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Carl Palazzolo, DVM, MBA |
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Carl Palazzolo, DVM, MBA |
Welcome to my web page for digital photography. This
page will give you information on my conservation trips along with
background on the equipment I use and my training. For those of you
that want to learn more about digital photography there are links to
slide shows on beginning and intermediate digital photography at the
end of this page. You can
email me any time with questions regarding information on this
page: carlp@lbah.com
In September of 2007 I will be leading a digital
photography workshop in Kenya to view the wildebeest migration. It is a
tremendous opportunity to view and photographic the age old drama of
these animals and their interaction with the predators. All are
welcome, and even if you are not interested in photography it will be a
tremendous experience. After our days of wildlife viewing and shooting
we will gather around at night and look at everyone's photos while I am
teaching you how to edit using Photoshop CS2 and Photoshop Elements 4.
As of August 11th, 2006 8 people have already signed
up. The Mara Bush camp where we will be located takes a maximum of 16
people. Check back here for more details in October.
This trip shows photos of the Mara Bush camp. This is where we will
be going on the workshop in September of 2007.
This unbelievably
interesting trip was in 1991. Back in those prehistoric days there was
no concept of digital photography, so all of these photos, and the
black rhino slide show that follows, are from slides that were scanned.
This slide show gives you a good idea of
the poaching problem and why it is impossible to stop.
My most recent training seminar was in Denver, Colorado learning how to shoot fast-moving sports. The seminar revolved around using professional cameras made by Canon, along with editing using the latest version of Photoshop CS2. The seminar was put on by Peter Read Miller, a photographer for Sports Illustrated for the past 30 years. The seminar participants were professional photographers who earned their living by selling their photos. I was not in their league, so I kept my mouth shout and eyes and ears open, and stayed in the background and observed most of the time. If you ever start getting serious about your photography a seminar like this is a good place to start.
This picture of us at the seminar was taken from a web site called Sportsshooters.com
A photo I took at the seminar of a Major League Soccer match. Canon supplied us with their best equipment. I used a Canon 300 mm professional lens to take this photo. You will learn more about this lens later in this page.
Peter invited me to help assist Sports
Illustrated shoot the 2006 Rose Bowl game in Pasadena. We got there 4
hours before the game and stayed until past 10 PM. It was a thrilling
experience for me to be on the field shooting with these professionals,
and I learned many things; you need professional equipment, being in
the right place at the right time, good
lighting, and knowledge of how to use it all rapidly to get photos like
these.
We were in the Texas end zone and were in perfect position for me to shoot Reggie Bush's and Vince Young's touchdown runs.
Point and Shoot Cameras
In addition to my sports, travel and conservation photography, a huge segment of my photography since 1998 utilizes digital point and shoot cameras for my web site at WWW.LBAH.COM Point and shoot cameras are very sophisticated and take great photos. It is better to have one of these in your pocket so you can get a photo, as opposed to having a big camera and a big lens that is not on your person, and too much of an effort to retrieve in time to get the photo at the moment it is appropriate. Almost any photo is better than no photo at all!
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This photo was taken using the Auto setting on an Olympus 5 megapixel point and shoot (the camera to the left in the 3 cameras above). The focus was set to macro, and the flash was turned on. The only editing done in Photoshop was to crop it so the frog was the primary focus, and then save it to download rapidly from a web site (it is only 24 Kb in size). It gives you an idea of the good quality pictures these point and shoot cameras are capable of taking.
When the conditions are right you can even get some
beautiful scenery pictures with point and shoot cameras. They are small
and easy to use, which makes them ideal for traveling.
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Over the years I have used Minolta and Olympus
cameras very successfully in wildlife photography, so if you already
have this equipment you can continue to use it with confidence. As a
matter of fact I used a Minolta camera in 1991 to take the orangutan
photo above giving me a
universal gesture known throughout the world!
