[em-tx]

Hi,
I am going to shoot in desert. I do lot of research on technique and needs, but I feel I am not really ready. Its my first time in desert ever (not just with camera). I did not find lot of resources, so I would be happy of some of you more experienced could share some knowledge. Very appreciative.

My equipment is:
K5; MX
FA 20-35
F35-70
M135 f 3,5
M 50 f1,7
2x Circullar polarisers Hoya pro, basic cleaning equipment.
I have some plastic bags - still missing zip log bags
tripod

Here is what I found
Your Guide to Stunning Desert Photography
Preparing for Desert Photography Travel | DIYPhotography.net
How to Photograph Deserts

Unfortunatelly, I have no filters - aka big stopper or fader NDs. Are there any tricks how to get around?

[jatrax]

Shoot from first light until maybe 9am then from maybe 5pm to dark.
Carry lots of water
Leave the desert as you find it
If you must shoot in the middle of the day a diffuser will help for small things such as cactus or flowers
Map compass food matches survival gear first aid kit
The sharp spiny stuff hurts if you fall into it

[geomez]

Shoot from first light until maybe 9am then from maybe 5pm to dark.

Good general advice, but you might want to check a weather website to see what time the sun goes down in the area you will be shooting. I live in the Mojave desert and the sun doesn't drop below the horizon until around 8:15pm during the summer. The light is still very bright and white at 5pm here.

[disya2]

Based on my experience

Concerning photo gear:
1. Be ready to find sand in most unexpected places, like at the pocket of photo bag which was never opened. So double check when you change lenses or attach a filter that the item in hands isn't covered with thick layer of sand.
2. Never change lens when wind is blowing... more over, if you don't have WR lenses, I would do the following:
3. Pack your gear in a photobag and then the bag into some plastic bag, and then into another plastic bag at the very first signs of wind blowing. Carefully clean by shaking all the sand which got somehow into the photo bag after the windy weather is over.
4. If you have WR lenses attach a protective filters and be ready to treat them as disposable items because they will be scratched by sand. When changing filters double or even triple-check that you don't have sand particles between filter and lens.

Concerning yourself:
1. Wear clothes with long sleeves and full-length trouser legs. Leave as little exposed skin as possible. Apply suncream on the exposed places. Always wear something to protect your head from the sun. Always wear sunglasses.
2. Be ready to find numerous amount of different kinds of creeping and flying insects when it gets dark. So if you have a mosquito mesh on your tent always make sure it is tightly closed. Check for insects inside your sleeping bag before you get there. Whenever you left some clothes or boots on the ground for longer periods of time always inspect it and shake before putting on. Scorpions (and other insects) tend to creep under or into folds of fabric to escape the sun heat.
5. Drinking water is essential but try drinking by small sips. Also note that a cup of hot tea (without sugar!) quenches your thirst better than a glass of cold water.

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Last edited by disya2; 06-26-2013 at 06:55 AM.

[Bob from Aus]

I'm from Australia - dust is our big issue. Make sure you give your M135 a good workout. My last desert trip, I used my 60-250 a lot more than any of my wider lenses. All the landscape, sunset and sunrise photos in this link were taken with this lens.Educating Options for a Sustainable Future

Keep a close eye on the light and use it your advantage. i didn't use a single filter as I use lightroom afterwards.

[narual]

i didn't use a single filter as I use lightroom afterwards.

Lightroom keeps blowing sand and grit from scratching the coating on your lenses now?

[VoiceOfReason]

Go get an 18-135 and leave it strapped onto your K5. Dust sucks. Alot. Also, a CPL might help too.

[iceshiel]

I wish I saw your post and read those articles before I went to the death valley! From my experience this is my advice:

1. GET A FILTER. There will be sand everywhere.
2. Wear well sealed shoes. Sand leaked into my sports shoes and it was really awkward.
3. As much as possible... change lenses indoors or in the car.

[Bob from Aus]

Lightroom keeps blowing sand and grit from scratching the coating on your lenses now?

