Monterey, the Aquarium and "NO CF CARD"

dadwtwins

After April shared her pictures from the trip to the Monterey Aquarium while explaining that the "Living Art Jelly's" exhibit was leaving in Sept, I became motivated to get off my butt and into gear to take the two-hour drive south to see this widely talked about and highly praised exhibit.

All was going very well that morning. Got the kids out of the house to their Grandma's for the day, packed the camera gear with a new crumpler backpack to try for the first time and a full thermos of coffee.

I remember asking myself, "Now what am I forgetting? hmmmm....oh well never mind, I have my camera and that is all I really need."

As I parked the car and grabbed my new crumpler pack I was getting pretty excited. I walked the four or five blocks along Cannery Row and was amazed how crowded it was. When i finally entered the Aquarium, I headed straight to the Jellies.

As soon as I walked into the Jelly exhibit, I was hit with a very cool, round, full 360-degree ceiling of anchovies swinging around as if on a race track. I wanted to try and shoot the ceiling using my fish-eye, no pun intended, but as i was adjusting the camera settings, I realized it did not have any CF cards loaded in it.

This camera has two CF slots and like a dumb a**, I left the CF cards on my computer at home from the last wedding I did the week before. To make my heart jump even more, all my spare CF cards are in my old camera back pack which I had not yet transferred with all the other extra stuff that I usually carry around.

I cannot tell you what a sinking feeling I had. I was feeling pretty low but I did have high hopes that such a tourist town would sell CF cards somewhere. I searched for two hours but only found one card which had only 512 MB memory, or enough for 68 shots for my particular camera.

Since time was running out on me and I only had a few hours before the aquarium closed, I had to shoot as though I had film. No wasting shots; preplan and just do what I should always do. Compose the shot, adjust for amount of light and DOF that I want and start shooting away. As it turned out, I only used about 50 shots.

Ok, enough of the long story and onto the pictures.

Ok, enough of the long story and onto the pictures.:rolleyes

Sea Nettle Jelly


Crystal Jelly


Egg-Yolk Jelly



Moon Jelly




Spotted Jelly


If those Jelly's weren't enough, as I was walking from exhibit to exhibit, I found the Giant Octopus putting on quite a show. It was so crowded by this guys tank, I had a very hard time trying to get in for a couple of shots.





She would turn bright red when she was done entertaining us as if she was angry. She zoomed back into his hiding place while looking very fierce. I know she has my respect and total fear if I came face to face in the water with her. I was amazed how fast and agile they can move when willing. Simple awesome.





Here are some Misc guys that I thought needed some props as well









I think this post is long enough, so i will post the creatures I was able to capture outside of the Aquarium in part 2.

Thank you for taking a look and I hope I inspired some of you to go to Monterey before Sept 14th to capture the most beautiful display of Jelly's i have ever seen before they are gone. They are truly awe-inspiring.:bow

mountainhouse

Nice shots - especially under pressure! Been years since I've been there. Really need to go again sometime. We keep going to Monterey, but never get past Laguna Seca.

Tango

wow shots!
wow shots, and then more wow....

last time i got on location without a cf card i was far from any ability to aquire one...:D that was a memorable hike backout to say the least.....
now i have my religious routine prior to leaving the house
im betting you have adjusted your routine too....haha

nice series, i truly wish i could go....

dadwtwins

mountainhouse wrote:

Nice shots - especially under pressure! Been years since I've been there. Really need to go again sometime. We keep going to Monterey, but never get past Laguna Seca.

My I say that i love Laguna Seca. Did you make the historical races a couple of weeks ago. I missed it this year but I am making a point to go next year. What a great scene of classic cars that are one of a kind going all out on the track.

dadwtwins

AaronNelson wrote:

wow shots!
wow shots, and then more wow....

last time i got on location without a cf card i was far from any ability to aquire one...:D that was a memorable hike backout to say the least.....
now i have my religious routine prior to leaving the house
im betting you have adjusted your routine too....haha

nice series, i truly wish i could go....

Thanks Aaron. I think i am adopting your religion after this weekend

divamum

Wow (seems to be my word for today) - beautiful shots.

And I have to say, not only does your story make me feel much better (I have left CF cards in the reader in the office more times than I'm prepared to admit!), but that 2nd to last shot, the otter, had me literally laughing out loud. That "DOn't you people have HOMES to go to?!" look on its face is priceless

Travis

I'll be the third person to say "WOW!" Those are spectacular. it is hard to believe that they were shot through an aquarium window.

As for the CF card - I did the same thing a few months ago while shooting a surfing contest. I made a quick trip to Office Depot spent $90 on a 4gb card. Not really a killer but just knowing that I had 8 of them sitting in a case on my desk was a downer. :cry

photodoug

"shoot like you have film".....my new mantra!

pyry

I never close the CF-door, if the card isn't in there and only keep the camera turned off if it's not ready to shoot. Guess how I've developed these procedures...

Excellent pictures you've got, so I'd say you handled the situation well
Love the octopus!

dadwtwins

I am glad to see that I am not the only one that made such an error

I also posted part 2 to this thread over in wildlife --> http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=104116

I felt that the rest of the pictures are more about the wildlife around Monterey than a journey.

Thank you all for viewing my pics and making such complimentary and supportive commentsbow

coldclimb

Very nice Jellies! Thanks for sharing. thumb

Ann McRae

Really, really beautiful! "Shoot like film" is a great philosophy too.

I wonder how long it will be before the gift shops in major attractions start carrying cards - like they have with film and disposable cameras? Maybe I should try being the distributor for this?!:D

Thanks for sharing. I've been to Monterey once, and long to go back.

ann

ian408

The jellies are coming back. I believe they've got something in the works to bring some different species, etc. Should be good when it comes back

Thanks for taking us along!

dadwtwins

Ann McRae wrote:

Really, really beautiful! "Shoot like film" is a great philosophy too.

