Take Photos of an Ice Hotel

[seaweedqueen]

I will be staying at the ice hotel in Quebec (http://www.icehotel-canada.com/en/images/photos/index.en.php) in the next couple of weeks and it will be dark when I arrive. Any suggestions on the best way to take pictures of the hotel. I am obviously planning on using my tripod and ultrawide angle lens (I have a rebel xti) however, I am still fairly new to photography and tend to take pictures in aperature priority only. I assume using a flash is not a good idea considering the reflections that will come off the ice. Any suggestions would help. Thank you!!!

[Mike-DT6]

Wow, what a great hotel! :-D For the photos on the page that you linked to, the EXIF information is intact on most of them, so you can see the settings used. Here are the settings for the first six rows (row three had no EXIF), which will give you an idea of the photographer's set-up:


Top row, left:

Exposure Time = 1/6"
F Number = F4
Exposure Program = Manual
Flash = Off
Focal Length = 16mm


Top row, right:

Exposure Time = 1.6"
F Number = F8
Exposure Program = Manual
ISO Speed Ratings = 200
Flash = Strobe return light not detected
Focal Length = 16mm


2nd row, left:

Exposure Time = 1/6"
F Number = F3.5
Exposure Program = Manual
ISO Speed Ratings = 200
Flash = Off
Focal Length = 14mm


2nd row, right:

Exposure Time = 1/160"
F Number = F10
Exposure Program = Manual
ISO Speed Ratings = 200
Flash = Off
Focal Length = 14mm


4th row, left:

Exposure Time = 1/100"
F Number = F2.8
Exposure Program = Manual
ISO Speed Ratings = 200
Flash = Off
Focal Length = 14mm


4th row, right:

Exposure Time = 1/30"
F Number = F2.8
Exposure Program = Manual
ISO Speed Ratings = 400
Focal Length = 19mm


5th row, left:

Exposure Time = 5"
F Number = F10
Exposure Program = Manual
Flash = Strobe return light not detected
Focal Length = 16mm


5th row, right:

Exposure Time = 1/160"
F Number = F9
Exposure Program = Manual
ISO Speed Ratings = 200
Focal Length = 14mm


6th row, left:

Exposure Time = 1.6"
F Number = F3.2
Exposure Program = Manual
ISO Speed Ratings = 200
Flash = Strobe return light detected
Focal Length = 14mm


6th row, right:

Exposure Time = 1/200"
F Number = F13
Exposure Program = Manual
ISO Speed Ratings = 200
Flash = Off
Focal Length = 14mm

Most of the rest of the photos have the EXIF information intact. If you download and install the free Opanda IEXIF 2 program here, you will be able to right-click on photos and view the EXIF information (if it is intact), which is a great learning aid:

http://www.opanda.com/en/iexif/

I hope that helps. :-)

Mike

[Mike-DT6]

Oh, and I forgot: Welcome to the forum! :-D

Mike

[seaweedqueen]

Wow, I had no idea that you could get that information off the posted photos. Thank you so much for getting that information for me and I will definitely download that program, it could come in quite handy! Thanks again! :D

[Brian1cj]

An ice hotel? That is a new one for me. Question... can you get a room with a fireplace?? :)

[Sprint8]

An ice hotel? That is a new one for me. Question... can you get a room with a fireplace?? :)

Yes you can...

http://www.icehotel-canada.com/en/packages/fireplaces.en.php

[glowie]

Stay away from Yellow Snow.

[kosin]

An ice hotel? That is a new one for me. Question... can you get a room with a fireplace?? :)

I saw once a program on Discovery about similiar hotel, but that one was in Alaska...
I guess somebody had the same idea or one copied another ;)

[lederK]

I saw once a program on Discovery about similiar hotel, but that one was in Alaska...
I guess somebody had the same idea or one copied another ;)

Well, I'm pretty sure Jukkasjärvi Ice hotel in sweden was the first. http://www.icehotel.com/

Anyway, for taking pictures; Tripod Yes! A cable release could help too. Unless you have remote flash equipment, ambient light is what you have to work with and it will not be plentiful. Flash may still be useful, but not as main light source.

Shoot in RAW if you know how to and bracket your exposures. Im guessing the scenes can have high dynamic range, bracketing not only helps you nailing the best exposure but give you possablity to enhance you pics later (HDR or stacking pictures).

Good luck.

[Brian1cj]

Yes you can...

http://www.icehotel-canada.com/en/packages/fireplaces.en.php

way to ruin my attempt to be funny!