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Behind the Lens — Howler Monkey

(Gregory Basco)

It’s not often that we get to combine dramatic light and an eye level view of a monkey in the rainforest. But that’s exactly what my workshop participants and I were treated to on my latest photo workshop tour here in Costa Rica! I actually don’t shoot much at all when I’m out leading a trip but since everyone was set up and working well, I decided to sneak in a few shots of my own and came away with the image below. I love mysterious light so I think this is already becoming a favorite of mine.

This late afternoon encounter with strong light streaming through the forest canopy was a great lesson in the importance of spot metering. This is something we had been talking about during the workshop, so this was a perfect opportunity to put the technique into practice. Precise metering, along with a tiny bit of fill-flash and attention to composition, is what made the image a success for me.

TECH NOTES: Canon 60D, Canon 70-300 mm f/4-5.6 L zoom lens, Canon 430 EX Speedlite, f/6.3, 1/100, ISO 500, handheld

PROCESSING NOTES: full-frame/no cropping, standard tweaks and a bit of selective dodging in Lightroom, a bit of tonal contrast with Nik Color Efex Pro, and noise reduction with Topaz Denoise

GEAR & SETTINGS

I’ve used my son’s Canon 60D a few times now, and I really like it. For this tour, I decided to travel light and left my Canon 1D Mark IV and Canon 300 mm f2.8 lens at home. The extra effective reach of the 60D (which has a 1.6x sensor as opposed to the 1.3x sensor of the Mark IV) was perfect for this encounter, where tight shots really helped to emphasize the play of light and shadow on the howler monkey. With the 70-300, I had the perfect lightweight combo to handhold. I also left my larger flash and Better Beamer at home. The smaller Canon 430 EX Speedlite served as the perfect complement for this combo. It’s good to know that I’ll still be able to do some wildlife photography when I’m too old to hold a big pro body and pro telephoto lens!

This was a tricky exposure situation. There was beautiful late afternoon light streaming through the forest but of course that meant dappled light on our subject and backgrounds of varying intensity. I chose to focus my efforts on shooting only when the sun was hitting the side of the monkey’s face because I thought this was the most unusual and intersting lighting. When the monkey was in shade I simply didn’t shoot. To get the moody, chiaroscuro type of lighting I wanted, spot metering was the answer and that meant shooting in manual mode rather than aperture priority. Why, you ask? Can’t I use spot metering with aperture priority?

Well, sure, you can, but every time you recompose your shot, your spot meter point would move, meaning that in aperture priority, the camera would constantly adjust the shutter speed to match the point (usually the center AF point) at which the spot meter was looking. We could hold down the shutter button halfway to keep the camera from re-metering the scene but that’s a pain if your subject moves even slightly between shots. We also could use auto-exposure lock to hold the exposure but that lasts only about 13 seconds on Canon cameras. So, we’d have to keep re-metering the scene and pressing the AE lock button. This is hardly an efficient way to work, so aperture priority with spot metering was out. In fact, I never use aperture priority with spot metering precisely for this reason. I have my Canon 1D Mark IV set to use spot metering automatically when I’m in manual mode and to use evaluative metering when I’m in aperture priority.

So then, what about aperture priority and evaluative metering for this monkey shot? With this combination, the camera takes a reading of the whole scene and then uses an algorithm based on the active focus point and the values of the entire scene to arrive at the best average exposure. In this case, the combination of aperture priority mode and evaluative metering would have worked, but not consistently. Given all the dark tones in the image, the camera will try to bring up the exposure. To keep from blowing out the bright portions of the scene (the highlights on the monkey’s back and head and the places where the sun was striking the face), we would have dialed in anywhere from -1 to -2 stops of exposure compensation. But, as I mentioned before, the dappled light meant changing backgrounds as well. Remember that I was focusing my efforts on shooting only when the monkey’s face was sidelit by sun. This meant that I had a situation where my subject was always in the same light but my backgrounds could vary from full sun to dappled light to deep shadow. Aperture priority would not handle this situation well at all, and I would get some exposures that were right on but many others where the important part of my scene (the sunlit side of the monkey’s face) was either underexposed or totally blown out.

In manual mode, we fix all three variables (aperture, shutter speed, and ISO) so there is no way for our exposure to change unless we want it to. By spot metering off the monkey’s face and then setting my values so that this sunlit portion of the monkey’s face was about 2/3 of a stop above average (that is, with sun on the monkey’s face, I determined that the skin there was lighter than middle-toned), I was set no matter what kind of background I faced. Since the spot meter on the Canon 60D is always linked to the center focus point, I placed that point over the monkey’s face for my metering and then recomposed as necessary. Since I was in manual mode, I knew my exposure would stay constant and that the sunlit monkey’s face, the key part of my image, would always be properly exposed. A touch of fill-flash (flash exposure compensation at -3 stops) gave me a nice catchlight in the monkey’s eye.

I chose an aperture of  f/6.3 to gain a bit of depth of field for my subject. Since I don’t know the 60D as well as my other cameras, I decided to keep the ISO at 500 max. This meant a shutter speed of only 1/100 but I wasn’t worried as I knew the great image stabilization of my 70-300 mm zoom lens would let me capture consistently sharp images. My son Chris actually has taken some ISO 1600 and even 3200 images with this camera that looked pretty good processed. So, in retrospect, I probably could have taken the ISO up to have a faster shutter speed. But, as I said, with the great IS of my zoom lens, I wasn’t too worried and indeed, this image is tack sharp even when viewed at 1:1.

COMPOSITION

Having confidence in my exposure allowed me to focus on the artistic part of my photography. This is of course the fun part, and the technical considerations are simply the vehicle that allows us to get there. The first thing I concentrated on was lining myself up with a portion of the background that was in dark shade. I knew this would make for the most dramatic image and would best work with the mood I wanted to establish.

Composition was the next consideration, and when I saw how the sun gave a rim lighting or hair light effect to the top of the monkey’s head and back, I knew I had something. I was definitely looking to place the subject’s face in one of the thirds of the frame. Then I started to notice that the position of the face along with the rimlight on the rest of the monkey was giving me a pretty good approximation of the famed golden spiral.

If you’ve read The DaVinci Code, you’ll know that the Fibonacci spiral is found in nature in many patterns of growth, the most famous example being a nautilus shell, which gave architects the idea for the spiral staircase design. DaVinci and other artists have employed this compositional pattern to great effect in art because the human eye responds well to the placement of elements that the golden spiral entails. Now I’m not saying that I went through the whole golden spiral thing in my head as I was taking this shot, but I’ve been looking at more and more classic art in my spare time so that I can aid myself in thinking about composition. Like the technical side of photography, the more we practice and have these things in mind, the more they’ll become second nature.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and the thought process behind the image. Successful nature photography is all about previsualizing an image (even when shooting action or capturing a fleeting moment), analyzing the technical tradeoffs that your previsualized image entails, and then making choices. It seems that today we’re seeing more and more really good images out there. How does one stand out? Well, without sounding pretentious, I consider nature photography to be an art form. Images and paintings with great light and great composition never go out of style, so I’m really trying to think more about these two key elements when I’m out photographing. Hopefully this little article will give you some ideas for the next time that you’re out in the field.

If you have questions or comments, please leave them below, and I’ll respond as soon as I can.

Cheers,

Greg

Greg small pic

About the photographer: Greg Basco is an internationally published nature photographer specializing in the Costa Rican rainforest. His images have been honored in the BBC/Veolia Wildlife Photographer of the Year and the Nature’s Best Windland Smith Rice competitions. Check out his fine art prints, stock images, and photo tours. Contact Greg for more info on image licensing or on location photography assignments.

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May 11, 2013 | Categories:Behind The Lens | Tags: , , , | 4 Comments »

Back-button focus, explained by Canon

I’m a big advocate of back-button focus for nature photography, and I always suggest that my workshop clients try it out. Back-button focus completely decouples auto-focus from the shutter button. Auto-focus is activated only by pressing a button on the back of the camera that is now dedicated to this function. It’s a real boon for rainforest wildlife because acquiring focus initially can be difficult with subjects hidden in lush vegetation. There are lots of potential things for the camera to focus on so you don’t want your camera trying to refocus every time you take a picture of a monkey or toucan. You’ll lose lots of shots this way, and this is precisely why back-button focus makes so much sense for tropical wildlife photography.

Canon’s Rudy Winston does a great job of explaining all about back button focus here. Note that these days, this function can be most easily set on Canon cameras via the Q menu using the custom controls icon. The way to set this up back-button focus on Nikon is a bit different but it’s just as easy and works the exact same way once you have it configured.

If you haven’t used back-button focus for your photography, try it out!

Cheers,

Greg

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Apr 28, 2013 | Categories:Photo Tips | Tags: , , | 4 Comments »

Now Available — The Guide to Tropical Nature Photography!

Successful tropical nature photography is all about having a diverse photographic toolkit to ensure that you’re ready to deal with the technical challenges of each shot, freeing your mind to work on the artistic side of your photography. We’ll be taking you through the equipment you’ll need, and we’ll also teach you how to use that equipment in a variety of ways. And we’ll give you tips on finding your subjects and “seeing” images in the field so that you can produce a beautiful and colorful tropical portfolio. What’s more, the techniques you learn here will open up whole new worlds for your photography back home and on future travels. We believe strongly that if you can capture great images in the tropics, you’ll be well-equipped to capture great images anywhere in the world.

