Home from Central Asia...Thoughts and lessons

[JPAZ]

Hi,

A while ago I posted and started a discussion about what to bring for this trip. Here's some follow-up.

I wound up using my Retrospective 7 (I love this bag!!!!! Perfect for this trip with the most comfortable shoulder strap made!). I decided to bring my 24-105, 17-40 and Shorty 40 with the 5diii. I have about 2200 RAW to process but can tell you that almost all were shot with the 24-105, less that 10% with the 17-40 and about 5 photos with the 40 (cause I wanted to use the 2.8 ). I probably could have done the whole thing with 1 lens. A friend who was with me (shoots Nikon D90) had his "walk-around" and his 300 as his only 2 lenses. There were a few times when I wanted some more reach but I will wait to see what happens when I crop these pics during PP before I decide on my next "travel kit." If the crops don't give me the IQ I m hoping for, then next trip might leave the 17-40 and the 40 at home and bring something longer.

Everything was shot in available light. The high ISO shots look pretty awesome on chimping. Again, will wait to see.

In terms of the kit, I never felt insecure or threatened carrying the camera and a red-ring lens with a hood. I had thought about camouflaging things with gaffer tape (lots on the forums about that) to hide to camera but that was entirely unnecessary. The only negative experience I had was stupidly leaving my charger in the hotel room (I put it there while way jet-lagged) and so losing it. I was able to get a $5 generic charger (had Chinese characters on it) that worked but I just ordered a new Canon charger because I don't know what this knock-off will do to my batteries over time.

Anyway, I would recommend this part of the world to any of you. Fascinating history, wonderful colors, amazing people and safe. I will get to my PP eventually, but here are a couple of my favorites, right off the
backup SD jpegs decreased to fit here.......

 

[JPAZ]

And another....

 

[Jim Saunders]

Re: Central Asia.....I'm home...Thoughts and

If that's what your photos of the trip look like then I look forward to seeing more of them.

Jim

 

[JPAZ]

Thx! Did my "first cull" but still lots to post process. Here's another out of camera JPEG I like.....

 

[Grumbaki]

Glad you enjoyed Asia and China! Are those from Xinjiang? Urumqi?

What you say is indeed very true, here you can pretty much go around with a ton of gear and you'll only have friendly looks. Only very few areas are deemed unsafe (mostly crap downtown of some tiers 2 cities).

As to the kit, you had no problems (technical or creative) at night? The lack of very good public lights and the over presence of neon lights makes the use of very wide primes quite obvious to me.

Good job, give us a link to the gallery!

 

[JPAZ]

Hi,

Actually all travel was in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. As far as night was concerned, while there was an occasional issue with the classic light-bulb-behind-the-subject-in-a-dark-room, this could often be resolved by moving my position relative to the subject. The 5D3 was incredible even at high ISO. I never would have gotten these shots with my old 50D.

Shot a musician in a restaurant at ISO 12800 on a 24-205 at 1/50 with f7. Again, this is an out of the camera JPEG from the backup SD and I've done no PP on it. I believe that when I finally get around to doing my RAW, I'll get rid of this little bit of noise.

[NB....for some reason I can't upload this photo right now]

I know some have badmouthed the 24-105 on these forums. Frankly, I think it does a good job.

JP

 

[Hannes]

It is indeed an amazing part of the world and I'd love to see more of your shots

 

[JPAZ]

I am trying to post a few more but for reasons I cannot figure out, they will not load...

"Stay tuned"

JP

 

[kaihp]

The 5D3 was incredible even at high ISO. I never would have gotten these shots with my old 50D.

(...)

I know some have badmouthed the 24-105 on these forums. Frankly, I think it does a good job.

I can only second the move from 50D to 5D3 (just wow) and feeling safe around here in China hauling equipment around: no problems so far, nowhere feeling un-secure for 17 months and counting.

 

[adhocphotographer]

Thanks for the feedback.. nice shots! I find just having the 24-105 as a travel lens is great.

 

[kirispupis]

One of my favorite trips was to Central Asia. I am jealous that you had the opportunity to travel to Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan. I wanted to visit Ashgabat, Merv, and Dargaza among other places in Turkmenistan but had to cut it due to time constraints. Similarly we have to cut some time in a yurt in Kyrgyzstan, but did make it up partially with a stay in a yurt at Lake Aidarkul in Uzbekistan.

We saw a good portion of Uzbekistan - Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Lake Aidarkul, and Chimgan. Then we spent some time in Tajikistan where my wife is from.


Samarkand at night by CalevPhoto, on Flickr


IMG_4144.jpg by CalevPhoto, on Flickr


Khiva at Night by CalevPhoto, on Flickr


Khiva Walls by CalevPhoto, on Flickr


A Summer's Day by CalevPhoto, on Flickr


Bukhara Mornings by CalevPhoto, on Flickr


IMG_4616-Edit.jpg by CalevPhoto, on Flickr

 

[JPAZ]

Great shots! I remember those places. Merv was fascinating, especially seeing objects in the Museum from 3000 BC.

Here's the pic I was trying to post the other day to illustrate existing light with the 5D3 and 24-105.....