The
brand new Olympus Evolt is a very nice digital SLR, especially for the
price. It comes with high quality lenses made by Zuiko. For size,
weight, and quality this is a camera you should serious look at if you
are new to SLR photography.
When it comes to the professional world of digital SLR cameras the best known brands are Canon and Nikon. If you already have Nikon equipment then you have some of the finest camera/lens combinations in the world. The Nikon D50, and the slightly more advanced D70, are the ones to look at if you are new to digital SLR cameras. A D80 was just announced in August. The D200 is a step up from these three in price and sophistication.
If you don't already have equipment, or your mind is
not set on a certain manufacturer, think about Canon, since it is the
most used professional digital action photography camera in the world. Canon digital SLR cameras I recommend start at the
Rebel XT as in introductory camera, and progress to the 20D. They have
a new version of this
camera called the 30D that is available that is a nice wildlife camera
along with the 20D. I have personally settled on Canon SLR camera's
because the professionals I work with use them exclusively and have
trained me in their use.
This picture was taken a the 2006 Rose Bowl game in Pasadena. These are the photographers from news media throughout the world that were standing next to me. Every lens and camera you see is from Canon. If you watch any major sporting event on TV you will see an overwhelming preponderance of Canon cameras and lenses.
This is a picture inside the media tent prior to the game. The 4 cameras and lenses in the background were used by just one of the five Sports Illustrated photographers present at the Rose Bowl. These five photographers use Canon equipment exclusively. All 4 cameras in the background are the EOS ID Mark II N. The lenses, from left to right 16-35mm zoom, 70-200mm zoom, 400 mm fixed, and 600 mm fixed. Total cost for this equipment is around $35,000. Don't ask how much they weigh!
My Personal Equipment
Note: This is just a sampling of the
professional equipment I have. I will
bring most of this equipment on the Kenya workshop in 2007 for all to
use. This will give workshop attendees a unique opportunity to learn
how to use professional cameras and lenses, and also get
those once in a lifetime shots.
Canon 5D- $3000 New, $2500 UsedIt makes a great travel camera due to its relatively light weight and good shooting abilities. Each battery lasts for well over 600 shots. This lightweight and professional 12.7 megapixel, 3 frame per second camera gives outstanding photos, and is awesome for people and scenery shots when your object is not moving much. It costs more and is more advanced than the Canon Rebel XT or 20D/30D. This camera is high on my recommendation list if you are not doing much wildlife work, otherwise you might want to use the 20D/30D.
Canon 30D- $1400 New, $1200 Used
This is my primary wildlife camera due to its light weight, 1.6X field of view crop factor (to learn more about FOV crop factor) go to my lecture pages at the end of this page), 8 megapixel sensor, and 5 frame per second shooting. When I put my 300 mm (6 power) lens on this 1.6x field of view crop factor camera it is equivalent to a 480 mm lens. When I use my 500 mm lens on this camera it is equivalent to an 800 mm lens. This apparent free magnification is a boon to wildlife photographers. Everything else about this camera regarding battery life and use is similar to the 5D above. Its comes with a small built in flash which can be useful at times.
Canon EOS 1D Mark II N- $4000 New, $3500 Used
This is the heavyweight of the sports shooting world and the camera I use it for all my sports photography. It shoots 8.5 pictures per second, and each photo is 8 megapixels in size. It has superior focusing capabilities, withstands lots of abuse, has long battery power (I routinely get 1200 photos from one charge), and produces images of fantastic quality. Once you pick up this machine (if you don't get a hernia in the process) and press the shutter button you will understand why professional sports photographers use it. It is built like a tank and will last just as long. I sometimes use this for wildlife work because of its superior focusing capabilities and the ability to capture animals in action.