The Guide to Tropical Nature Photography

Topics covered include the following:

- Exposure strategies for natural light.
- Auto-focus and other settings for shooting wildlife.
- Beginning and advanced flash techniques.
- Sharpness, exposure, and depth of field concerns for tropical landscapes.
- Natural history tips to help you find great subjects.
- Gear recommendations and post-processing tips.

With over 450 pages of text, illustrative figures, example images, and showcase photographs with shooting data, The Guide to Tropical Nature Photography is a bargain in the world of specialized photographic e-books!

ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!
Greg small pic

About the photographer: Greg Basco is an internationally published nature photographer specializing in the Costa Rican rainforest, with credits including National Geographic and Newsweek magazines and numerous promotional ventures with Canon. His images have been honored in the BBC/Veolia Wildlife Photographer of the Year and the Nature’s Best Windland Smith Rice competitions. Check out his fine art prints, stock images, and photo tours. Contact Greg for more info on image licensing or on location photography assignments.

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Jan 05, 2013 | Categories:Featured | Tags: , , , , | 11 Comments »

Gear Review — Oben CC-2320 L Tripod & Oben BB-1 Ballhead

(Gregory Basco)

Introduction

I’m always on the lookout for new gear options and, being in Costa Rica where it’s tough to come by photo gear, having a second tripod and head is not at all a bad idea. If something were to happen to my Induro CT313 tripod and BHL2 ballhead, I’d be in trouble until I could get some new gear down from the US. In addition, it’s nice to have a lighter tripod and head for those times when I want to go a little smaller, which I’m doing often for my current coffee table book project focusing on artistic images of Costa Rica’s natural wonders. And finally, my son Chris Basco, a budding photographer himself, needed a quality tripod to support his Canon 5D Mark I and the lenses I lend him.

While searching for an option to fill these needs, I received word from my contact at B and H Photo Video that the owners of Oben tripods were interested in helping to sponsor my coffee table book project by sending down gear that interested me. Oben is making some interesting products, and they are part of the parent company The Gradus Group. I’m going to be reviewing a number of different items in the months to come but to start off, they sent me down a new tripod and head from their Oben division. The products we decided on are the Oben CC-2320L carbon fiber tripod and the Oben BB-1 ballhead. Overall, I think the Oben products reviewed here offer a good value for the money and compare favorably to similarly priced alternatives.

A Brief Business Interlude

As always, if you enjoy this review and the Deep Green site in general, please consider making your next gear purchase through the affiliate links in the text of this review or at the bottom of this page. You pay exactly the same, and I make a little commission to keep things running. To learn more, click the “support the site” link above.

Please note that though I do earn a commission if you buy a product at B and H Photo Video through this review and though I do enjoy a sponsorship arrangement with the Gradus Group and their line of Oben tripods and heads, I do not slant my reviews in favor of a particular piece of gear. If I don’t like something, you can be sure I’ll note that in the review. I’d like to thank B and H and the Gradus Group for sponsoring my coffee table book project by supplying me with the Oben CC-2320L carbon fiber tripod and the Oben BB-1 ballhead. That said, the source of the equipment has no bearing on the content or tone of this review.


The pictures in this review were taken by my son and budding photographer, Chris Basco — check him out here!

Chris used the following equipment after setting up a little makeshift studio in our house with a white sheet and used the same equipment out in a cloud forest near our house one day for the other shots.

Canon 5D Mark II camera body

Canon 17-40 mm f4 L wide angle zoom lens

Sigma 150 mm f2.8 macro lens

Canon 430 EX Speedlite Flashes

Phottix Radio Transmitter/Receivers

Pictured of course are the following Oben products:

Oben CC-2320L carbon fiber tripod

Oben BB-1 ballhead

The Oben CC-2320 L Tripod – General Impressions

The Oben CC-2320 L tripod is a slick and professional looking piece of gear. Upon removal from the included heavy-duty nylon tripod bag (a very nice addition), the tripod surprised me with the look and feel of the parts. I go back and forth on flip locks, but the Oben’s flip locks have a nice feel and lock securely. The tripod feels plenty sturdy, and I would have no problem using it to support a pro body with my Canon 300 mm f2.8 lens in a pinch, though I would prefer my beefier Induro CT313 for this purpose. That’s not a knock on the Oben, however. The Oben 2320 is a small lighter weight tripod, and for the purposes I have in mind for it — general landscape and macro photography — it’s absolutely fine.

The Oben CC-2320 L has all of the features one would want in a tripod (see chart below), and it comes with a nicely made tripod bag and the necessary allen wrenches. It also comes with retractable spiked feet, which are a nice addition for different types of terrain. In the field, the Oben CC-2320 L was quick and efficent to use. It did exactly what a tripod should do — support our gear so that we can concentrate on photography. I used it with confidence with a pro body (the Canon 1D Mark IV) and a pretty substantial lens (the Canon 70-300 mm f4-f5.6 L IS zoom).

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The Oben CC-2320 L with the Oben BB-1 ballhead.

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A good looking package for sure.

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A general view emphasizing the flip locks and retractable spiked feet.

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The center column can be switched to lateral mount easily and quickly.

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The finished carbon fiber is very nice looking.

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Independent leg spread to 90 degrees.

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The sturdy flip locks.

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Bubble level on the tripod base, very handy for panoramic shooting.

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Looking good in the rain forest!

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The finish and styling are really nice.

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We got this thing plenty wet but didn’t have any problems.

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Retractable spiked feet are nice for those doing winter shooting, not such a big deal for Costa Rica!

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The tripod held up just fine in the humid muddy conditions of the rainforest.

The Oben CC-2320 L Tripod – The Competition

The real question is how any tripod fares when compared to the competition. I chose offerings from two brands with which I’m familiar, Induro and Manfrotto, and that had similar price points to the Oben CC-2320 L. I previously had used the precursor to the listed Manfrotto, and my main tripod is one of the big brothers to the Induro listed below. So, I feel comfortable comparing them in a general sense.

Oben CC-2320L Induro Carbon 8X CT114 Manfrotto 055CXPRO3
Max. Height w/column
68.3″
59.3″
68.9″
Max. Height w/o column
55.7″
50.1″
55.1″
Folded Length
25.4″
19.7″
25.6″
Load Capacity
26.4 lbs.
17.6 lbs.
17.6 lbs.
Weight
3.85 lbs.
2.8 lbs.
3.6 lbs.
Leg Sections
3
4
3
Lock Type
flip
twist
flip
Material
6x carbon fiber
carbon fiber
carbon fiber
Leg Spread to 90
yes
yes
yes
Center Column
reversible/lateral
reversible
reversible/lateral
Carrying Case
included
included
not included
Feet Type
normal/spiked
spiked included
normal only
Price
$329.95
$339.00
$349.90

The Oben and the Manfrotto offer the most similar specs in terms of load capacity and height, and in all other respects are quite alike as well. The Oben costs $20 less, and in spite of that, you get the spiked feet and the tripod bag. Having used the Manfrotto and the Oben, I can state that they feel very similar in build and performance. If choosing between these two tripods, it would be a toss up as the features and quality are very very similar, though the lower price of the Oben is a nice bonus. One potential advantage of the Induro is the twist-lock system, which I find to be smoother and easier to maintain and clean. Twist locks are also unlikely to catch on a branch that could compromise a flip lock while hiking. That said, the Oben’s flip locks are really sturdy (sturdier than those of the Manfrotto in my experience), and I find it hard to imagine a branch or vine opening up one of the legs by accident. In addition, there is something nice about the binary nature of flip locks; they’re either open or closed so there’s no room for the in-between states of twist locks that can lead legs to creep downward if not 100% tightened.

For low angle shooting, the Induro is the most deficient of the three as the center column will be in the way. The previous versions of the Manfrotto had a detachable center column that was the perfect solution but the current model (listed above) does not specify a detachable model but rather the same lateral mount as the Oben. The lateral mount is a good solution but I’ve always found the best option to be the detachable center column. This way your camera and lens are still mounted on the tripod’s center of gravity rather than hanging off the side.

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The lateral mount for the center column, while not the perfect low angle shooting solution in my opinion, is quick and easy to do on the Oben and will get the job done.

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The simple touch of a button will allow you to make the center column a lateral arm for low angle shooting.

The Oben BB-1 Ballhead

The Oben BB-1 ballhead is quite nicely made and is a good competitor for its price range. It worked well in the field and was easy and quick to use. The one complaint I have is that there is a bit of creep when using this ballhead with a substantial body and lens if the tension knob is not tightened. It’s not a big deal as the creep disappears once the tension is increased but the idea of the main knob is that it should lock movement regardless of the tension setting. This is not uncommon for more budget-priced ballheads (and even some higher-end heads!) but it’s the one way that I think Oben could improve the BB-1 ballhead. Complaint aside, one gets to know one’s gear, and I’ll have no problem using the head for my shooting in the future.

