...all of the guides were helpful, pleasant
and extremely conscientious.
Bodies: Canon EOS 3 and a backup Canon
A2E
Lenses:
17-35 (used extensively)
50-135 IS (invaluable with slower film
or quickly evolving scenes.)
75-300 IS (used extensively)
100 - 400 IS (not worth lugging around
in Bhutan)
Extension
tubes 12 and 24 (would carry again)
Teleconverters
1.4 and 2x (worth taking--don't take
much room)
Flash: 540 EZ (usually backed off 1 to
1/3)
Tripod: Gitzo graphite with Arco Swiss
ballhead.
Filters:
81A & 81B filters (probably don't
need for 75-300) Polarizers - for all
lenses
Graduated neutral density 1 and 2,
sometimes combined for 3 stops)
Tripod (Glad I had it with
me! for special circumstances or slow
film - but faster film and IS lenses
handled most situations.)
Film:
Only shot one roll of Velvia but
lots of 100VS, Provia 100F and Provia 400F
Film of choice in Bhutan overall is 100VS -
Portraits perhaps better with Provia
but don't think they suffer that much as
opposed to the wonderful colors and unless
you are carrying two bodies loaded with different
film (too much for me), you have to pick
one and run with it.
For me, that's Provia 400F
I would have loved to have had the Canon
70-200 2.8 IS lens which will be my next purchase
someday - wonder if Melissa did that much better
with it than I did without it? In Bhutan,
it may just be a matter of being more proficient
with use of flash and film choice to make up
for the slower lens in low light since animals
are not the subjects.
The tradeoffs one makes is a personal choice
depending on how much one wants to hassle with
equipment on a fairly fast moving trip and
how much one wants to carry. The guides
were most helpful in carrying equipment but
sometimes you would look around for them and
they would not there when you needed them.
Allison Quattrocchi of Scottsdale, Arizona,
is an attorney specializing in divorce mediation,
a Personal/Life Coach, and newsletter author
who uses her photography to highlight Wings
Museletter, where she writes about
her life's experiences and world travels.
You can contact Allie through either
of her web sites, www.azfamilymediationcenter.com and www.dancewitheagles.com
"Robin Smillie and his wife,Cathy,
could not have been a better host and hostess.
Additonally, all of the guides were helpful,
pleasant and extremely conscientious.
They all spoke excellent English.
Karma, the lead guide, was a wealth of knowledge
and was able to arrange experiences that I
doubt are available to just any tour group.
In the best Bhuddhist tradition, the goal of
Robin and Cathy and all of the guides was to
create a memorable, happy experience--they
certainly did just that."
Only shot one roll of Velvia but lots of 100VS, Provia 100F and Provia 400F
Film of choice in Bhutan overall is 100VS - Portraits perhaps better with Provia but don't think they suffer that much as opposed to the wonderful colors and unless you are carrying two bodies loaded with different film (too much for me), you have to pick one and run with it. For me, that's Provia 400F
I would have loved to have had the Canon 70-200 2.8 IS lens which will be my next purchase someday - wonder if Melissa did that much better with it than I did without it? In Bhutan, it may just be a matter of being more proficient with use of flash and film choice to make up for the slower lens in low light since animals are not the subjects.
The tradeoffs one makes is a personal choice depending on how much one wants to hassle with equipment on a fairly fast moving trip and how much one wants to carry. The guides were most helpful in carrying equipment but sometimes you would look around for them and they would not there when you needed them.
Allison Quattrocchi of Scottsdale, Arizona, is an attorney specializing in divorce mediation, a Personal/Life Coach, and newsletter author who uses her photography to highlight Wings Museletter, where she writes about her life's experiences and world travels. You can contact Allie through either of her web sites, www.azfamilymediationcenter.com and www.dancewitheagles.com
"Robin Smillie and his wife,Cathy, could not have been a better host and hostess. Additonally, all of the guides were helpful, pleasant and extremely conscientious.
They all spoke excellent English. Karma, the lead guide, was a wealth of knowledge and was able to arrange experiences that I doubt are available to just any tour group. In the best Bhuddhist tradition, the goal of Robin and Cathy and all of the guides was to create a memorable, happy experience--they certainly did just that."