to consider including some 200 ASA film, as that can
>come in handy on the more cloudy days.
>
>> convinced to take some. (Problem is its slow speed, which
>> may mean an extra body - one for the Velvia and one for a higher
>> speed GP film. This would start to make my backpack very heavy.)
>
>Aaaah, the good 'ole luxury problem: too many toys to cary around :)
>Yes, it will make your backpack heavy, but you would have the opportunity of
>equiping one body with the 35-70 zoom and the other with a more special
>lens, then finally you'd only need your own body to carry _all_ of this
>stuff, but hey, at times one has to suffer to get good pics ;)
>
>> I plan on taking 2 filters - polarising (cir) & 81A.
>
>Cool, definitely bring the polarizer, the 81A can be nice too if you like
>warming up your pics, but I would also recommend sneaking a UV filter in
>there for when you're high up in the mountains.
>
>> Is a ND grad (Cokin style) worth taking along?
>
>Hmmm, doubtful, unless you plan on taking lots of sunsets...
>
>> If so, can anyone recommend a brand that doesn't give a colour
>> cast? (The rather cheap one I have gives a noticeable magenta
>> cast.)
>
>I've heard the Tiffen brand being mentioned several times regarding this.
>
>> Finally, if any locals would like to e-mail me off list regarding
>> interesting or scenic places that are worth a visit, on or
>> off the beaten tourist track, that would be great. (We will be
>> travelling independently, probably by car.)
>
>Feel free to ask whatever you want to know. :)
>
>> Hope all of this is not too much for one query, or too OT for
>> the list.
>
>Nope, that's what we're here for right? In the end it's _taking the
>pictures_ that counts...
>
>Cheers!
>Olafo
>
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