Nature Photo Magazine 2013/2

summer / 2013/2.

nature photo magazine

ÂŽ

online photo magazine

travel | wildlife | landscape | people-culture | test

csaba Kolluder | Portfolio Figures, forms, faces | Tips and tricks peru | People-cultures-cities

I AM WHERE I BELONG

I AM THE NEW NIKON D7100. I am photography unlimited. Offering breathtaking images thanks to the precision of a 24.1 MP resolution and the professional level 51-point autofocus system. With 1.3x extra telephoto effect, I expand DX possibilities.

All combined in an extremely durable, weatherproof and portable body for great performance, wherever you go, whatever you do.

I am for the ones who go further. nikon-europe.com

welcome Dear Reader,

Photo: © Tamás Imre Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF16-35mm f/2.8L USM f/2.8 15sec ISO 800

Here we are with our 2013/2 summer issue. The summer is here again, or not? It snowed in March and now it is raining persistently and the temperature is only 10-15 C°. That’s quite cool, but we are here and nature has renewed.

This is our 16th issue and the fourth year of our magazine. We are available for the English-speaking readers again under the name of Nature Photo Magazine.

A taster from our current issue: We continue our adventure tour to New Mexico, USA. In this part we guide you to the wonderful white dunes of the White Sands National Monument. You can get to know this remote land through the pictures of Anikó Imre and Tamás Imre.

Our new shopping guide column also continues. We would like to guide our readers in the world of the jungle of basic and medium category DSLR cameras, since most people used to buy their new camera in the holiday season. We also explain in this article the capability and the purpose of these cameras to help your choice.

Wild, terrestrial orchids can be our late spring and summer photo themes. Orchids and bee orchids (Ophrys) are the special flowers of nature. Our colleague, Árpád Krivánszky give some advice to fellow photographers.

We had the chance to test in the field Nikon’s newest, semiprofessional D7100 DSLR body. The scene for the test was the Hortobágy National Park. The camera performed so well that I can warmly recommend it to all Nikon users.

We selected Csaba Kolluder’s landscape portfolio to be published in our magazine. We can give you some inspiration for summer landscape photography through Csaba’ s pictures We took Canon EOS 6D full frame camera for our other field test. I know that many photographers consider to switch for a full-frame body. Those who can afford it should not hesitate any longer, just do it now.

We give a taster to our readers from the successful and awardwinning pictures of the GDT „Nature Photographer of the Year 2013” competition of Germany. The pictures of the talented nature photographers shows how wonderful and interesting our environment and its wildlife.

In our Tips and Tricks column photographer Árpád Krivánszky draws your attention to special compositions and forms and provides tips and ideas from his world of images which has the attitude of “walk with open eyes and see”.

In our „People-cultures-cities” series we can admire the exciting events and pictures of Mrs Mária Csicseri Papp who present this land through the eyes of a Hungarian traveller. Our experienced photographer shares interesting information and lasting experiences to the reader.

Please receive our 16th issue with love, now in iPad, iPhone and Android version as well!

Tamás Imre Editor-in-Chief

Photo adventure - New Mexico (USA) White Sands National Monument

buying guide - DSLR

22

The summer is here, many of us go for a trip or a family holiday, travel abroad, go for sightseeing or just simply off the nature to photograph. Most people take the majority of their pictures in the period from June to the end of August. So it is natural that the DSLR market get lively in this season as well. That’s why we are here with our DSLR guide in the summer issue.

field test - nikon d7100

42

We received the news from Nikon Ltd that the new camera body had arrived and can be tested. After some arrangement we got the camera for a whole week, so we could try it out in several situations. We also received an AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens for the body and we took a AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4D IF-ED lens for the test as well. AnikĂł, the Art Director of our magazine and I jointly delved into the process of testing.

portfolio - Csaba Kolluder

50

I live my life at the hectic pace of the modern metropolises in Budapest for nearly fifty years. I am a technical professional, so it is a crucial component of my way of thinking that I make my decisions according to logical constructions. Therefore, in my daily work, I am characterized mainly as being objective and rational.

Looking out of this closed world gives me the chance to create my inner balance and harmony.

6

Š Tamås Imre

tips & tricks - Figures and faces

100

people-cultures-cities - Peru

108

photo school

Terrestrial orchids

30

Field test Canon Eos 6d

70

contest Rarely we can find some formation in nature which reminiscent of the shape of a human, an animal or a certain object. Such formations can develop in a cliff, tree trunk, plank, surface of the ground, water or snow and ice. Sometimes we need decades to set up a collection which is worth showing.

We have spent three weeks in Peru. We have travelled, photographed, videoed enthusiastically but we could manage to get to know and capture only a little section of this wonderful country. The more we have seen, the more we wanted to discover. We could fit only Lima and its environment, the Southern Mountains, Cuzco and its region, the Sacred Valley into our programme.

