Tour De Palm Springs

[Nikolai Sklobovsky]

Saturday Feb 10 was the day of the 9th Annual Tour De Palm Springs.

There were two things that made this event very special for me.

First, I was (for first time in my life) officially hired to cover "the spirit of the event" part.
Second, I was shooting it with two bodies, not one.
I was long contemplating getting a spare and when the offer to shoot this event got on the table I finally made a decision and get myself second 30D (got it LNIB for $900 at FM). It arrived just in time for the shoot.

So I had one with the EF-S 17-85 IS USM and 580EX, and the second with the EF 70-200L f/2.8 IS USM.
It worked like a charm. I would not get half of the shots without it,
I would be too worried of changing lens in the dusty environment, besides, the shot simply would have been gone by the time I get the lens changed.

It also allowed me to leave my backpack in the car and only step out with two bodies. I can't express what a relief it was, not to lug extra 10..20 lb.

Here are few samples from this coverage:

#1 Lot of riders:

#2 Start:

#3 Down the 100 miles loop:

#4 Friendly help on the road:

A few more pics are here: http://nik.smugmug.com/gallery/2456454

 

[Nikolai Sklobovsky]

A couple of panos from the same trip

Both made in PS CS3 from RAW files, black and white points adjusted afterwards.

01: 3 horizontal shots:

02: 8 vertical shots:

Canon 30D + EF 70-200L f/2.8 IS USM, handheld, AV mode.

 

[Asher Kelman]

The Pictures are wonderful! All those people came out to greet you!

The panoramas are done well.

I have a feeling that the dimensionality of the mountains and the tones in the clouds have a great potential. These images are wonderul and you will have a lot of satisfaction as you make different offspring!

I'd like to see more of this series to investigate what can be further defined in the structure.

I wonder whether you have also tried B&W or sepia tone?

Thanks so much for making us part of you travel!

Asher

 

[Nikolai Sklobovsky]

Ahser, thank you for looking!

Yes, you're right, landscape shots can be worked out more. I was too tired last night. I think they would be great candidates for the LAB treatments, since it's a winter desert, everything is rather dull.

Cheers!

 

[Antonio Correia]

Nikolai.
You made a good work.
However, allow me to suggest a little more care on the composition side....
Sometimes, in a hurry you cut the feet of the people ...

Well, I know it is very easy to criticize. When we do a work we sometimes make the same mistakes...

The ideia of using 2 cams is a very good one.

And both are rather extreme: one for the wide angles and the other for the tele.
I remember when you said so about shooting sports, quite sometime ago...

I also will be using 2 cams on my travel in India: the 20D and the 350D.
I was wronge - very wronge - when I bought the 350 D. I should have bought another 20D.
It's easier to work with two 20 D cameras than with 2 different ones....

On the 20 D I will be using the 16-35 and on the 350 D I'll be using the 70-200.

Flash 430 DX and CPF for both.

Cheers.

 

[Nikolai Sklobovsky]

Antonio,

Antonio,

thank you for looking!

Yeah, many of those were done in a snapshot manner. That, in part, was natural for the assignment I had. And, by the way, after I turned the plunder in, only 10% were turned down, the customer approved all the rest
I'd say, 90% outcome - pretty good for a series of the snapshots...

And yes, having two identical cameras helps a lot.
Maybe it's still time for you to sell the XT and get another 20D?

Saude!

 

[Antonio Correia]

...And yes, having two identical cameras helps a lot.
Maybe it's still time for you to sell the XT and get another 20D?
Saude!

Hi Nik
I'm afraid it's too late for that.
The 20 D is discontinued as you know ...
The only possibility of taking 2 identical cameras is to ask my daughter for her 20 D ...

BTW I like you panoramas. Very nice pictures and place !

Cheers

 

[Nikolai Sklobovsky]

Antonio,
I'm sure there are plenty used 20Ds around, fredmiranda being one such place. Maybe on dgrin, too. Lot of folks are looking for upgrade, so I think you can snatch one for like $600-700, or even less..

 

[Asher Kelman]

My choice would be a Leica M8 with a Tri Elmar WA Zoom and my 5D with the 50 1.2 and the 70-200 f 4.0 IS L for my pocket.

That's my choice if I was going to India.

Asher

Oh yes, I almost forgot: add a Sherpa assistant with a Rangerover to carry my Seitz 6x17 Digital Panorama Camera.

 

[Antonio Correia]

Antonio,
I'm sure there are plenty used 20Ds around, fredmiranda being one such place. Maybe on dgrin, too. Lot of folks are looking for upgrade, so I think you can snatch one for like $600-700, or even less..

Nikolai,
A second hand could be an option.
But I am not intending to buy a camera throught the net because I would have to pay heavilly on Customs in Portugal.
Thank you anyway.

May be there are some second hand 20 D in Portugal...
I have to make some phonecalls...

 

[Antonio Correia]

Antonio,
I'm sure there are plenty used 20Ds around, fredmiranda being one such place. Maybe on dgrin, too. Lot of folks are looking for upgrade, so I think you can snatch one for like $600-700, or even less..

Nikolai,
A second hand could be an option.
But I am not intending to buy a camera throught the net because I would have to pay heavilly on Customs in Portugal.
Thank you anyway.

May be there are some second hand 20 D in Portugal...
I have to make some phonecalls...

 

[Nikolai Sklobovsky]

Antonio,
what if it's labeled as your own property or a gift? Still have to pay custom fees?

 

[nicolas claris]

My choice would be a Leica M8 with a Tri Elmar WA Zoom and my 5D with the 50 1.2 and the 70-200 f 4.0 IS L for my pocket.

That's my choice if I was going to India.

Asher

Oh yes, I almost forgot: add a Sherpa assistant with a Rangerover to carry my Seitz 6x17 Digital Panorama Camera.

C'mon, Asher you're playin' among the Kings choices, you're not exactly in the same budget.
IMHO....

 

[Asher Kelman]

Yes Nicolas,

I'm just le gand monsieur, on top of the mountain!

I'm no king. However, I'd love to have Well the Leica M8 is still on my horizon. The 50 1.2L did change my view of everything and for now that's all I use for almost everything!

Still I could still dream that I might get a miracle assignement and "need" the Seitz".

Asher

 

[Antonio Correia]

Antonio,
what if it's labeled as your own property or a gift? Still have to pay custom fees?

Nikolai,

I don't have that experience at all but I think yes, the Customs would tax anyway.
Its kind of obvious ...

Otherway everybody would send gifts to Europeans...
Then, we could buy the good without VAT.

In Portugal equipment is very expensive.

Hugely expensive: an example ?
CANON EOS 400D KIT EF-S 18-55 + 55-200mm + Grip BG-E3 costs 1,225 Euros = 1,597 US$ !!

The VAT in Portugal is 21%.

I do have bought - someone did it for me in fact - in the US before.
My 24-70 was bought in the US. But, I have never repeated this procedure because after some months something was wrong with the lens and I sent it to repair.
The final cost was after all very similar to the price of the lens bought in Portugal.

I do know - because I have asked - that the Leica M8 is VERY expensive.

But curiously, the Leicas that come to Portugal are sold on the spot.
Because they are a few and/or because there are people with much money.

On the other way, the purchase of an equipment - and it doesn't matter how much it costs - is always a matter of priority in life.

Perhaps, if I have not bought this or that and if I would be VERY interested, I could - like yourself or Nicolas - buy one Leica and its lens, entering the place where kings are ...

One thing is for sure: we deserve the best.

Options in life. One can't have all. We try. But we can't.
It's like knowledge. The more we know the more we understand that we know nothing. (how philosophical )
Cheers,