NEX available from Warehouse Express UK

[David Kilpatrick]

I have to disagree about day timing. We timed our visit to Zion for the 3pm-6pm period. It was MUCH better at 3pm than at 6pm, as the light actually enters the canyon and skims the rocks vertically creating texture. By 5pm, the light was too low and either hits a rock face straight on (no texture) or casts a deep shadow. Zion runs almost north-south though there are wiggles and it tends to run north-west from the entrance, it's more NWWW most ofthe time. Mid-day sun is far better, the canyon is fully illuminated and the rock textures (being vertical or nearly so) receive skim lighting which ehances their 3D effect.

I am no supporter of the 'avoid mid-day' advice repeated for the last 50 years; every single hour of the day offers different light including the middle hours, and in many places - such as Zion, or the narrow streets of many European cities - overhead light can be better than 'golden hour' light which simply fails to reach the subject at all!

We have just booked our final one-night stay in Vegas and picked the Hard Rock Hotel, it's well away from the Strip, and the giant guitar and funky stuff have considerable visual appeal. Also, the Hofbrauhaus is over the road and the airport in only ten minutes away for our final getaway.

Been to Jerome and Prescott today. Jerome great for photos, especially Mr Robertson's old ghost gold mine full of ancient cars and trucks and machinery and hens and goats...

David

[Lonnie Utah]

I am no supporter of the 'avoid mid-day' advice repeated for the last 50 years; every single hour of the day offers different light including the middle hours, and in many places - such as Zion, or the narrow streets of many European cities - overhead light can be better than 'golden hour' light which simply fails to reach the subject at all!

I'm not saying "avoid mid day", I'm saying during the middle of the day, adapt what you are shooting. The $$$ spot for Zion in the evening is Kolob canyon or high up on the canyon rim. In the AM it's the Mount Carmel highway. If you can ever get a permit for "the Subway" (I never have gotten one), thats the top middle of the day spot for sure.

http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&q=zi ... CCEQsAQwAA

THe point is no matter where you are, know your location and plan what you are doing if you want anything more than just a snap shot....

[bakubo]

I am no supporter of the 'avoid mid-day' advice repeated for the last 50 years; every single hour of the day offers different light including the middle hours, and in many places - such as Zion, or the narrow streets of many European cities - overhead light can be better than 'golden hour' light which simply fails to reach the subject at all!

Yeah, me too. I shoot at all times of the day. You get different looks. I don't put the camera away just because it is the middle of the day. I think the only reason Lonnie and I said anything is because you said it was a problem:

Here's another Zion Canyon problem - the light! This should have been HDR on the NEX-5 of course.

Been to Jerome and Prescott today. Jerome great for photos, especially Mr Robertson's old ghost gold mine full of ancient cars and trucks and machinery and hens and goats...

We passed through Jerome only one time and it was several years ago. It looked really cool but we were in a hurry to get someplace and, believe it or not, didn't stop. Next time we are out that way we must stop or even spend the night. Cool setting.

[David Kilpatrick]

One of the things we find with SW USA conditions - at least at this time of year - is that you could actually plan to be at a certain place, certain time of day, and get a shot as planned. You could see potential and return the next day, or predict exactly what time of what day in the year would work.

That's something we are not used to at all in the UK. Weather and lighting conditions are so variable, and unpredictable, that beyond having an idea of daylight hours and sun direction in general, you can't arrive at a spot for a planned shot. You could do 29 days out of 30 and be unlucky with other factors, 1 day might work!

David

[bakubo]

One of the things we find with SW USA conditions - at least at this time of year - is that you could actually plan to be at a certain place, certain time of day, and get a shot as planned. You could see potential and return the next day, or predict exactly what time of what day in the year would work.

That's something we are not used to at all in the UK. Weather and lighting conditions are so variable, and unpredictable, that beyond having an idea of daylight hours and sun direction in general, you can't arrive at a spot for a planned shot. You could do 29 days out of 30 and be unlucky with other factors, 1 day might work!

Yes, this is something that sort of surprises a lot of people from other areas of the U.S. also. I remember 25 years ago when I moved to California I thought it was great that in the summer you could plan an outdoor outing, picnic, or something like that weeks or even months in advance with almost complete confidence that no matter what date you chose the weather would be good. It is the same in Hawaii.

By the way, the skies and clouds in the West are often amazing. Not always, of course, but often. If you are lucky, even in the middle of the day, you can get some great shots because of the skies. I know this is not a photo thread, but just to illustrate what I mean here is a photo from last year at Canyon de Chelly National Monument in northeast Arizona:

[redsim74]

Fantastic shot, Henry. The clouds look just about ready to float out of my screen!

[bfitzgerald]

Different times of day can give some interesting results. But I do tend to avoid noon sun as in many cases the hard light does nothing for the scene. But this varies depending on location..it never was a rule just a guideline (same as rule of 3rds) so folks should ignore it as and when they want to.

But it's probably no accident that I have got consistently better results with later evening light than I ever did with hard direct light. I tend to go out late not early but both times are very popular. The only time I've found the 12pm-3pm time any good was when there is a lot of cloud cover and sometimes you can get some "breaking light" coming through and the heavy clouds can diffuse the light a lot.
12pm-3pm is a disaster time for portraits (unless in the shade)

But I'm not doing photos of massive Canyons so I will reserve judgement on that. Light is critical for scenic shots I've simply not even taken off a lens cap if it's not right, patience is the name of the game here.