GDT - nature photographer

of the year

80

© László Somosi NIKON D4, 24.0-120.0 mm f/4.0

f/8 0.5 sec ISO 800

Photo adventure

New Mexico (USA) White Sands National Monument In the previous part we have presented the details of the workshop in New Mexico, US, and now we are going to guide our readers to the unique White Sands dunes which is on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

To continue the previous part, our team with the leadership of our guide, Branson Reynolds left the city of Albaquerque in convoy, together with other cars. We set off very early in the morning because our destination, the white sanded national reserve near the city of Alamogordo was a whole-day drive far. Along the way we saw lands just like we were in an American western film. We drove through empty lands for hours, without seeing a house or even an animal. My friend, László drove our little Jeep equipped with with automatic gear and cruise control. Branson was also sitting in our car which was good for us as we could talk a lot about the sights and topics like nature photography in America, etc. He talked about the uniqueness of our destination, a special natural formation. It is situated very near the Mexican border, Spanish is often the first spoken language in this region.

The sight of the White Sands is unique in the world with its fantastic formations and incredible beauty attracts huge masses of visitors to the national reserve. It lies in the Tularosa Basin and the wonderful sight probably can be thanked to the limestone powder left after withdrawal of the sea millions of years ago. The sand is so white that it even deludes the viewer. We had the feeling as we were in a snow-covered field but the sight showed the form of sand dunes.

Due to the movement of the white sand the land shows different forms every day. It is interesting that in sunshine the grains of sand almost glow but if we touch it rather similar to plaster powder than some silica sand. The area of the reserve is about 710 km² (275 square miles) which is not small but due to its unique value it needs protection, so the entrance roads are equipped with toll bars and there is an opening time. Branson ensured us that we had a special licence so we could get into the park even before sunrise.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF16-35mm f/2.8L USM

f/11 1/125 sec ISO 200

Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF16-35mm f/2.8L USM

f/22 1/200 sec ISO 200

Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF16-35mm f/2.8L USM

f/22 1/125 sec ISO 200

At the visitors center a lady gave us some orientation. She gave us information about what was worth seeing and shooting and where, then she gave a map to every photographer on which she even marked the viewpoints. Finally we were told about the safety measures and the animals can be found in the park such as snakes. Among the dunes several plants found life space for themselves, the most spectacular of them are the tough Yuccas. These plants can bear drought, and the alternating coldness and heat extremely well, and even can live on the moving sand. 50 C° is not rare in summer, while in winter the temperature can often drop below zero.

The characteristic of the scene is that walking is the only option to discover the area. It is not easy to walk on the dunes with a photo equipment and tripod weighed 30 kg, but we had no other choice. There were footprints all over the place due to the lots of tourists, we had to walk one or two miles to find nice and clear parts to photograph but it was worth doing. The sight is just indescribable and the feeling as the plaster powder is crunching under your feet is very exciting.

Branson held a briefing, then he left us alone and everyone could shoot whatever he or she wanted. The scene was so overwhelming, that during our first afternoon shooting - which lasted until sunset - we could manage to take good pictures. In the evening I found a superb place where from I planned to expose a Yucca plant against the background of the early morning starry sky. I asked our guide which was the earliest time we could come in the morning and he arranged that we could arrive two hours before sunrise, so the employee of the national park would let us in. My tour mates could not imagine what on earth I wanted to photograph in the darkness but AnikĂł and Laci, my Hungarian fellows know me well and they are up to all the insane things. The next day early morning rise, a quick coffee and off we go to the scene.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM

f/11 1/250 sec ISO 200

Canon EOS 7D, EF8-15mm f/4L FISHEYE USM

f/22 1/50 sec ISO 100

Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM We found my yucca with headlamps, then exposure measurement and go!

The wind was blowing a little which was no good as the tiny plaster grains can get into the gaps of the camera and the lens, so our equipment had to be protected carefully.

The American and Canadian participants were just sitting in their cars thinking that these Hungarians are crazy as the sand could break our equipments down.

They were partly right, but we travelled ten thousands miles to get here, while they live relatively close and can return whenever they want. The three of us tried out shooting in full darkness, we barely could set sharpness and the plaster sand covered almost everything but we did not give up. Seeing the ready picture, the sceptic tour mates were impressed too. This result became the cover photo of the current issue of the Nature Photo Magazine. Having finished we went over a nice place to photograph fantastic forms and shades at sunrise but after a while a sand storm came and everybody ran back to the cars except of Anikรณ, Laci, Branson and me. We protected our equipment with plastic bags and we had seen such an exciting sight than never before.

Thanks God, none of our equipment was damaged, looking back I think that it was insane to risk but it was worth it.

During our two-week tour we had an experience of a lifetime. Thanks to our American photographer friends, and especially to the local knowledge and contact network of Branson we could photograph at very special places. We travelled back to our hotel near Albaquerque and after a one-day rest we closed the workshop with bird photography.

We said goodbye to our American friend in the evening and headed to South America but this will be another story.

Text: Imre Tamรกs Pictures: Anikรณ Imre and Tamรกs Imre photographers

f/11 1/60 sec ISO

Planning Destination: North America, New Mexico.

Accessibility: from Albaquerque Airport.

What to photograph: migrating birds, mammals and lands.

