Iraq protest tomorrow - equipment?

[Markok765]

So there is a protest about the Iraq war tomorrow at city hall. I was wondering what to bring. I was thinking: My kit, with lenses that range 28-105[28,35,55,105], spotmeter, SLR camera, and a flash. I also have a tripod, but I am not sure if I should bring it. What do you think?

 

[Marc Akemann]

Leave the tripod and spot meter at home, bring your 35 & 105 lenses. Use your in camera meter, or, if your camera doesn't have a meter or it doesn't work and you have an incident meter, use that. Speed is the name of the game when you're covering an event like this.

I just got back from a peace march/rally in Ann Arbor. I used my Nikon F5, 24-85mm f/2.8-4 Nikkor zoom and some Ilford XP2.

Good luck!

Marc

 

[Michel Hardy-Vallée]

A sign with your slogan upon it?

 

[Markok765]

Thank you! Unfortunately I need the spotmeter, as my cameras doesn't work, and I don't want to go without it.

Should I bring a camera bag?

EDIT: I'll be documenting it, not participating. There was a scientology protest today and I got some shots.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Bring your i-pod. Since it is broken too, you will have a matched pair of broken equipment.

PE

 

[Markok765]

That's so mean! My camera still works, though the meter doesn't.

 

[Alex Bishop-Thorpe]

Come on, since when is it ok to give another user crap instead of legitimate advice?

I wouldn't bother with a camera bag, if you have a jacket with enough pockets just wear that. I'm not sure if it's a good idea or a bad idea to draw attention to yourself as a photographer at protests, but a bag always slows me down.

 

[Michel Hardy-Vallée]

Regarding the meter: don't bring your valuable spot meter to a protest. AFAIK, it's more expensive than an SLR body. If you're shooting outdoors, just take a reading on your way out, and stay at the same aperture/shutter speed. Unless you plan on shooting at the end of the day when light changes quickly, don't waste valuable photo opportunities and equipment metering.

 

[copake_ham]

Regarding the meter: don't bring your valuable spot meter to a protest. AFAIK, it's more expensive than an SLR body. If you're shooting outdoors, just take a reading on your way out, and stay at the same aperture/shutter speed. Unless you plan on shooting at the end of the day when light changes quickly, don't waste valuable photo opportunities and equipment metering.

Sound advice.

An alternative would be to use Sunny/16 with adjustments accordingly.

 

[MurrayMinchin]

Just a thought...

My Pentax K1000 for family snapshots hasn't had a battery for years, and all I do is follow the f16 rule; If the sun is high in the sky behind you, your exposure will be f16 @ 1/your films ASA. This means if you're using 125 ASA film your exposure will be f16 @ 1/125th of a second. At this time of year you'll need to open up a bit because the sun is lower in the sky, and open even more if it's cloudy. Trust yourself, fly by the seat of your pants, and just go for it. If your exposures are a bit off, who cares, because at least you'll have the image that you would have missed if you tried to meter it first with your handheld meter. Poor exposures (well, development errors but you get the point?) never hurt Robert Capa's career!

Murray

 

[Marc Akemann]

What film are you planning on using?

Marc

 

[Markok765]

Why do you guys think I shouldn't bring my meter?

I'm using tri-x 400, developed in Rodinal.

 

[Marc Akemann]

The meter will slow you down. Use Murray's idea with trust. It'll work. Maybe this will help: Dead Link Removed .

Nice choice of film.

Marc

Why do you guys think I shouldn't bring my meter?

I'm using tri-x 400, developed in Rodinal.

 

[firecracker]

Forget about the film camera or the light meter, but just borrow a video camera from your school or something, record the event, and put it on youtube. That will do good for the public.

 

[Markok765]

Forget about the film camera or the light meter, but just borrow a video camera from your school or something, record the event, and put it on youtube. That will do good for the public.

I have a video camera, but I'm photographing this for myself.

 

[MurrayMinchin]

From FilmSprocket's link;

What if it's not sunny?

If slightly overcast, open one stop to f/11. If overcast, open two stops to f/8. If deeply overcast, open three stops to f/5.6.