The Oben features compare favorably to similar offerings from Induro in this price range, and I think the performance compares pretty favorably as well (I’ve never noticed any creep in my Induro ballhead but it’s one of the bigger models, not the smaller models that compare to the Oben BB-1). The inclusion of an Arca-Swiss style camera plate by Oben is nice as it matches this Induro bonus. The new Induro line features the tension knob incorporated into the main knob. I use the Induro BHL2 ballhead for much of my shooting, and I’ve come to like the feature. Nonetheless, it’s not a huge deal, and if you prefer a separate tension knob, then the Oben BB-1 or the Induro BHD0 may be better choices for you.

Oben BB-1 Ballhead Induro BHD0 Ballhead Induro BHL1 Ballhead
Quick Release
yes, Arca-Swiss type
yes, Arca-Swiss type
yes, Arca-Swiss type
Plate Included
yes
yes
yes
Bubble Level
yes
no
yes
Load Capacity
22 lbs.
17.6 lbs.
44 lbs.
Weight
0.88 lbs.
0.9 lbs.
0.9 lbs.
Panning Knob
yes, separate knob
yes, separate knob
yes, separate knob
Tension Control
yes, separate knob
yes, separate knob
incorporated into main knob
Price
$149.95
$135.00
$180.00

 

induro ballhead

The Oben BB-1 in the rain forest.

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Looking good mounted on the Oben CC-2320 L tripod. Note the degree markings for pano shooting.

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Including a bubble level is nice but the location doesn’t make any sense because you can’t see it once you’ve mounted your camera or lens. My Induro ballhead has the bubble level on one of the side rails on the mounting area, which makes more sense. To be honest though, I never use it because I use a bubble level in the hotshoe when doing landscape photography. And many newer DSLRs have an electronic bubble level feature in the rear LCD screen. So, inclusion of a bubble level in the head is probably not that much of a necessity any more but if Oben were to include one, it would make more sense not to have it under the camera plate.

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Closeup view of the quick release mechanism, which works just fine.

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The controls on the BB-1 are well-thought out and easy to use.

A final view of the Oben BB-1 ballhead.

Final Considerations

After some time on humid rain forest trails, in muddy mangrove swamps, and the blazing hot, rocky, and salty Pacific Coast in Costa Rica, I can say that I’ve been pleased with the performance of both the Oben CC-2320 L tripod and the Oben BB-1 ballhead. They both stood up to some tough conditions and allowed me to concentrate on photography, which is what good support equipment should do. As noted above, there a couple of things that I think Oben can improve upon in future models but overall, I consider them to be good products that are competitive with similarly priced offerings from more familiar brands such as Manfrotto and Induro. I’m looking forward to seeing more gear from Oben, and you’ll be seeing reviews of other new gear from the Gradus Group in the coming months here on the Deep Green Photography blog.

 

I hope you’ve enjoyed this review. Please feel free to shoot me a comment below if you have any questions at all!

Greg small pic

About the author: Like all photographers, Greg Basco loves the gear. He’s seen and shot with lots of different equipment, both Canon and Nikon. Check out his fine art prints, stock images, and photo tours. Contact Greg for more info on image licensing or on location photography assignments.

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Sep 10, 2012 | Categories:Gear Reviews, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , | 5 Comments »

Behind the Lens — Black and White Owl

(Gregory Basco)

Some people absolutely love owls. I have to admit that they don’t really hold any special fascination for me. Still, I like any nature photo subject so when I had the chance to photograph an owl recently, I was psyched. The species featured here is the black and white owl (Ciccaba nigrolineata), an inhabitant of rainforest and drier forests in the lowland areas of both the Pacific and Caribbean slopes in Costa Rica. Black and white owls subsist primarily on large beetles and bats and have a bizarrely haunting call. They are active strictly at night, usually roosting in tangled thickets in forest and mangroves (when near the coast) during the day.

Owl pictures taken during the day can be very nice, but most tropical owls reveal themselves only at night, and I like pictures of nocturnal animals taken at night. Nonetheless, I’ve recently seen lots of pictures of nocturnal owls that are taken with full, direct, frontal flash. Granted, unless you’re working with a barn owl that comes back predictably to an accessible spot that allows you to set up multiple flashes, it can be difficult to obtain pleasing light, but that doesn’t mean that direct, on-camera flash is a great solution. On the nature photo forums, shots taken with on-camera flash as main light often elicit comments such as “great flash work.” This may sound a bit blunt, but I really don’t understand how setting up and letting your flash blast away from on-axis constitutes great flash work. It’s the same effect you would get from a disposable camera at a cousin’s birthday party!

Using flash as main light but having it come from on axis — that is, from a pop-up flash, from a hotshoe flash in the hotshoe, or even from a hotshoe flash in a bracket attached to your camera — is a recipe for a flashed looking picture. Why? Direct flash obliterates texture and in the case of birds, it conceals the fine feather detail created by micro-contrast — the shadows between the feathers. Besides, it just looks “flashed.” Direct flash also will make most owls look like they have the eyes of Satan (I mean Lucifer or Beelzebub, not Miroslav Satan, the Czech hockey player).

TECH NOTES: Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 300 mm f2.8 lens, Canon 550 EX Speedlite, Canon 430 EX Speedlite, Phottix radio transmitter/receiver, f5.6, 1/160, ISO 800, Induro CT313 tripod, Jobu Jr. head

PROCESSING NOTES: full-frame/no cropping, standard tweaks, slight darkening of leaf undersides, cloned out a very faint extra catchlight from the on-camera flash in each eye, and applied a touch of noise reduction in Lightroom

GEAR & SETTINGS

My 300 mm f2.8 prime lens was my choice rather than my 70-300 zoom because I thought I might want to use a 1.4x teleconverter. I ended up shooting at straight 300 mm though because I wanted to include the tuft of leaves in the composition. The decision not to use the TC was clinched when the owl happened to land on the exact branch for which I had hoped. Since this happened, it’s true that I actually could have used my Canon 70-300 mm L zoom, but as good as that lens is wide open, the sharpness of the 300 mm f2.8 stopped down to f5.6 is about as good as it gets in modern photography – why not take advantage of it?! The Canon 1D Mark IV was the obvious choice for the camera as I figured the 1.3x sensor would be useful, and I knew the Mark IV would give me great image quality.

For the camera settings, things were fairly easy. Since flash would be the only light source for the exposure, I simply needed to set things such that no ambient light entered the picture. Since this was at night, that was not a problem. I went to manual mode and set my aperture at 5.6 because it would give me the depth of field that I needed, it would give me super sharpness on my f2.8 lens (on many lenses, stopping down two stops from wide open gives optimum performance), and it would be a wide enough aperture to give me the flash power that I needed. Remember, my main light was going to be about 30-40 feet away from the owl. I set ISO 800 because this is reasonable in terms of noise on the Mark IV and would give me a little effective boost on the flash power. (Only aperture and ISO have an effect on effective flash power; shutter speed does not affect it.)

I could have put a Better Beamer on the off-camera flash to gain some flash power. But, I had just come off leading an 11 day photo tour, and I was pretty exhausted. I thought briefly about it but was too lazy to go back to my room to get it. I was also a bit afraid that the owl might fly off in the meantime. It turns out that he stayed for a while. Had I been thinking clearly, I should have come prepared with my Better Beamer. Lesson learned! Finally, the shutter speed just needed to be somewhere around but not higher than the sync speed (the Phottix transmitters don’t do high-speed sync flash, and in any case, going to high-speed sync mode would have robbed me of about two stops of effective flash power). So, I chose 1/160.

FLASH

The flash work was really the big consideration here. As soon as I heard about the possibility of this owl showing up, I was thinking of ways to avoid the direct flash look mentioned above. If the scene didn’t lend itself to off-camera flash, I had decided I would simply call it an early evening and get some rest. Luckily, when the staff on the grounds of the lodge where I was staying told me which tree it tends to come to (it’s near a security light, and the owl comes to feed on the moths and beetles that are drawn to the light), I knew that off-camera flash was a possibility. My first thought was actually to try to clamp a flash up in the tree as I really like flash that comes from above. But since I didn’t know which branch it would land on and where exactly it might perch, that strategy was out the window. To be honest, this would have been a bit difficult, and my energy level wasn’t up to the task even if it had been a practical possibility! That meant the only option was to get my flash off to one side and slightly lower than eye-level with the owl — not ideal but I thought I could make it work.

I knew I wanted two flashes for this shot. The main light would be the light set up to the side of the owl to give that texture and micro-contrast, but I also wanted just a touch of fill-flash from on-camera to soften slightly, but not kill, the shadows created by the main/side light. I originally thought about working in TTL and using my 550 EX Speedlite flash as master to trigger a 430 EX set up to the side. Unfortunately, the 430 was about 30 or 40 feet away from my camera, and the Canon infrared wireless clearly wasn’t going to do the job, something I learned after a couple of quick test shots. So, I went to a radio trigger solution, mounting one Phottix radio transmitter in the camera hotshoe and mounting my Canon 550 EX Speedlite in the hotshoe on the transmitter. The hotshoe in the transmitter is nice as it allows you to use an on-camera hotshoe flash as fill. I then set my Canon 430 EX Speedlite up off to the side and attached a Phottix receiver to it. This meant going to manual flash because I was using the radio transmitter/receivers (a limitation of the the Phottix gadgets as opposed to a luxury setup like Pocket Wizards but not a big deal). I set the on-camera flash at 1/32 power and the off-camera flash at 1/2 power. I did some calculations using the distance scale on the 550 EX flash to determine these settings and believe it or not, they turned out to be right on — always nice when that happens! (I will be discussing the use of manual flash in more detail in my forthcoming E-book The Guide to Tropical Nature Photography and also the Behind the Scenes E-book that will be a complement to my forthcoming coffee table book.)

