Photography in the Alps

[joe.morgan]

Ok so im new to the world of D SLR photography, i have done film slr photography a few years ago and since done mobile phone photography due to money issues

Im soon going to be buying a canon 350D with 18-55 and 75-300mm lense to get back into photography

this leads me to my question. Im a web and graphic designer (and student) and im making a website for my familys friends hotel in the alps. Im flying out on the 18th december to take shots for the website and would like some advice. I want professional pictures to use for the website of the hotel, the alps, the food and rooms etc

Will be grateful for any advice and tips

Thanks

[Tony-S]

Ok so im new to the world of D SLR photography, i have done film slr photography a few years ago and since done mobile phone photography due to money issues

Im soon going to be buying a canon 350D with 18-55 and 75-300mm lense to get back into photography

this leads me to my question. Im a web and graphic designer (and student) and im making a website for my familys friends hotel in the alps. Im flying out on the 18th december to take shots for the website and would like some advice. I want professional pictures to use for the website of the hotel, the alps, the food and rooms etc

Will be grateful for any advice and tips

Thanks

I think that the consensus on this forum is that for the same money, you can get better lenses than the Canon EF-S 18-55 kit and EF 75-300 (presumably you're looking at the non-USM version?). The 70-300 is notoriously soft, even stopped down; I owed this lens and sold it after 3 months. The 18-55 can produce respectable images.

If you're doing the Alps, you'll want a landscape set-up. For me, the best lens for landscapes is my Sigma 10-20; it produces exceptional mountain vistas (something I do a lot of, living in Colorado; and I've made more money off of prints from this lens than any other lens that I have). However, it's not cheap - around $500. (On the XT this is equivalent to a 16-32mm lens for field of view.) I'd pair this lens with either the (1) Sigma 18-125 ($280) or (2) Sigma or Tamron 18-200 lenses (each about $380). If you can afford go this route you'll have a great set-up.

If money is tight, then you should probably stick with the 18-55 (or the Sigma 18-50 at $110) and get the Sigma 70-300 APO lens ($200), which is highly regarded on this forum for it's quality/price.

However you go, you should really, really, really, invest in a decent circular polarizer for your wide angle lens. It will make the blue skies of the Alps look fabulous.

[Quarantine]

bringing this topic back from the dead, I am going to be visiting the Swiss alps in a week. I've got a Canon 400d camera with 18-55mm lens. I am really tight on cash and cant afford to buy any lenses or filters at the moment. Is it possible to still be able to take nice shots with the kit lens? I wouldn't want to come out of this once in a life time visit with poor shots.
At the moment I will be searching for some places that can rent out lenses.

[freaking102]

Kit lens is fine. It takes good pics. If tight on cash, save your $$ for traveling and eating. Even if not tight on cash, that lens is fine.

[Col_M]

Is it possible to still be able to take nice shots with the kit lens?
Absolutely :)

On a side note the only problem I've found during the summer in the Alps is that haze can be quite severe. There really isn't much you can do about it really, using a UV haze filter may help a little but the best thing to do is take photos after some rain or in the morning after any mist has gone but before it gets too hot and hazy :)

This is what i mean, notice the washed out and low contrast of the mountains. It's not a good photo by any means but it's unedited and shows the haze you can expect, this was taken at about 3pm if I remember correctly.
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h147/Col_M/Camera%20stuff/haze.jpg

[blueM]

You might consider getting a circular polarizer.
I found that in some locations in the mountains that I had to shoot in portrait orientation in order to get any sky. My 17-40 was just not wide enough.
Have a great trip & shoot lots to photographs.

[Quarantine]

thanks for the input. I might try to get a cir/pol