I like were you are coming from. I need to look at the menu in lightroom maybe under photo

[em-tx]

Thanks to you all for advices. Today I did my upgrade of equipment: I can not effort to buy any more lenses - anyway have more than I can justify, so some of them are going in near future.
For each lens (carrying 4, since I am on intercontinetal tour) I got UV aka protective filter Sigma DG
I got fader ND filter 2-400 Marumi (I tested, on FA20-35 I could not recognize difference with/out in terms of resolution and seems quite neutral, so my recommendation to that one).
All lenses are of course equipped with lens hoods and I have step up rings.

Getting card and kompas, water and will be keeping people posted about my whereabouts.
I will put camera in into ziplock bag, make a hole on one end and tape the bag onto lenshood.

[em-tx]

However, I would like to ask about practical photographic techniques.
Thanks for helping me with light and time of a day. Since I will use rather primitive camera-lens protection I would like to use 1 lens. So as far as I got is:
to go in the morning - evening
watch for axis lighting

My main question is now - what are effective focal lenghts in deserts. I have a little feeling that 20-35 might be as "wide" ok. I am thinking or I mount 35-70 or I mount 20-35. (Considering also M50) I am not sure with 135mm. In order to make myself more clear - I am interested in graphic qualities of dunes - its crossfades; plays of lights and shading. Most likely I will process to B&W. (However, being first time in desert and alone I do not have lot of reference.)

In terms of lenses I also expect to shoot on small apertures around F16. I know that limit of F35-70 before diffraction sets in is past F11. Does anybody know limit of FA 20-35 lens before diffraction in practical terms. In terms it looks like F11. Same for M50 - there is recommendation on Ken Rockwell site that smaller than 5.6 (if I understood right) suffers from diffraction. That would be rather very soon.

I am digital kid, but I carry my MX. I know theoretically about use of filters for film - color filters as a tobacco one. Do you know any good tips. I might rent filters, but if I am not sure what to do with them, they are pretty useless for me.

I go to Paracas, where Ica desert meets Pacific - next to it are Balestas Islands. Does anybody has some tips on this location.

Please shoot on me . Thank you in advance!!!!

[VoiceOfReason]

I think I generally drop the ISO as low as it will go, increase the shutter speed, and am normally shooting at f/5.6-f/11. Bring loads of memory cards and spare batteries because on the K5 you can take a few pics of the same thing if you're not satisfied. The harsh lighting in the desert really makes that dynamic range at ISO 80 shine through.

[6BQ5]

I live in the desert and it's windy here. Your lens cap is your friend. Don't change lenses outside as others have said here already. Do it inside a clean bag... even take your shirt off and do it inside your shirt before putting your shirt back on. I keep my extra lens in a Zip-Lock baggie in my camera bag.

I would agree with shooting early morning or very late afternoon. With the sun straight up overhead everything is very bright, very saturated, and there are very few shadows. The few shadows that you find will turn out black.

I end up shooting either really wide or really narrow when I'm out and about here. For some reason the "normal" 50-ish mm focal length either crops too much or doesn't let me get close enough.

Look for color in the oddest places. Watch out for birds at unexpected times flying overhead or landing somewhere, especially if they found their meal for the day. I'm not a big bird watcher but I saw something like a hawk or eagle tear into some other critter and it was brutal! Also watched a little tiny bird peck away at an adversary 5x its size. Pure awesomeness!

Other than that, keep in mind all the basic survival skills of the desert. Water, scorpions, snakes, thorns, sunburn, etc...

[em-tx]

I think I generally drop the ISO as low as it will go, increase the shutter speed, and am normally shooting at f/5.6-f/11. Bring loads of memory cards and spare batteries because on the K5 you can take a few pics of the same thing if you're not satisfied. The harsh lighting in the desert really makes that dynamic range at ISO 80 shine through.

I have no idea how much light desert will give me. How long exposures I can get with f 11 in the evening around 6. How much light sun gonna reflect.

[VoiceOfReason]

It's still going to be quick exposures, of course, depending on the light.