I wonder how long it will be before the gift shops in major attractions start carrying cards - like they have with film and disposable cameras? Maybe I should try being the distributor for this?!:D

Thanks for sharing. I've been to Monterey once, and long to go back.

ann

Thank you for the compliments. I think you have hit a needed market in all the tourist areas. You could be rich distributing memory cards to dufuses like me

dadwtwins

ian408 wrote:

The jellies are coming back. I believe they've got something in the works to bring some different species, etc. Should be good when it comes back

Thanks for taking us along!

They were saying that the next species down in the down stairs exhibit will be sea horses. My kids will love this exhibit and i am sure i will as well

ian408

dadwtwins wrote:

They were saying that the next species down in the down stairs exhibit will be sea horses. My kids will love this exhibit and i am sure i will as well

The Sea Horse will be an awesome exhibit. I look forward to it.

cryptochrome

Hi,

great shots, really! Would you mind sharing some details on your technique? I remember the aquarium being pretty dark. What settings did you use? What lenses?

Thanks

luckyrwe

I nee to run by there when I get back to California. I lived there when the aquarium opened in 1984. Time flies!

I used to carry 20 rolls of film all the time and never had trouble giving a roll or two away to tourists. I guess I can do that with memory cards. I have 512mb and 1GB cards that are of no value to me but may save the day for others.

Rhuarc

luckyrwe wrote:

I nee to run by there when I get back to California. I lived there when the aquarium opened in 1984. Time flies!

I used to carry 20 rolls of film all the time and never had trouble giving a roll or two away to tourists. I guess I can do that with memory cards. I have 512mb and 1GB cards that are of no value to me but may save the day for others.

That's a really good idea! I like it!

dadwtwins

cryptochrome wrote:

Hi,

great shots, really! Would you mind sharing some details on your technique? I remember the aquarium being pretty dark. What settings did you use? What lenses?

Thanks

Depending on the picture my settings changed a little. Here is an example of the EXIF info on one of the shots.

Photo Information


Basic
Date Modified 2008-08-26 00:04:29
Date Taken 2008-08-25 13:18:26
Camera NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3
Exposure Time 0.0062s (1/160)
Aperture f/2.8
ISO 3200
Focal Length 24mm (24mm 35mm)
Photo Dimensions 2100 x 1500
File Name _DSC7459.jpg
File Size 1.56 MB
Detailed
Flash flash did not fire
Exposure Program manual
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Exposure Mode manual
Light Source unknown
White Balance pre
Digital Zoom Ratio 1/1
Contrast 0
Saturation 0
Sharpness 0
Subject Distance Range 0
Sensing Method one-chip color sensor
Color Space unknown

I shot in manual for exposure and focus for all the shots, kept the ISO @3200, and used my 12-24 f2.8 lens. That is it. Nothing fancy, nothing hard. I just tried to take pictures within the limits of the equipment i had with me. I would have loved to be able to use a tripod and a few more lenses but that is the way it goes.

cryptochrome

dadwtwins wrote:

Depending on the picture my settings changed a little. Here is an example of the EXIF info on one of the shots.

Thanks very much for the details. I figured you were using a high ISO setting. Would this have worked equally good if you had chosen to shoot in A-Mode instead of M? I am not so good with M and keep workin in A. But I guess in this case the camera would have chosen a too long exposure time...?

Cheers

dadwtwins

cryptochrome wrote:

Thanks very much for the details. I figured you were using a high ISO setting. Would this have worked equally good if you had chosen to shoot in A-Mode instead of M? I am not so good with M and keep workin in A. But I guess in this case the camera would have chosen a too long exposure time...?

Cheers

Your absolutely right. If I tried to shoot in AP mode, the pictures would of been over exposed. I almost shoot exclusively in manual when shooting in dark environments.

With digital and the use of the LCD in the camera, manual settings can be optimized quite quickly with a few test shots. Practice when ever you have a chance and you will start to figure out the proper settings or get close to it no matter what situation you are in.

Cuong

These are such simple creatures yet very elegant and fantastically beautiful.

It's amazing how efficient you can be when the resource is scarce. I think most of us have run into the No CF dilemma at one time or another. The other shortcoming that I've almost experienced is the out of battery situation.

Cuong

swintonphoto

Wow - the struggles were worth it. Really amazingly lovely shots. Fabulous colors and compositions.

dadwtwins

swintonphoto wrote:

Wow - the struggles were worth it. Really amazingly lovely shots. Fabulous colors and compositions.

Thank you

Cuong wrote:

These are such simple creatures yet very elegant and fantastically beautiful.

It's amazing how efficient you can be when the resource is scarce. I think most of us have run into the No CF dilemma at one time or another. The other shortcoming that I've almost experienced is the out of battery situation.

Cuong

no battery :cry, now that would of crushed me. I do not think I could of found a D3 battery

Awais Yaqub

Amazing !

jogle

Great shots, I love the jellies, the egg yoke one especially.

I've left cards at home more often then I want to admit. Now my small cards (256's 512's and 1gb's) are tucked into linings and under the paddings of all my bags. They've saved my friends I shoot with more often then they've saved me but at one event recently I filled up all 12 gigs I had with me and went fishing for the spares in the lining.

My pre shoot mantra is to pick up the camera before closing the bag, I take of the lens cap and shoot a frame (most often of my shoes or out the window) it makes me check battery, cf and if the lens is clean.

dadwtwins

jogle wrote:

My pre shoot mantra is to pick up the camera before closing the bag, I take of the lens cap and shoot a frame (most often of my shoes or out the window) it makes me check battery, cf and if the lens is clean.

Great routine, i think I will adopt it. Thank you:ivar