This super cool lighting diagram by my son Chris (see www.chrisbascophotography.com for Chris’ photography) illustrates well the shooting situation and my lighting solution. Note that even though the on-camera flash was closer to the subject, it’s putting out less light than the off-camera flash. Again, this was by design and was meant to avoid red-eye and to create some shadows.

Below is a closeup crop of the owl itself, showing the nicely textured feather detail and the natural-looking eyes. The owl’s right eye has a shadow but I’m OK with it since it was in keeping with the slightly mysterious look I wanted for this picture. Too much fill from the front, and I would have started to lose the sidelit look.

TAKING THE PICTURE

This is the kind of picture where it helps to have a friend. In this case, I was out shooting with my friend Glenn Bartley, a well-known bird photographer from Canada. (BTW, Glenn and I will be visiting this lodge on our Costa Rica workshop next April!). So, I asked Glenn to hold the flash while I pressed the shutter. Glenn also held a flashlight while I focused when the bird flew in. I autofocused and then checked my focus in Live View (the owl was quite calm once he established position.) We took turns helping each other out.

Had I been by myself, I still could have pulled this off by setting the off-camera flash on a lightstand or extra tripod but since I was with Glenn it was just as easy to help each other out. Another option that might occur to people is to set the camera on a timer and then run around to hold the off-camera flash. This doesn’t work well for two reasons. First, you have no control over when the camera is going to take the picture. The owl might turn its head or look away. Second, though this owl was quite calm, in general it’s not a good idea to be sprinting around while photographing wildlife!

COMPOSITION

For the composition, I really wanted something more than just a closeup of an owl. When the owl landed on a clear branch with just one tuft of leaves (the tree is a Teak tree by the way), I knew I had something going on. By using the bare 300 mm lens I was able to frame so that the branch flowed through the image on a slight diagonal. Plus I had the two main elements (owl, tuft of leaves) on power points. Importantly, the owl is the brighter of the two elements, so the viewer’s eye goes there first (key since the owl obviously is the main subject). This composition, along with the textured lighting, made for what I think is an interesting studio-style wildlife portrait taken in the wild under completely uncontrolled conditions (that is, I wasn’t putting out food or bait or anything), which is a cool bonus.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and the thought process behind the image. Successful nature photography is all about previsualizing an image (even when shooting action or capturing a fleeting moment), analyzing the technical tradeoffs that your previsualized image entails, and then making choices. Hopefully this little article will give you some ideas for the next time that you’re out in the field photographing.

If you have questions or comments, please leave them below, and I’ll respond as soon as I can.

The image analyzed here is available as a poster print, an affordable and classy way to jazz up any space in your home or office!

Cheers,

Greg

Greg small pic

About the photographer: Greg Basco is an internationally published nature photographer specializing in the Costa Rican rainforest. His images have been honored in the BBC/Veolia Wildlife Photographer of the Year and the Nature’s Best Windland Smith Rice competitions. Check out his fine art prints, stock images, and photo tours. Contact Greg for more info on image licensing or on location photography assignments.

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Jul 06, 2012 | Categories:Behind The Lens | Tags: , , , , , | 26 Comments »

How to save enough money to buy a Canon 5D Mark III (or a Nikon D800)

The Canon 5D Mark III and the Nikon D800 are two of the hottest cameras of 2012 for professional and serious amateur nature photographers; many serious amateurs and pros in other fields of photography would love to have one too. While not outrageously expensive in terms of camera bodies, they’re not cheap — the $3000 you’ll spend for the Nikon D800 and the $3500 you’ll spend for the Canon 5D Mark III is hardly chump change. If you’re a budget-minded hobbyist or aspiring pro or if you are simply a budget-savvy full-time pro, there are some easy ways to save money on key gear and software choices.

Please note that I’m well-aware that trying to buy cheap can sometimes end up costing more money in the long-run. Believe me, I’ve been down that road many times when I was starting out in photography. I’ve learned, however, that there are times when buying the most expensive option may not be necessary.

Here’s why I don’t always buy the latest and greatest and most expensive gadget or service. As a full-time working pro photographer, I look at new gear and software as a business expense. That means three questions for me. Does this new gadget/product allow me to do things I couldn’t do without it? Are those things I could now do going to make a difference in the quality of my work and thus my income? And is there a cheaper but equally or sufficiently good alternative to the new gadget/product that would still allow me to do what I want now and in the future?

In this little article, I offer a few digital photography-related purchase choices that could add up to enough savings for one of these beautiful new camera bodies from Canon or Nikon and perhaps even leave you with enough cash left over for dinner.

A Brief Business Interlude

As always, if you enjoy this review and the Deep Green site in general, please consider making your next gear purchase through the affiliate links in the text of this review or at the bottom of this page. You pay exactly the same, and I make a little commission to keep things running. To learn more about the products and services I use and with whom I’m affiliated, check out my Support the Site page.

For the purposes of this post, please note that I have a sponsorship arrangement with Induro and enjoy affiliate relationships with Topaz Labs, B and H Photo Video, and the NatureScapes store.

That out of the way, please rest assured that I do not suggest products or services in which I don’t believe. All of the gear choices outlined below are ones that I’ve made in my own photography and digital workflow, and I would make them again tomorrow with no hesitation.

The poor man’s Macbook Air

Some photographers like having a full-size laptop with plenty of horsepower to do a lot of processing in the field. I’m guessing that many if not most of us, however, value small weight and size over performance for a laptop. When I’m traveling, I want something easy to pull out and store and with enough power to let me stay on top of e-mail/office work and my blog, run Lightroom to import/backup/cull/rate images, and maybe to tinker with a few new fave images at night. A small laptop of the 11+” screen variety is perfect for this, and there is no doubt that the Macbook Air would be an ideal choice. The 11.6″ model with 512 GB solid state storage will be awesomely fast, super light, and seriously cool, but it will cost you $1,900.

By compairson, my Acer Aspire One 11.6″ laptop with 4 GB of RAM (same as the Macbook Air quoted above) is pretty sweet. It’s not as fast as a Macbook Air, it’s a bit heavier (3.2 lbs. to the Macbook Air’s 2.4 lbs.), the 500 GB drive is not solid state, and it doesn’t have the same sexy styling. But, the Acer costs only $380! So, I’ll happily wait a few extra minutes while my images download from my card to my laptop. After all, I’m not shooting the Super Bowl, and no one is waiting intently on my latest monkey or orchid pictures. I’ve had my Acer for over a year, and it’s performed reliably. I knew the tradeoffs in performance, and I’ve had no regrets at all since purchasing it.

The Math: Macbook Air (512 GB) at $1,900 – Acer Laptop at $380 = a whopping difference of $1,520

Do I need a Gitzo?

A tripod is a seriously important part of any photographer’s gear, and I don’t recommend going cheap. Nonetheless, I also don’t think it’s necessary to buy a Gitzo tripod if budget is a concern. I’ve been overwhelmingly happy with my Induro CT313 tripod (see my full review here). The Induro CT313 tripod is well-built, sturdy, light, efficient to use, easy to clean, looks good, and comes with a tripod bag and tool kit. A similar Gitzo model, say the GT4542LS Gitzo 6X Carbon Fiber Tripod, will run you about $1,000. The Induro will cost $545 or so.

Is the Gitzo better? Perhaps, but I doubt it’s worth nearly two times the price. That said, if you have the money and favor Gitzo tripods, get a Gitzo. They aren’t the world’s leading tripod manufacturer for nothing, and your Gitzo surely will serve you well for years to come. If you’re looking to save a few bucks though, an Induro tripod just might be for you.

The Math: Gitzo GT4542LS 6x tripod for $999 – Induro CT313 tripod at $543 = a difference of $456

Is my ballhead Really Right for me?

I used to own the Really Right Stuff BH-55 ballhead, the industry benchmark in design and performance. It was great, and I had no problems at all with it (though I have seen the tension control lock up on people). Then I decided I wanted to save some weight and contacted Induro. After talking with one of their tech reps, I decided to go with the BHL2 ballhead model from their latest line. It’s great, and I don’t feel like I’ve lost anything at all in comparison to the Really Right Stuff ballhead (except about .8 pounds in weight!).

Interested? Be sure to check out my review of the Induro BHL2 ballhead.

The Math: Really Right Stuff BH-55 ballhead for $455 – Induro BHL2 ballhead for $267 = a difference of $188

Extending your macro lens

Both Canon and Nikon make great long macro lenses. Canon’s 180 mm f3.5L macro is sharp and well-built, as expected . Nikon’s latest 200 mm f4 macro is great too. And they should be because you’ll pay around $1600 for either one of them.

