done with this last minute scramble
It is hard to steer away from things carnival since the October launch, because like it or not, carnival is now at the back of everyones mind, and for some of us it is stuck hard onto the front until next year January. I know some people already dreaming about who they jamming with for Jouvert, boy, imagination is a hell-of-a-thing. We all have our imagination, and fantasize we all did as youths. Some things we were able to precipitate into our environment, and some we were not. It is a pity that what we know now, we did not know then ... but maybe it was a good thing for some of us not to know then. Say one say two, it was still more fun living back then, that it is today, notwithstanding the tech world in which we now live. But more time for that talk.
Make ready for carnival .... photographically. Check your cameras and stuff now. I am not addressing this to all those photographers who know that I don't mean them, but to the ordinary folks who have a digital camera in a box, maybe hidden away in the closet, and plan to give it some work at Carnival time. This last minute take out the box and use does not work, never did, and never will, ever. We need to get a habit of checking our photo equipment at least the day before we plan to use them. This also means that we have to be more conscious of the role that our photography is playing in our life. This may be something new for our Caribbean folk, but as we 'move ahead' it may be something worthwhile to embrace.
I don't know of a place where people love technology more than SKN. I am not going to comment because I don't wish to be hiding behind dark sunglasses, nor have to bring out my personal swat [security] team for the season, but just check out the Computer shops in SKN. Whatever you can get in New York, San Fransisco and Toronto, you can get here .... except my camera CF card which is for a discontinued Canon camera, but the cards for all the latest [current] model cameras are available right here in SKN. Talking about cards for your camera, if you have not upgraded to the maximum size allowed, you should seriously consider that for this Carnival. You can take more photos, and at a finer quality setting too. This carnival could be one of the best in the last ten years in which you can participate, from either side of the event, 'playing sugar mas' or being the model spectator.
So you have a card in the camera and a spare card or two, so you don't miss any of this hot!! carnival action. Some folks don't download their photos to computer so they may need a handful of cards for all this action, and those of us who download our photos, may also wish to consider additional backup and security for all our hundreds of carnival images, by copying them onto an external drive. But you will not have anything to download or view if the camera experiences a power failure. Some cameras work on batteries, some work on battery packs, but they all seem to like to go dead at the peak of the action and excitement. Do not be caught off guard, carry a spare battery or two or three, for this season. The camera manual always quote the number of photos that a fully charged battery pack will deliver. It is a no brainer that a spare battery pack charger is a must.
Recently I saw a review for a camera using either AA or AAA batteries, and there was the suggestion that instead of using rechargeable batteries, owners should go for regular off the shelf batteries, and I just smiled. Some of us have been down this road of small rechargeable batteries before, so we know. I have some friends still walking down the road and bitterly complaining. Screw the apparent economy of rechargeable AA or AAA battery, the user is the only one screwed. It is far better to buy AA and AAA lithium in bulk off eBay, if one is talking economy. As a matter of fact, eBay may be the best source for all batteries and battery packs, however you want them.
So with enough digital film and battery capacity we are good to go for a total enjoyment and capture of carnival images, what else can keep you back or slow you down? Maybe only the one thing that our people dislike all year round, but not at carnival. I am still trying to figure out where the hundreds of people does disappear to when the rain comes, but a few minutes after it gone they back on the street again in their numbers. I believe it is a heritage thing. So, if the rain comes you have your raincoats, one for you and one for your camera and camera bag. If there is no wind you can brave the weather from under a 'Jumbo' parasol, and if your camera is the, totally waterproof, Canon EOS-1Ds with an "L series" lens, you can capture some very interesting 'rain generated' images ... at least I would do that. Rain is the worst case ever scenario for Carnival so it is incumbent upon the committee to pray for good weather and certainly no rain.
So we are off the mark and the finish line is already in sight, so avoid the scramble and be photographically prepared to capture another set of once-in-a-lifetime images in our 'sugar mas' carnival 2k10/2k11.
Make ready for carnival .... photographically. Check your cameras and stuff now. I am not addressing this to all those photographers who know that I don't mean them, but to the ordinary folks who have a digital camera in a box, maybe hidden away in the closet, and plan to give it some work at Carnival time. This last minute take out the box and use does not work, never did, and never will, ever. We need to get a habit of checking our photo equipment at least the day before we plan to use them. This also means that we have to be more conscious of the role that our photography is playing in our life. This may be something new for our Caribbean folk, but as we 'move ahead' it may be something worthwhile to embrace.
I don't know of a place where people love technology more than SKN. I am not going to comment because I don't wish to be hiding behind dark sunglasses, nor have to bring out my personal swat [security] team for the season, but just check out the Computer shops in SKN. Whatever you can get in New York, San Fransisco and Toronto, you can get here .... except my camera CF card which is for a discontinued Canon camera, but the cards for all the latest [current] model cameras are available right here in SKN. Talking about cards for your camera, if you have not upgraded to the maximum size allowed, you should seriously consider that for this Carnival. You can take more photos, and at a finer quality setting too. This carnival could be one of the best in the last ten years in which you can participate, from either side of the event, 'playing sugar mas' or being the model spectator.
So you have a card in the camera and a spare card or two, so you don't miss any of this hot!! carnival action. Some folks don't download their photos to computer so they may need a handful of cards for all this action, and those of us who download our photos, may also wish to consider additional backup and security for all our hundreds of carnival images, by copying them onto an external drive. But you will not have anything to download or view if the camera experiences a power failure. Some cameras work on batteries, some work on battery packs, but they all seem to like to go dead at the peak of the action and excitement. Do not be caught off guard, carry a spare battery or two or three, for this season. The camera manual always quote the number of photos that a fully charged battery pack will deliver. It is a no brainer that a spare battery pack charger is a must.
Recently I saw a review for a camera using either AA or AAA batteries, and there was the suggestion that instead of using rechargeable batteries, owners should go for regular off the shelf batteries, and I just smiled. Some of us have been down this road of small rechargeable batteries before, so we know. I have some friends still walking down the road and bitterly complaining. Screw the apparent economy of rechargeable AA or AAA battery, the user is the only one screwed. It is far better to buy AA and AAA lithium in bulk off eBay, if one is talking economy. As a matter of fact, eBay may be the best source for all batteries and battery packs, however you want them.
So with enough digital film and battery capacity we are good to go for a total enjoyment and capture of carnival images, what else can keep you back or slow you down? Maybe only the one thing that our people dislike all year round, but not at carnival. I am still trying to figure out where the hundreds of people does disappear to when the rain comes, but a few minutes after it gone they back on the street again in their numbers. I believe it is a heritage thing. So, if the rain comes you have your raincoats, one for you and one for your camera and camera bag. If there is no wind you can brave the weather from under a 'Jumbo' parasol, and if your camera is the, totally waterproof, Canon EOS-1Ds with an "L series" lens, you can capture some very interesting 'rain generated' images ... at least I would do that. Rain is the worst case ever scenario for Carnival so it is incumbent upon the committee to pray for good weather and certainly no rain.
So we are off the mark and the finish line is already in sight, so avoid the scramble and be photographically prepared to capture another set of once-in-a-lifetime images in our 'sugar mas' carnival 2k10/2k11.
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