Advise for Alaska with my P&S Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H5?

[Sunny AZ Girl]

To begin, I am a super-amateur baby photographer who wants a real DSLR when I grow up. However, finances and time are currently dictating my camera choice. I have a Sony Cybershot DSC-H5 (12X Zoom) that I am very happy with. I have gotten some wonderful shots for my level of expertise. However, I have been primarily using Auto & Scene Selections up to this point. I am also pretty good with my photo software. Now I am ready to move on down the road.

 

I have been studying my manual and playing with my camera a lot and have learned a great deal in the last couple of weeks. I have learned a bit more about ISO, Aperature, Shutter Speed & EV (love the EV!). I am currently trying to figure out manual focus. I discovered "Twilight Portrait" early on as a great way to take pictures of people against a bright background.

 

Now I am interested in any advise that would help me more with shooting pictures in the special conditions Alaska offers. Specifically glaciers and misty conditions have me concerned. I have read a lot about DSLR cameras in these conditions (lens', filters, etc) but not too much on what would help me with my camera. The manual talks about different settings, but not on how to use those settings. Questions come to mind like "Could I use the 'Beach' scene selector for a sunny glacier day & adjust the EV darker?" or "Should I use ISO on a misty, dreary day....and if so should I keep it in the default setting?", or "Should I use the 'sport' setting from a moving train or try to set my shutter speed manually?".

 

Any help would be appreciated!

[pierces]

To begin, I am a super-amateur baby photographer who wants a real DSLR when I grow up. However, finances and time are currently dictating my camera choice. I have a Sony Cybershot DSC-H5 (12X Zoom) that I am very happy with. I have gotten some wonderful shots for my level of expertise. However, I have been primarily using Auto & Scene Selections up to this point. I am also pretty good with my photo software. Now I am ready to move on down the road.

 

I have been studying my manual and playing with my camera a lot and have learned a great deal in the last couple of weeks. I have learned a bit more about ISO, Aperature, Shutter Speed & EV (love the EV!). I am currently trying to figure out manual focus. I discovered "Twilight Portrait" early on as a great way to take pictures of people against a bright background.

 

Now I am interested in any advise that would help me more with shooting pictures in the special conditions Alaska offers. Specifically glaciers and misty conditions have me concerned. I have read a lot about DSLR cameras in these conditions (lens', filters, etc) but not too much on what would help me with my camera. The manual talks about different settings, but not on how to use those settings. Questions come to mind like "Could I use the 'Beach' scene selector for a sunny glacier day & adjust the EV darker?" or "Should I use ISO on a misty, dreary day....and if so should I keep it in the default setting?", or "Should I use the 'sport' setting from a moving train or try to set my shutter speed manually?".

 

Any help would be appreciated!

 

Beach scene might work for glacier since the bias is set for bright sand. An easier fix for snow, ice and white fog is usually to BRIGHTEN the scene by +1 EV of even +1½ EV. This counters the metering trying to get an average gray rendering of the scene (snow and ice comes out muddy gray if the meter averages the whole scene with bright white snow or ice). Don't forget to reset the EV after you're done.

 

Bumping the ISO on a dim day will work. Just don't bump it too high and let noise smear a great shot. ISO400 should be safe with 800 in an emergency.

 

Sport ("Train" in your case) will give you a bias towards a higher shutter speed and may work better than setting it manually. Even with the image stabilization, keep in mind that wide shots are going to be easier to keep steady than telephoto shots.

 

A polarizer will help if it is sunny at the glacier.

 

Have you read my article on low-light photography? Despite the title, it deals with all levels of exposure and the relationship between ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed: http://pptphoto.com/ArticlePages/LowLight.htm

 

Alaska is amazing. We're leaning towards another trip there next year. Won't be the last either!

 

 

Dave

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Thank you so much for your suggestions. You always seem to come through!

 

Someone else mentioned bumping the EV down a bit at the glaciers, so I am glad to hear your opinion as you are the pro. That is one thing I can't seem to practice here in AZ. ;) I did try lowering the EV a couple of notches in our bright sunshine in the backyard. It did make the orange tree "pop" a bit more, but I was shooing greens and blues, not white.

 

ISO on my scene selector seems to be set on 1000. Seems to be high but I have used it in shows with some success. I have not yet tried ISO in any other mode than the preset scene option, except for a few practice shots.

 

I will read your article and I am sure will be back with more questions.

[AZVoodoo]

You will not see a lot of snow unless you go on an excursion. The main thing to do is set the proper light (on DSLR's this is called White Balance). If your Sony has a Sunny, Cloudy, Light Bulb, Fluorescent make sure you set that properly.

 

Try it on a sunny day in AZ. Take a picture of the same thing using each of the different settings. In Alaska I encountered all sorts of conditions. We had a cloudless day in the low 80's the beginning of June. The locals were dying. You will see a lot of colors. Think AZ in late March early April with all the wildflowers.

 

Remember that underexposure can be fixed somewhat but overexposure cannot. If your camera allows you to set the ISO and it takes care of everything else then use that mode setting the ISO at 200 or so. When you want to take a picture indoors just set the ISO higher.

 

With my DSLR I tend to shoot in (A)perature mode. I set the ISO and aperture and let the camera do the rest.

 

Also getting the book "Understanding Exposure" helps better understand each of the settings. This book is invaluable.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Thanks AZVoodoo! yes, my camera does have those White Balance settings. I will try them.

 

We will be on a glacier excursion so I am concerned about snow at that time.

 

I will check out the book.

 

Have you been to our AZ Cruiser's forum yet? If not, follow the link in my signature and check us out!:)

[AZVoodoo]

If the White Balance is wrong then you will get whites that look yellowish. Also keep in mind that the glaciers are not truly white. They are usually cover with dirt. (See picture below of the Mendenhall Glacier)

 

What I do if something is both bright and dark I point my camera to the bright part press the shutter halfway and hold it down. Then point it to whole scene and press the shutter the rest of the way. The camera sets its internal setting when you first press the shutter and uses these for the whole scene. This works on most P&S and DSLR's. It also works backward to get a better picture if something is in a shadow.