I actually use the Sigma 150 mm f2.8 macro lens because I don’t like the super long macro focal lengths for rainforest macro work; I find them a bit too restrictive in terms of flexibility and flash to subject distance. Nonetheless, to stick with the comparison, let’s consider the Sigma 180 mm macro. It’s built like a tank, looks great, handles well, and is very sharp. The new generation Simga 180 mm will even have OS, Sigma’s version of IS/VR. A good friend of mine has the non-OS version of the lens, and I honestly think the image quality is as good as that of the equivalent name brand macros (I wouldn’t use a Sigma macro myself if I didn’t think so!).

The new Sigma 180 mm f2.8 macro with OS is not out yet (prices aren’t available), but copies of the previous, non-OS, f3.5 version can still be had for around $850. Another good option is the Tamron 180 mm f3.5 macro, which can be purchased new for around $740 for either Canon or Nikon. Finally, if you think the Sigma 150 mm f2.8 macro might be of use for your work, the new version with OS is out and costs around $1,100.

Since neither the current Canon or Nikon offerings at the longest macro focal lengths has any kind of stabilization, let’s consider the Tamron or the previous version of the Sigma 180 mm to be good alternatives for the purposes of this exercise, and we’ll stick with Canon for the comparison since that’s what I shoot.

The Math: Canon 180 mm f3.5 macro lens for $1,579 – Sigma 180 mm f3.5 non-OS macro for $850 = a difference of $729

Nik or Topaz?

A lot of photographers are starting to use the suite of plug-ins from Nik Software company. I’ve always resisted Nik simply because I was on a quest to keep from having to leave Lightroom but not because of any doubt about the quality of Nik products. I’ve tried them; they’re pretty cool. But I also didn’t want to pay a lot for more software, and Nik is not cheap — the complete collection that works with Lightroom and Photoshop (key for using layers) costs about $500, ouch!

The other day, though, I discovered Topaz Labs products, and I became a convert. I still do everything in Lightroom for most of my images, but there are times when Topaz DeNoise is the answer for noise reduction, when Topaz Adjust can add a little pop to the image, when Topaz Detail can add some interesting fine feautres and micro-contrast, and when Topaz B & W Effects comes in handy for a monochromatic take on a scene.

There are three big reasons that I’ve started to incorporate Topaz products into my workflow.

The first was noise reduction. Using Adobe Lightroom 4 for selective noise reduction (subscribe to my newsletter for a cool trick!) works well for a lot of images, but sometimes I wanted more. I tried a number of the different products out there and decided that Topaz DeNoise worked best for me. In addition to the principal features, the banding reduction for long exposure noise is a nice bonus.

The second was cost. Topaz DeNoise costs about $80. I also was intrigued by Topaz Detail, which cost another $40 and with Topaz Adjust, which sells for $50. I started to think about adding Topaz B & W Effects ($60), and that brought me up to a total of $230. I looked and was able to buy the whole Topaz collection for this amount (there was a promo offer). I could barely even have bought two of the main Nik programs for this amount.

The third reason was the release of the new FX Lab program from Topaz. Despite a rocky initial launch last month due to some strange registration and graphic card issues, the bugs have been worked out, and the new program is awesome. Basically, it allows you to access all of your Topaz plugins right out of Lightroom and to apply them on separate layers whose opacity and blend modes can be changed and on which masks can be applied for selective adjustments. There is no more need to open Photoshop! You can also easily pick and choose sliders from each plugin without having to open each separately. FX Lab is currently available for just $30 but will go up to $80 when the introductory offer ends on July 31, 2012. So, I was able to get the whole Topaz Plugin Bundle and FX Lab for just $260.

Some people love Nik’s control points and the programs in general. I’m not here to dispute that (though I do think the U-point technology, while cool, is just a bit overhyped). Nik programs are great and easy to use, and I do think that Nik’s Silver Efex Pro is superior to Topaz’ B & W Effects at this point (but it also costs $140 more!). If you want Nik, go for it. If you want to save a few bucks on image editing plug-ins, I think it’s worth checking out Topaz, particularly with the new FX Lab. I would even go so far as to say that you could forego the latest incarnation of Photoshop with this new software; I won’t be upgrading from CS5 to CS6. I use Photoshop to stitch panos and to do things that require text but I’ll tell you what, I think I could get by quite easily with Photoshop Elements since I don’t do major cloning or manipulation to my images anyway. With layers in Topaz FX Lab, my other main reason for going to Photoshop just vanished. I think it’s going to be a game changer in allowing for a complete non-Photoshop image editing workflow for nature photography.

By the way, I will be doing a full review on the Topaz Plugin Bundle and FX Lab soon here on the Deep Green blog so stay tuned.

The Math: Nik Complete Collection for Lightroom and Photoshop at $499 – Topaz Plugin Bundle and FXLab at $330 (if you get FXLab soon) = a difference of $169

Ed. note: My friend Greg Downing who owns NatureScapes just informed me that you can get the Nik Complete Collection at the NatureScapes store for $100 less than buying directly from Nik. Check it out!

Ed. note 2: When I started writing this article last week, the Nik Complete Collection at the Nik site was $600. Perhaps there’s a little price war going on, so the competition is good for photographers :-)

Budget studio for hummingbirds and more

My studio photography needs come in the form of an outdoor studio — for hummingbirds of course but also for landscapes, flowers, macro, and larger wildlife. For multi-flash hummingbird work, four flashes is what you want, and four flashes will also be a great number for many people doing portraits or other types of studio work. You can have a main light, a fill light, a hair light, and a light on the background. Hotshoe flashes work great for hummingbirds and can do double duty for a lot of portraiture and on-location shoots as well.

The luxury setup right now for a Canon shooter would be four of the new Canon 600 EX-RT flashes ($600 each!) and the new ST-E3 transmitter ($319). The new transmitter interface and the radio frequencies coupled with full TTL control is incredible but this kit will set you back more than $2700!

A more budget-friendly option would be four Canon 430 EX II Speedlites ($299 each) and one Canon ST-E2 transmitter ($225). You don’t get radio frequency, and the guide number of the 430 is lower, but the infrared wireless system works well. This kit will still cost you over $1400 though. (A similar Nikon setup would cost about $1550.)

If you’re shooting in a controlled studio environment or even outdoors, you may not need TTL. Manual flash will work fine with a bit of experimentation. The Yongnuo YN-560 flash (~$70 each) will fit the bill. I’ve been using these for my multiple-flash hummingbird setups for about two years, and they work just fine. You’ll need something to trigger them, and I recommend the Phottix radio transmitter with four Phottix receivers. I also use these for my hummingbird work and for other nature work as well when I’m setting up off-camera flashes in anticipation of approaching wildlife or wanting to incorporate off-camera flash into my landscapes. Not having to worry about line of sight is great. To get a set of these, buy first the transmitter/receiver kit (one transmitter and one receiver) and then add an additional receiver for each flash you’ll want to trigger. Note that this combo won’t give you high-speed sync shooting capability so you’ll need to stay below your camera’s sync speed.

The Math: Canon 430 EX II Speedlite (4 x $299) and one Canon ST-E2 transmitter ($225) – Yongnuo YN-560 flash (4 x $70), one Phottix Strato transmitter/receiver set ($79), Phottix Strato receivers (3 x $61) = a difference of $879

Conclusions

If you were in the market for all of these things and followed my choices, well amigo, you’ve just saved yourself $3,941! That’s enough for a Canon 5D Mark III plus a BG-11 battery grip or, alternatively, you could buy a large pizza every day for a year. I think you should spend it on the camera though as I have an affiliate link with B and H and the NatureScapes store. I don’t get anything on the back end from Pizza Hut.

Of course I realize that not many of you have all of these items on your shopping list. Nonetheless, even if you are thinking about only one or two of these things, I hope that the choices I’ve made in my own gear might give you some money-saving ideas next time you go shopping, whether for your hobby or your photo business.

This article obviously is not meant to disparage Apple, Gitzo, Canon, Nikon, Nik, or any other company. They all make great products! It’s also not meant to argue that say, Induro tripods are better than Gitzo, that Topaz is better than Nik, that Acer is better than Mac, etc. The higher priced options, as in all walks of life, usually are higher priced for a reason. These are simply instances that I’ve found in my own photography where I could save money and still get the results that I need. Other times, I’ll spend money for the top-shelf option.

I’m always happy to read your comments, so please feel free to post below. And if you have any great ways of your own to save money on photography-related gear, please share them with us!

Cheers,

Greg

Greg small pic

About the photographer: Greg Basco is an internationally published nature photographer specializing in the Costa Rican rainforest, with credits including National Geographic and Newsweek magazines and numerous promotional ventures with Canon. His images have been honored in the BBC/Veolia Wildlife Photographer of the Year and the Nature’s Best Windland Smith Rice competitions. Check out his fine art prints, stock images, and photo tours. Contact Greg for more info on image licensing or on location photography assignments.

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Jul 01, 2012 | Categories:Featured, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | 35 Comments »

Gear Review – Induro CT313 Tripod & BHL 2 Ballhead

(Gregory Basco)

Introduction

For many photographers upgrading their gear and looking to take their photography up a notch, the tripod can be the most overlooked piece of equipment. After buying a camera body, a couple of lenses, and a flash, one may have little left over in the budget for a quality tripod. And this is understandable — camera, lens, and flash prices have soared in recent years, and pro-quality nature photography tripod prices range from the slightly undersized Manfrotto 055CXPRO3 Carbon Fiber Tripod at $320 to the new full size Gitzo Series 4 Systematic 6x 5-section model for $1300 (ouch!).