The most important part of your purchase in a digital SLR camera setup is the lens. You should budget for a high quality lens before the camera body. All too often a nice camera is used with a mediocre lens, negating the potential of the camera. You will notice the following lenses all have a red ring around the front of the lens. This denotes Canon's professional series lenses, and are also called "L series" lenses in the Canon world. When it comes to lenses, the axiom "you get what you pay for", certainly applies. It is not uncommon for a professional sports or action photographer to spend up to $6000 for one of the high end lenses.The fixed focal length lenses almost always produce a higher quality photo. The zoom lenses are more flexible, and you won't miss as many photos because the fixed focal length lens you happened to put on your camera was either too powerful, or not powerful enough, at the moment you wanted to get your shot. Sometimes this is easily remedied by changing the lens rapidly. I must admit to missing many a good picture while changing one of these lenses though. Also, in a dusty environment like Africa, removing the lens from the camera while you are changing it can cause problems for the camera. Since most of us are not shooting for professional publications and don't need that extra difference in quality, the quality of the zoom lenses will more than suffice and will yield amazing photos.
Canon 70-200mm f/4 -$600
This lightweight and relatively inexpensive zoom lens will cover a wide range of photographic needs. It is highly recommended for travel photography, and takes great photos. If you can only purchase one lens for all your photographic needs this is the one. I utilized this lens often on my Bears of Katmai trip.
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 Image Stabilized (IS) $1600
One of Canon's best lenses and a popular lens among professionals. It is of higher optical quality, and is more adaptable to changing photographic situations, than the lens above. It is the lens to purchase if you can only purchase one lens for all your needs, and don't mind the weight or expense. It is dramatically heavier, and almost 3x more expensive than the 70-200 f/4 above. This is because of the one stop larger aperture and the Image Stabilization. These two features can help you significantly in low light situations, a major advantage for the sports and low light (wildlife) photographer. I did not bring it on my Tsavo trip because of its weight. I used this lens with the Mark II N camera to take almost all of my Rose Bowl pictures. This lens, when mated to the Mark II N camera, is a weatherproof combination, and can be used in a downpour all day long.
Canon 24-105mm f/4- $1000
This relatively lightweight wide angle zoom has great image quality when you need to get a wide field of view. I used it often on my Tsavo trip. Whenever I am shooting I always leave the house with this lens, no matter which camera I have or my subject matter. It is awesome on the 5D because it gives you a wide angle, yet it can zoom to 105 mm. It is my most used lens when I take the 5D. I will keep this lens on the 5D for the Africa trip for our wide angle shots.
Canon 135mm f/2.0 $1200
This very high quality prime lens is used when you want pictures of tremendous sharpness. I use it for many of my portrait shots. It excels in low light situations because of its f/2.0 aperture. When you are using flash at night the big aperture gives it more power to illuminate further in the distance. The photo at the top of this page with the lion over the cape buffalo was taken with this lens. It was a night shot, and since we didn't dare get too close to this lion and his kill, I had to shoot from a distance that was at the maximum range of my flash. Having the larger aperture ( f/2.0) of this lens gave me enough flash power to get the photo properly exposed. It is also great at concerts and plays when flash is not allowed.
This is a good time to touch on flash photography. If you are interested in wildlife or sports photography you need a good external flash. I keep mine available at all times when I am shooting, even in daylight. I will bring a professional flash to the Kenya workshop.
Canon 300 mm f/4 IS $1000
This prime lens has great image quality and is relatively light for 300 mm. Its a great wildlife lens when you are walking around and weight is a factor. When coupled with the 20D/30D it is equivalent to a 480 mm lens on a 35 mm camera. The image stabilization (IS) is a godsend when the light starts decreasing, which is usually the time when wildlife are active. It is a bargain if you travel for your wildlife photography or any time weight is an issue.
The next 3 lenses I own are the finest lenses Canon knows how to make. I use them selectively, and will be bringing the 300 mm and 500 mm to Africa for everyone to use. If anybody wants to volunteer to help me lug these lenses through the airport I will give you a discount on your trip!