How do I distinguish between slightly overcast, overcast and heavy overcast?

Examine the shadow detail. If shadows are distinct but soft around the edges, then it's slightly overcast. If shadows are not distinct, but still visible - very soft - then it's overcast. If there are no shadows at all, then it's heavy overcast.

Them's good tips.

Do whatever you think is right, makes you comfortable in a fast moving scene, and allows you to focus on getting good images. You may come up with something unique that separates you from the herd

Murray

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

I think Marc's advice is very sound. For shooting outdoors, especially where you only have a split second to decide, this is pretty bulletproof. I use Sunny 16 to make sure my meter works OK... ISO 100 film - sec camera for 1/100 s and set the aperture according to how overcast it is. No joke, it really works.

- Thomas

The meter will slow you down. Use Murray's idea with trust. It'll work. Maybe this will help: Dead Link Removed .

Nice choice of film.

Marc

 

[Markok765]

I'll try that, though I was just planning on metering occasionally.

 

[MurrayMinchin]

I'll try that, though I was just planning on metering occasionally.

Sounds perfect. Nothing like a little reassurance once in a while...good luck and have fun!

Murray

 

[bdial]

As suggested, you won't need the meter, you wouldn't have time to use it anyway. Watch the light and use sunny 16. Ditto with the tripod, and it's not too likely you'd need the strobe either.
For lenses, I'd put the 35 on the camera and as Fleath suggested, stick the 105 in a jacket pocket, along with as much film as you can carry in your other pockets and go. A bag full of stuff will just get in your way, and give you too many choices.
For shooting things like this I'll generally shoot for a while with the wide angle, then replace it with the longer lens and watch for opportunities appropriate for that optic for a bit, then switch. There will be things you miss because you have the wrong lens on at the time, but there will be lots more that you catch.
By going lean you will be spending your time taking pictures rather than keeping track of stuff and deciding which pieces to use.

Barry

 

[Photo Engineer]

Come on, since when is it ok to give another user crap instead of legitimate advice?

Look at the other thread!

PE

 

[Markok765]

As suggested, you won't need the meter, you wouldn't have time to use it anyway. Watch the light and use sunny 16. Ditto with the tripod, and it's not too likely you'd need the strobe either.
For lenses, I'd put the 35 on the camera and as Fleath suggested, stick the 105 in a jacket pocket, along with as much film as you can carry in your other pockets and go. A bag full of stuff will just get in your way, and give you too many choices.
For shooting things like this I'll generally shoot for a while with the wide angle, then replace it with the longer lens and watch for opportunities appropriate for that optic for a bit, then switch. There will be things you miss because you have the wrong lens on at the time, but there will be lots more that you catch.
By going lean you will be spending your time taking pictures rather than keeping track of stuff and deciding which pieces to use.

Barry

So, its meter on the left side, camera on the right, with the 105 in the pocket. How much film do you guys think I will need? I have no idea how big this will be.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Marko;

In spite of my jocular comment earlier, I must say that I have flown upside down with a 4x5 Graphic and a 35mm Nikon F with either no meter or a hand held meter catching pictures on the fly (In reality) and the results turned out well. The real problem is to keep a level head and be aware of the sunny 16 rule and do mental adjustments.

How do you do that?

Well, you go out and expose pictures "en avance" as they say in French. You do the homework early on and gain experience. It is too late to just walk into a job cold without trying the film and camera and just getting the feel of things. This is what I did. I burned film! It seems that you want to walk into the job cold. You cannot do that in any trade!

PE

 

[MurrayMinchin]

Put this thread on ignore, go to bed, and follow your instincts! Only you know what images you hope to get and how you think it's best to get them. If you're wrong, that's life, but it may springboard you into new discoveries. Again, have fun!

Murray

 

[Markok765]

It is too late to just walk into a job cold without trying the film and camera and just getting the feel of things. This is what I did. I burned film! It seems that you want to walk into the job cold. You cannot do that in any trade!

PE

I am very comfortable with my equipment. I also know my film!

I'll stop reading this now, and shoot pictures as how I see them. I'm going to have some fun tomorrow!