Nevertheless, a quality tripod is not just a luxury. It’s an essential piece of gear and needs to be considered as a key part of your nature photography gear budget. If you have thousands of dollars in equipment sitting on top of a tripod that’s really not sturdy or isn’t comfortable and efficient to use, what have you gained by saving a bit of money? As someone who has owned a number of tripods over the years, I can tell you honestly that your best strategy is to buy a tripod that you think will serve you well for at least a decade. If something new with the latest and greatest comes out in the interim, sell your tripod and go for it. But if you consider the lenses you’re likely to purchase over the next 10 years or so and choose a tripod accordingly, you’ll be set.

For me, this is where Induro came in. I had seen their tripods for the past few years and been intrigued. As the quality of Induro products (and the prices of Gitzo tripods, the popular wisdom gold standard) continued to increase, Induro became even more attractive as a high quality but lower cost tripod alternative. After deciding it was time to upgrade my tripod and to add a small ballhead to my bag for landscape and macro work, I had decided on Induro. I was lucky enough to land a sponsorship with Induro for my coffee table book project, and after talking with one of their tech reps, we decided that I should go with the two products reviewed here — the CT313 tripod and the BHL2 ballhead.

That’s full disclosure for you :-) As the review below shows though, I can state objectively that I’ve been very happy with my new tripod and ballhead.

A Brief Business Interlude

As always, if you enjoy this review and the Deep Green site in general, please consider making your next gear purchase through the affiliate links in the text of this review or at the bottom of this page. You pay exactly the same, and I make a little commission to keep things running. To learn more, click the “support the site” link above.

Please note that though I do earn a commission if you buy a product at B&H through this review and though I do enjoy a sponsorship arrangement with Induro, I do not slant my reviews in favor of a particular piece of gear. If I don’t like something, you can be sure I’ll note that in the review. I’d like to thank Induro for sponsoring my coffee table book project by supplying me with the CT313 tripod and BHL2 ballhead. That said, the source of the equipment has no bearing on the content or tone of this review.


The pictures in this review were taken by my son and budding photographer, Chris Basco. You can check out his work at his new website here. Chris used window light in our house and the equipment below to take the review pictures and then processed them using Lightroom 4. Thanks, Chris, the pics look great!

Canon 1D Mark IV camera body

Sigma 150 mm f2.8 macro lens

Canon 50 mm f1.8 II lens

Canon 17-40 mm f4 L wide angle zoom lens

Impact 42″ Reflector Kit

Pictured of course are the following Induro products:

Induro CT313 tripod

Induro BHL2 ballhead

My son Josh, who has a great eye for photo and video, shot the video for me. Josh used the following equipment:

Canon 5D Mark II

Canon 17-40 mm f4 L zoom lens

The Induro CT 313 Tripod – General Impressions

The CT313 is the only tripod I’ve been using since January of this year, and I’ve been using the BHL2 ballhead for all of my photography in the same period save for some birds and wildlife where I use the Jobu Jr. head (review to come) with the 300 mm f2.8 lens and teleconverters. I’ve subjected the tripod to plenty of mud as well as sand and saltwater, and it’s performed flawlessly so far.

I chose the CT313 over one of the 4 series tripods because my biggest lens is a 300 mm f2.8. I would be fully confident using this tripod with a larger 500 mm or 600 mm when needed but if I owned and regularly shot one of these lenses, I would be looking at the Induro CT 414. The other option I considered was the Induro CT314, which is very similar to the CT313 but has 4 leg sections. Since I don’t fly internationally very often with my gear the shorter folded profile (24.2″ for the CT314 vs. 28.1″ for the CT313) of the 4 leg-section CT314 wasn’t a big deal. I figured that 3 leg sections might be just a bit more stable than 4 leg sections, so I went with the CT313. Whether that assumption is true or not, I can’t say. In all likelihood, there is very little differnce between the 3 leg-section and 4 leg-section models.

So, though I’ve gone with the CT313, here are my thoughts on the other two tripods from Induro that are worthy considerations for nature photographers.

If you don’t see yourself buying a 500 mm or 600 mm lens and travel regularly by plane with your gear then the CT314 would be a great choice.

If you currently have or see yourself buying a 500 mm or 600 mm lens, you’ll want to go with the CT414.

The CT313 tripod is well-built, very light, and comfortable and efficient to use in the field. Here are the manufacturer’s specs:

  • Load Capacity 39.6 lbs (18 kg)
  • Maximum Height 73.1″ (185.8 cm)
  • Maximum Height w/o Column Extended 62.6″ (159 cm)
  • Minimum Height 25.1″ (63.8 cm) Folded Length 28.1″ (71.5 cm)
  • Weight 4.9 lbs (2.2 kg)
  • Material Carbon fiber
  • Leg Stages/Sections 3 Leg Lock Type
  • Moisture and dust-resistant locking grips
  • Independent Leg Spread with three position stops
  • Spiked/Retractable Feet Removable–included
  • Center Column Center Column Type Grooved–rapid

The Induro CT313 is truly a joy to use in the field. Setup and takedown is quick and easy as is disassembly for cleaning (I took everything apart and washed the parts off in the shower of my beachfront hotel room a couple of months ago after a session photographing bioluminescent algae and subjecting the tripod to plenty of immersion in saltwater). The built-in padding on the legs makes carrying the tripod comfortable, even on long hikes. In sum, with great build quality, great features, light weight, and a very competitive price of around $550, the CT313 is definitely a winner. I don’t plan on using any other tripod for a long long time!

Below are a number of pictures that show off the features of the Induro CT313 tripod.

induro tripod

The CT313, top view showing the mounting base with standard stud for attaching any kind of head.

induro tripod

A closeup view of the mounting base.

induro tripod

The center column has a grooved channel on one side to ensure that the column does not twist or rotate. The column adjustment ring is beefy and easy to use.

induro tripod

A nice view of the magnesium alloy “spider” that holds everything together.

induro tripod

The padded upper leg sections do make a difference when carrying the tripod over the shoulder — nice that they included these!

induro tripod

I’ve never been a fan of twist leg locks but these are easy to use — a flick of the wrist one way to loosen and the other way to tighten!

induro tripod

The detachable rubber feet. I see a lot of Gitzo tripods on my tours, and we always find at least one missing Gitzo foot on a trip. I’ve not had any issues with the Induro feet yet.

induro tripod

Another nice inclusion is the accessory loop, here holding the included tool kit.

induro tripod

A closer view of the accessory loop. I actually clip a Storm Jacket raincover pouch on mine when I’m out in the field. You never want to be caught without rain protection for your camera and lens in Costa Rica, and this is really handy!

induro tripod

Ah, the glorious tool kit! Seriously, this is such a cool thing to include.

induro tripod

Just open it up and…

induro tripod

…you’ve got everything you need for maintenance in the field!

induro tripod

Another very cool inclusion is the tripod bag (I snagged mine on a thorny vine and messed up the stitching a bit, boo hoo!).

induro tripod

Add the included shoulder strap, and you’re ready to go.

The Induro CT 313 Tripod – Two Minor Complaints

There are only two minor complaints I have about the tripod — the center column and, even though it’s a really nice inclusion, the tripod bag.

The Long Center Column

I hear many photographers complain about center columns because they allegedly compromise stability. I’ve talked with a number of photographer friends (including some who know a lot about tripods and even review and sell them) and the consensus seems to be that this is a silly argument. As long as you don’t raise the center column while shooting with a telephoto lens, you’ll be fine. So, I actually like the inclusion of a center column because it can be a quick way to adjust height if doing landscape or macro work and using a cable release (which I always do) or the camera’s timer function. What I don’t like about the Induro’s center column, however, is the fact that it’s only one length. So, if you want to get low to take advantage of the 90 degree angle leg spread, the center column will be getting in the way. You can reverse the center column so that it hangs upside down but then your camera is mounted upside down too. So, reversible locking center column is certainly a feature, but I don’t think it’s one that many of us will choose to use.

Many Manfrotto tripods have a detachable center column whereby you can easily screw off the main part of the center column, leaving just the mounting base, which is great for low angle work. It may compromise stability a bit but I think the extra flexibility is well worth it. After all, when you’re raising the center column, you shouldn’t be using a big lens or working in windy conditions anyway so any extra stability gained by having a one-piece center column is not a big deal in my opinion.

There is a solution — the short center column. This relatively inexpensive item replaces the standard center column that comes with your Induro tripod and allow you to do super low angle work. I’ll be picking one up soon.

induro tripod

As you can see, the length of the center column will not allow for utilizing the full leg spread if going for a low angle shot.

The Not Quite Wildlife Photographer-friendly Carrying Bag

I really feel quite badly complaining about the tripod bag; most tripods don’t come with a carrying case at all, and Induro includes a very very nice one. The only issue I have with it is that it’s not quite big enough to accommodate a gimbal type head. This isn’t a big deal, as for my style of shooting and increasing interest in wider fields of view, I use my ballhead more than I use my gimbal head. The included tripod bag works beautifully for carrying the legs with the BHL2 ballhead attached. Nonetheless, if you do most of your shooting with a long lens, having a bag that would fit your tripod legs with your gimbal head attached would be very handy. The Kinesis tripod bags at the NatureScapes store will likely fit the bill if you find yourself in this situation.