200 mm f/1.8 $4000 (if you can find one for sale)
It has been discontinued by Canon, but is considered by many professional photographers as the finest lens Canon has ever made. It is highly prized for indoor sports photography, especially events like gymnastics and indoor swimming. This is because the very wide f/1.8 aperture completely blurs the background. It is an attention getter, and even if you are a mediocre photographer people will think you know what you are doing if you have this lens! It has the biggest aperture (f/1.8) of any lens I own. I don't use it often, but I would never think of selling it! It is not going to Africa on our workshop.
300 mm f/2.8 IS $4000 New ($3600 used)
Optically speaking professional photographers feel this is the finest lens in the Canon arsenal. It is highly prized for outdoor sports photography because it focuses rapidly, the large aperture can blur the background and the pictures it produces are outstanding. It will be going to Africa on our workshop since it is a great low light wildlife lens due to the large aperture and IS. Lenses like this one, and the following one, take practice to learn how to use them properly. They are larger than the lenses most people are used to, and need steady support like a tripod or monopod in many cases, although you can hand hold the 300 mm easily for short periods of time. On the Africa trip we will be using them from a Land Rover so we do not need to use a tripod or monopod.
500 mm f/4 IS $5500 New. I purchased mine used, although it was barely used and in mint condition. These lenses hold their value, and even purchasing it used it still cost $5000.
This is my most recent purchase. It is not as big as I thought it would be, so I will be using it for my wildlife work when I am not hiking, in which case I will use the 300 mm f/4 describe above. I also purchased it so all of the attendees of the Africa workshop can get a chance to use such a superb wildlife lens.
The optics are outstanding, and it is the wildlife lens of choice in the Canon world, especially when your subjects are far away. Canon also makes a 600 mm lens which some would argue is the wildlife lens of choice. It is a monster in size and weight, and I doubt many of us would be thrilled to lug such a large lens through the airport, lug the heavy tripod needed to use this lens, and then set it up in the field. To me the 500 mm is a much better compromise in size, weight, and power.
We will use it in Africa, although a steady hand is needed with this baby to get the most out of it. It has Image Stabilization (IS) so you can hand hold it on occasion, although a tripod or steady support are recommended. We will almost always be using it from the Land Rover without a tripod since we can easily steady it (as long as the other people in the vehicle are not moving around).
Here is a link to an article on using a 500 mm and 600 mm lens for wildlife.
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/lenses/500vs600.shtml
These beach photos were taken with my Mark II at the
beach across
the street from my house in California. Some of these photos are also
in the
lectures. I was able to place a larger version on this page so you can
see their true size. The beach is a great place
for photography. Oftentimes there are wildlife, sports, people, and
scenery shots to be had. They were all taken with the Mark II camera.
Not the different lenses used (and how often I used the 70-200mm).
Mark II with 70-200mm f/2.8 IS lens. You need a shutter speed of around 1/3000th of a second to freeze a bird in flight. Sunset Beach, CA
Mark II with 70-200mm f/2.8 IS lens
Huntington Beach Pier, CA
Mark II with 70-200mm f/2.8 IS lens
Huntington Beach, CA
Notice how you can read the letters on the moving volleyball on the left, and how this camera can freeze the sand in mid air in the photo on the right. This is an example of the superior focusing and fast shutter speeds of the Mark II camera.
Mark II with 135 mm f/2.0 lens
Sunset Beach, CA
Mark II with 300 mm f/4 IS lensSunset Beach, CA
Mark II with 1635mm f/2.0 lensSunset Beach, CA
Mark II with 135 mm f/2.0 lensSunset Beach, CA
Mark II with 24mm-105mm f/4Sunset Beach, CA
Mark II with 300 mm f/4 IS lensSunset Beach, CA
Mark II with 300 mm f/4 IS lensSunset Beach, CA
To learn the nuts and bolts of digital photography follow these links to my lectures:
Intermediate Digital Photography
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