When I first heard the expression, the “Holy Trinity” of lenses, it was in reference to three Canon L prime lenses, the 35mm f/1.4, the 85mm f/1.2, and the 135mm f/2. After Googling the phrase, I see that everyone’s “Holy Trinity” is different. Some use the term to describe a series of zoom lenses, and some use it to refer to three different prime lenses. So I guess everyone has their own spin, but for me, it’s the Canon 35mm f/1.4, 50mm f/1.2, and 135mm f/2, and I’ve found it to be perfect for travel. Move from the “Nifty Fifty” to L Lenses What makes this the perfect threesome for…
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A few years back, I returned to film photography, and now shoot both digital and film while traveling. With a lot of hits and misses, I’ve come to find that several film stocks have emerged as my favorites, reliable from trip to trip, and perfect for the way I shoot. Although I will continue to experiment, these film stocks have proven their worth and will be in my bag on every trip, or as long as the manufacturers continue to produce them! Kodak Portra 400 Portra 400 is clearly my favorite of all film stocks. I used to shoot Portra NC and VC back in my pre-digital days, but the…
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Note: Links in this post include affiliate links, and I receive a commission on purchases. Thanks! An important part of traveling for me is not only relaxing in some of the most beautiful places in the world, but also taking time for my primary hobby, photography. But I was stuck in a rut. I found myself shooting the same thing over and over again. My Canon 24-70mm/f 2.8 lens was on the front of my camera most of the time, and I found myself seeing and shooting the same compositions on nearly every trip. I needed to break out. When we last traveled to Nevis in 2011, 1745 of the…
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Over the years, I have posted “What’s in My Bag?” about various trips. On the last two trips, I have traveled with both digital and film cameras, and I wanted to do a separate post on traveling for hybrid shooters. As you might expect, it’s easier to travel with digital. Memory cards are small, and you don’t have to worry about the effect of x-ray machines at security checkpoints. I also feel more comfortable experimenting with digital. You can try new techniques, and the only loss is your time. However, I find that there are times when I prefer film over digital, and it’s worth the extra effort. There are…
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Lately, I’ve been back to shooting film, shooting both digital and film cameras on our recent trips to Anguilla, Antigua, and Barbuda. Along for the journey were several film cameras, including the Canon EOS 1v. The 1v was Canon’s last professional 35mm SLR camera, with a magnesium alloy body and weather sealing throughout. At 10 frames per second, it was a favorite of sports shooters for years. It is a solidly built camera, and fits perfectly in my hand like the later DSLRs that Canon produced. I have the HS version, which includes a detachable power booster, however given the bulk, I leave that behind. The beauty of traveling with…
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I had a lot of trouble deciding what to pack for this trip. I knew I wanted to shoot some film. In fact, I was more excited to shoot film than digital. This would be our fourth trip to Anguilla in seven years, and in my mind, I kept thinking, “done that.” I wanted a new challenge, to see Anguilla differently, so I decided to take my film on the road. With that decided, I still had a tough time deciding what cameras to bring. I knew that the Canon 1v used the same lenses as my digital SLR, so I wasn’t really adding much in terms of weight/space requirements.…
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Tests shots were finished. It was time to take my film project on the road and put it into action. In July, I took my film cameras to Bastille Days here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. When people think of Milwaukee or Wisconsin, they generally think of beer, brats or cheese. If they think about the ethnic origins of the area, they generally think of the Germans or Polish settlers to the area. Often overlooked is the fact that the first explorers were French. The first European known to explore the area was Jean Nicolet, followed by Father Jacques Marquette, a Jesuit missionary, and Louis Joliet, a fur trader, exploring and mapping the waterways through…
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Receiving the e-mail from Richard Photo Lab that “Your Order is Ready!” is pretty exciting. It was like Christmas morning, wondering what presents await. Yesterday, I received my negatives and prints I ordered from the first rolls. I wasn’t planning to order prints every time, but I wanted to see how they would look, and I’m glad I did. There is something really special about holding a printed image, and it was even more beautiful than the scans! I see photographers post it again and again, but it bears repeating. Print your images! Rarely do people look through their hard drives when reminiscing, but there is a simple joy…