Induro tripod

The tripod packs just perfectly with the BHL2 ballhead but you can’t fit a gimbal head.

The Induro BHL 2 Ballhead

I previously used the Really Right Stuff BH-55 ballhead with a Wimberley Sidekick. When gearing up for my coffee table book project toward the end of 2011, I was taking a good look at my equipment and where I could improve things to maximize my image quality and cut weight for the long hikes the project sometimes entails. One obvious place for improving image quality was with the Sidekick for my telephoto work. While I think the Sidekick is a very nice product, and I enjoyed the flexibility of popping it off and having a ballhead ready to go, I became convinced that having all of the weight of a telephoto lens hanging off a side-mounted gizmo could not possibly be as stable as working with gravity and having the weight rest on a flat horizontal surface. To be honest, I never fully trusted the sidemount arrangement (same goes for the Mongoose). So, I sold the Sidekick and bought the Jobu Jr. head, which I’m loving.

When one has a dedicated head for telephoto, one needs a ballhead for all of the rest. The Really Right Stuff head is a great piece of equipment; I have no complaints about it at all. But, I simply didn’t need to have so much weight and money tied up in a ballhead (the BH-55 costs around $450). Since I wanted to shave some weight on the ballhead front, I could have gone for one of Really Right Stuff’s smaller offerings but I actually am not crazy about the next size down, the BH-40. It just feels too small and weak, especially for the price (about $375). So, I decided to go with Induro for both the ballhead and tripod.

After talking with an Induro tech rep, I decided on the BHL 2 ballhead from their new line. I couldn’t be happier with the performance of this head and its small form factor and light weight. It performs well with all of my cameras and lenses (I even used it with the 300 mm f2.8 the other day, and though I wouldn’t do it on a daily basis, it worked surprisingly well). The controls are well thought out, the head tightens well, and I quite like the integrated tension knob in the main control. This last feature eliminates one of the three knobs on most ballheads, making it easier to quickly find the main and panning knobs.

After nearly half a year of use, I can honestly say that I have no complaints about the BHL2 ballhead. At a weight of just 1.1 lbs. and a price of $270, it’s a great purchase. I plan on this being my ballhead for the foreseeable future without question.

Below are a number of pictures that show off the features of the Induro BHL2 ballhead.

induro ballhead

The sexy, elegant styling of the BHL2 ballhead.

induro ballhead

Looking good mounted flush on the CT313 tripod. Note the degree markings for pano shooting.

induro ballhead

The bubble level right in the ballhead’s quick release slot is nice. Note that there’s a bubble level on the tripod itself so if you get that level and then level the head, you’re set for most panos.

induro ballhead

That silver knob inset in the main control knob controls the tension. I’ve found it quite easy to use.

induro ballhead

The quick release slot has a nice safety feature. To loosen the quick release clamp, you turn the knob to loosen but then have to pull the knob away from the clamp to continue with the last couple of turns. This makes it hard to accidentally loosen the quick release clamp and knock your camera off.

Video — A Closer Look

I hope you’ve enjoyed this review. Please feel free to shoot me a comment below if you have any questions at all about this Induro gear!

Greg small pic

About the author: Like all photographers, Greg Basco loves the gear. He’s seen and shot with lots of different equipment, both Canon and Nikon. Check out his fine art prints, stock images, and photo tours. Contact Greg for more info on image licensing or on location photography assignments.


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May 15, 2012 | Categories:Gear Reviews | Tags: , , , , | 23 Comments »

Featured Photographer Interviews: John Reiter

I’m happy to feature my friend and past Foto Verde Tours client John Reiter. John does all types of nature photography well, and he is probably best known for his gorgeous portrait of a male mountain gorilla. This image won the grand prize in the Nature’s Best Windland Smith Rice competition a few years ago, which is quite an honor. Thanks for taking the time to be interviewed, John!

Describe your style of photography. What do you consider a successful image?

I guess, for the most part, I’m pretty much a purist in terms of capturing the moment and maintaining its integrity. Generally, I’m looking for a subject that excites my senses – the colors, the drama, the action, the mystery, the serenity – they all become part of the experience and I see my role as meeting the challenge of accurately capturing that moment in time. By capture, I mean to preserve the emotion and passion of the event so it is available to share with others. I guess I look for the “wow” factor. I want people to look at my images and silently say to themselves “wow”. Well. OK, they can say it out loud if they want…

That, in my mind, is a successful image.

What is your favorite subject to photograph?

Without a doubt, my favorite subject is African wildlife. In particular, I feel passionate about photographing mountain gorillas in the wild. Perhaps it’s the excitement, the difficulty and the inherent danger. Yes, I’m sure that’s part of it but there is much more … the human-like characteristics of the gorilla create a natural bond while one’s proximity to them also lends itself to an intimate relationship. And then, there’s the playfulness of the babies under the watchful eye of the mother. An endangered species, there are only about 750 remaining on this planet. Only awareness and education can make a difference in saving this beautiful animal.

My hopes are that my photographs might contribute in some small way to help save the mountain gorilla.

What is your favorite place in the world to photograph?

My all time favorite place in the world, and I say this without hesitation, is Africa. It also happens to be my favorite place to photograph. Why? Well, it’s beautiful beyond compare … You can actually smell the fresh earth beneath your feet, you can feel the essence of life all around you and you can see nature in all it’s glory unfolding before your eyes. And, if you can just catch your breath for a moment, just maybe, you can capture a few good images along the way. It is truly paradise if there is such a thing.

On my favorites list the Canadian Rockies and Alaska tie for second. The US National Parks trail closely behind followed by Costa Rica for it’s incredible variety of colorful birds.

Come to think of it, I have many places that qualify as my favorites.

What equipment do you use (please include bodies, lenses, flashes, tripod, head)?

Depends what I think I’ll be shooting. Here’s the short list –

Nikon D3 and D2X

Nikon 17-35mm 2.8, 24-70mm 2.8, 70-200 2.8, and the 200-400 4.0 and for micro, the 105mm 2.8

Nikon speedlight 4-SB-800′s using wireless commander SU-800

Nikon speedlight R1 kit w/ 3-SB-R200′s for micro work

Photoflex 3-LiteDome Q3′s w/ stands for portrait work

Manfrotto 055CXPRO3 carbon tripod

Arca Swiss Monoball

Wimberley sidekick and flash bracket kit

Really Right Stuff lens feet and quick release plates

Post processing – iMac Intel core i7 27″, multiple Epson printers including Epson 3800

What is your favorite lens and why?

My favorite lens is the Nikon 200-400mm 4.0 w/ VR.

It’s super fast, tack sharp, has excellent zoom range, is more manageable then most and it’s built like a truck.

Simply put, it is “the perfect African safari lens”!

What are your favorite photography gadgets/accessories (please be specific, perhaps even providing a link to the product or products)?

Let’s see … love my Hoya 77mm circular polarizer.

Couldn’t live without my two-way bubble level for landscapes (in the hot shoe).

The Nikon remote is very useful.

My Seagate and Western Digital external hard drives are essential.

A Samsonite Univeral Electric Adapter is a lifesaver.

And, I’m a big fan of the Gary Fong LiteDome (particularly for weddings and portraits).

Lastly, the ThinkTank Airport International V2.0 Camera Roller always gets my equipment there and back in one piece.

What is your position on post-processing? How far will you go in editing an image (cloning, selective adjustments, adding canvas, etc.)?

Again, I guess I’m more of a purist here … I never add anything to the photo that was not there in the first place (except maybe canvas). And, I stop short of making the image into something surreal that may very well be artistic but not true to the original capture. Although I don’t currently work in this style, I think there is room for artistic expression provided that the photographer represents it accordingly.

Please describe your digital workflow, including the software you use and any third-party plug-ins?

PhotoShop CS5, NIK Define 2.0, Nik Sharpener Pro V3.0, Portrait Professional Studio Edition.

Workflow is fairly straight forward – Capture in Nikon RAW Adobe RGB, Nikon Transfer or Bridge to download via MacBook, review in Bridge, edit in PhotoShop CS5, print via Epson 3880 or send out to a pro lab.

Do you have any special post-processing tips you’d like to share?

Too many to list … I teach this stuff.

What photographers (past and present) inspire you in your own photography?

I guess we all have our favorites which in my case include Ansel Adams and Galen Rowell…. a few living photographers that are a must for my list include Darell Gulin, Thomas Mangelsen, Joe & MaryAnn McDonald, Moose Peterson, Adam Jones, and Art Morris (oh, and of course, Greg Basco!).

Making money from our photography is a priority for many of us, whether we are full-time pros working to feed the family or part-time pros looking to earn some extra income for photo gear and travel. Do you sell stock and/or prints? If so, where and how do you sell? How do you see the market for stock and prints these days?

I don’t sell stock but I do sell prints locally and worldwide thru my website (I also license my images thru Barcroft Media, Sunday Greetings, and directly to a food retailer) … the current market is challenging in part due to the world economic conditions and in part due to a large influx of digital images into the marketplace. My prediction is that over time economic conditions will improve (hopefully sooner then later) and that image quality will ultimately prevail.

What photography-related forums, blogs, and/or websites do you visit regularly for photo gear info, inspiring photography, and photo editing tips and tricks?

www.bhphotovideo.com

www.birdsasart.com

www.photoshopusers.com

www.cameratown.com

This is your space. Are there any trends or tendencies in photography today on which you care to comment?

I think there is a trend in the industry to continue to improve camera functionality with the ultimate goal of extreme automation that eliminates the need for human intervention and control. A good example of this is a recent camera feature that allows you to set the focus post capture. I think that new technologies are great in that they improve the photographer’s chances of capturing the best possible image. On the other hand, I don’t believe that a time will ever come when photographic technology and built in artificial intelligence will replace the “human factor” driven by creativity, inspiration and perspiration.

Where on the web or out in the physical universe can we see more of your work?

You can view and purchase my work by visiting www.johnreiterphoto.com

While visiting, you might want to check out the links area that will take you to some interesting articles and videos. Also, I have posted some 500 images including my grand prize and first place winners in the Nature’s Best Photography Competition (Windland Smith Rice International Awards). These are the same images that were featured in a six-month exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum of National History, Wash, DC.

Monarch Butterflies

Photograph was taken in at Ragged Point in Big Sur California during the monarch butterfly migration. I had stopped along the coastal highway and discovered a paradise of flowers, hummingbirds and butterflies. Using a Manfrotto tripod, I waited for about three hours until three butterflies were perfectly aligned (to allow for sharp focus on the subjects with a narrow depth of field). This, along with the back lighting provided by the sun, gave just the right combination to make the monarchs appear to glow. Taken in the “early days”using a Nikon D100 camera (6 megapixels) and a Nikon 80-400mm lens @ 200mm. Aperture was set at F/9 @ 1/180 sec. at ISO 100 using a remote release and matrix metering.

Tulips in Holland

Photographed in the tulip gardens of Holland early morning after waiting for good light and no wind. Captured using a Nikon D3 w/ a 70-200 mm 2.8 Nikon lens @ 70mm using a Manfrotto tripod and cable release. 1/30 sec. @ F/22, ISO 500, spot metered using aperture priority.

Mountain Gorilla Charging

Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, Africa. Endangered species. This charging behavior is normally difficult to capture for several reasons … it is over within seconds and the rain forest environment is generally fairly dark making it difficult to stop the action. Thanks to my camera’s high ISO capabilities and a clearing, I was able to catch this amazing animal as he charged into the opening just outside the dense rainforest. This image was taken using a Nikon D3 on a Manfrotto tripod using the Nikon 70-200 2.8 lens @ 90mm. ISO was set to 2500 and the image was shot @1/2000 sec. @ F/5.6 (helping to blur the background).

Elephant – Masai Mara, Kenya

Captured under stormy skies with a beautiful rainbow in the background. Nikon D2x using a Nikon 24-70mm 2.8 lens @ 28mm, 1/500 sec F/11 in manual mode, spot metering (ISO 400).

Cheetah Cubs – Masai Mara, Kenya

These Cheetah cubs seem to have become great buddies as they played in the mud after an early rain in the bush. Nikon D3 at ISO 3200 using a Nikon 200-400 F/4 lens @ 380mm, 1/1000 sec. @ F/5.6, spot metering in manual mode.

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May 01, 2012 | Categories:Featured Photographer Interviews | Tags: | Leave A Comment »

Mark IV vs. 5DIII High ISO Test by Doug Brown

My good friend Doug Brown has posted an interesting piece on his blog comparing the high ISO performance of Canon’s 1D Mark IV with that of the new Canon 5DIII. It’s a good test, and the results may surprise you. Check it out here.

 

Cheers,
Greg

Greg small pic

About the photographer: Greg Basco is an internationally published nature photographer specializing in the Costa Rican rainforest. His images have been honored in the BBC/Veolia Wildlife Photographer of the Year and the Nature’s Best Windland Smith Rice competitions. Check out his fine art prints, stock images, and photo tours. Contact Greg for more info on image licensing or on location photography assignments.

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Apr 05, 2012 | Categories:Photo Gear News | Tags: , , | Leave A Comment »

Behind the Lens — Green Hermit

(Gregory Basco)

It’s been a while since I updated this section, and I apologize for that. The past few months have been a bit crazy for me with workshop tours and photography trips for the new coffee table book on which I’m working. But, I’m back and have introduced a video complement to the Behind the Lens section. I hope you enjoy it.

As always, a little reminder that I work hard on the site. So, if you’re in the mood, consider buying your next gear through the affiliate links on this site; you pay the same, and I make a little something to keep the site going. Check out the Support the Site page for more info. Gracias!

The green hermit is likely the coolest hummingbird in Costa Rica. The long, curved bill coupled with the slender body and the fanned tail make them a sight to see. They are also very hard to photograph because of their non-territorial feeding behavior. They are trapliners, meaning they have a regular route through the forest but only come by occasionally to feed on select flowers. Upon approaching a flower, they exhibit erratic flight patterns that are much less predictable than those of many other species. So, I was psyched to capture this female with a good pose and at an attractive Heliconia flower.

 

TECH NOTES: Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 70-300 mm f4-5.6 L IS zoom lens, Canon cable release, Induro CT 313 tripod, Induro BHL2 ballhead, Phottix radio flash transmitter/receivers, off-brand flashes, f13, 1/200, ISO 320

PROCESSING NOTES: full-frame, standard tweaks and cloning of one catchlight in Lightroom, WACOM BAMBOO tablet for marking up the image in Photoshop — see video below for how I took and processed the image

Multiple-flash setups have become recognized as the best method for photographing hummingbirds, particularly in tropical forests, where hummingbird abundance is greatest but light levels are lowest. The key to doing multiple-flash hummingbird photography is producing natural-looking lighting (though stylistic studio lighting effects can be cool too!). In these setups, no natural light is hitting the camera’s sensor. Think of a Sears portrait studio or a fashion model photoshoot; that’s what we’re doing out in the woods with multiple-flash hummingbird setups, and it’s the short duration of the flash that allows us to capture the marvelous detail in these fast-flying little jewels.

While this type of photography is neither rocket science nor painting the Mona Lisa, it does have its science and art. The science is getting a proper exposure and knowing how to set one’s equipment. The art is in choosing flowers, backgrounds (I use 24×36 inch matte paper prints of out of focus vegetation), and proper light positioning for natural-looking lighting. Producing soft shadows with a sense of direction is crucial for a natural look. Hummingbird photos that approximate the flat, frontal lighting one gets from pointing one’s shadow at the subject are rarely interesting or appropriate. Tropical forests are characterized by filtered light, and lighting that mimics this setting looks most natural and also produces the micro-contrast that shows off not only the hummingbird’s colors but importantly, its feather detail and texture as well.

For the image above, I was happy with the hint of shadow, which makes the light look natural. I was also very happy with the way the curve of the bird is repeated by the curve of the Heliconia inflorescence. This is, of course, a nice bit of luck. I knew I liked the curve of the Heliconia, but I couldn’t plan to catch the cool pose of the hummingbird :-)

One final note before we get to the video — a little pet peeve of mine. I read quite often that blurred hummingbird wings look more “natural” than the sharp hummingbird wings produced by the multi-flash technique. What a puzzling statement this is. How is capturing a discrete natural moment (e.g., freezing a hummingbird’s wings with flash) less natural than rendering that same motion as a blur? Should we do away with long shutter speeds in moving water in favor of fast shutter speeds that freeze the water because this is closer to what our eyes can see? Are star trails bad? If we’re going down this road, are long lenses that compress perspective and wide apertures that give shallow depth of field “unnatural.” In my opinion, using our camera to give the viewer a glimpse into the natural world not possible with human eyes is one of the greatest virtues of nature photography. I think the blurred hummingbird wing argument comes from people who aren’t familiar with multiple-flash hummingbird images that look natural!

By the way, I like blurred hummingbird wings too and take plenty of photos to render the wingbeats as such. I just don’t think they look any more “natural” than my multi-flash images:-)

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and the thought process behind the image. Multiple-flash hummingbird photography is fun and addictive. I’ll be teaching this technique on a number of my workshop tours here in Costa Rica for 2013. These tours offer a great opportunity to get some high-quality images for yourself and to learn how you can apply this technique at home and in other areas of your photography. Be sure to check out the workshop sidebar on the right side of this site; I’ll be posting new 2013 workshop dates over the coming month.

If you have questions or comments, please leave them below, and I’ll respond as soon as I can.

The image analyzed here is available as an aluminum print, the ultimate in stunning prints for your home or office!

Cheers,

Greg

Greg small pic

About the photographer: Greg Basco is an internationally published nature photographer specializing in the Costa Rican rainforest. His images have been honored in the BBC/Veolia Wildlife Photographer of the Year and the Nature’s Best Windland Smith Rice competitions. Check out his fine art prints, stock images, and photo tours. Contact Greg for more info on image licensing or on location photography assignments.

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Apr 03, 2012 | Categories:Behind The Lens | Tags: , , , | 18 Comments »