What to take with us: wide-angle lens, minimum 300 mm telephoto lens, but if we can afford, 400-500 mm lenses can be useful

too, w gradu as yo

Acco aroun hotel

The b from

ISO 200

with 1,4x and/or 2x teleconverter; tripod; ND uated filter; memory card and batteries as much ou can.

ommodation: nd Albaquerque you can choose from different ls according to your needs.

best time to go: October to March.

Buying guide Entrance level and semi-professional DSLR cameras The summer is here, many of us go for a trip or a family holiday, travel abroad, go for sightseeing or just simply off the nature to photograph. Most people take the majority of their pictures in the period from June to the end of August. So it is natural that the DSLR market get lively in this season as well. That’s why we are here with our DSLR guide in the summer issue.

There is a huge supply on the market of DSLR or digital single-lens reflex cameras. Among the current producers Canon, Nikon, Sony and Pentax are also represented. Customers face a serious financial decision when choosing their first DSLR camera or switching for a newer model.

Before I delve into the actual supply, I would like to give some information about what these cameras are for and what to look at them. The DSLR body is actually the camera itself , for which we have to buy different lenses. Producers generally used to provide 18-55 mm lenses for their entrance-level cameras which is suitable for lots of things but to be honest for remote themes or for capturing possible details their zoom or their so-called focal length might not be enough.

So if you are a first-time buyer, you should consider a two-lens kit which includes a 18-55 mm and a 55-200 mm lens. The former comes with the body, the latter is a cheaper, favorably priced version. These are sufficient for the needs of amateur photographers.

Which one shall i choose?

?

Pentax K-30 Nikon

Nikon D5

EOS 100D

Canon

Nikon D7100 EOS

Sony Alpha SL

Canon EO

Canon EOS 650D Pent

Canon EOS 1

Sony Alpha SL

?

n D3200

5200

n EOS 60D

S 700D LT A57

OS 7D

tax K-5 II

1100D

LT-A77

Numerology You can find different number marks on the camera bodies. These marks indicate lots of things but most of the customers do not know the information the numbers indicate. The currently available models include but are not limited to: Nikon D3200, Nikon D5200, Nikon D7100, Canon EOS 1100D, Canon EOS 650D, Canon EOS 60D, Canon EOS 7D and here come the two newest competitors, EOS 700D and EOS 100D. Pentax’s favorites are Pentax K-30 and Pentax K-5 II. Apart from them, only Sony remained in the race with its Sony Alpha SLT A-57 and Sony Alpha SLT-A77 bodies. Well, if you walk into a Media Markt electronics store, you can see these cameras on the shelves with lots of pieces of information on the data sheets.

And their prices range from HUF 100,000 up to HUF 500,000. Many people do not understand these huge difference in pricing.

The information behind the numbers as follows. The case of Nikon now a bit simplier: Nikon D3200 is the entrance level, although you get high-resolution even there (24 megapixel). At the fourdigit models of Nikon the bigger number gives the better quality and more services, the current peak here the Nikon D7100.

At Canon the simplest entrance level is the Canon 1100D and the new category EOS 100D. In Canon’s marking system the three-digit models follow the fourdigit ones, for example, the Canon EOS 650D or the new EOS 700D, then they are followed by the two-digit EOS 60D and the best camera is the EOS 7D. Pentax uses a similar system like the Canon cameras: the three-digit Pentax K 100 was the entrance but among the new models now only the Pentax K-30 and the cuttingedge Pentax K-5 II is on the market.

At Sony cameras the increasing numbers indicate the more developed models, currently the Sony Alpha SLT A-57 represents the entrance level and the Sony Alpha SLT-A77 is the best camera.

What is really behind the numbers: for instance, higher resolution, more precise AF system, weatherproof magnesium frame and lots of other things. Let’s have a closer look at them.

AF system The AF system is the soul of our camera, as it has a crucial role in focusing. At entrance-level bodies it usually covers 9 or 11 AF point opportunities, and often there is no other option than selecting the automatic AF, the 1-point AF and the tracking AF mode. Actually it is enough for lots of things if you know the limitations of your camera. At the cameras of bigger capabilities even 39-point or 51-point AF is available (Nikon D7100) which is sufficient even for professional photo themes.

The more serious cameras offer the option the narrow teh AF points to 9 or 21 points, or Canon EOS 7D was equipped with a special graphical menu to select the theme modes.

The photographer can customize the body to different shooting situations.

Extreme conditions Another important factor is to bear extreme conditions. The plastic cover and the design of an entrance level body is not for photography in rain, mud, 60 C° heat or even -20C° frost.

Rain and sand are the biggest enemies of our camera. To adjust to extreme conditions and for the durability of the bodies, the hard plastic cover is built on a magnesium alloy base and is equipped with rubber insulation to make it more weatherproof. The entrance level models are not suitable for extreme conditions, while almost all bodies of the upper-medium category can be taken to a family holiday to Tunisia without worrying about any damage.

Special services Resolution is not all, speed also counts at the purchase of a DSLR body. The point is not only look at the picture/ second speed data but also that how long the camera is able to keep that speed and with what memory card.

The beginner’s cameras are able to achieve 2 or 3 picture/second speed and get slow quickly, while their big brothers can achieve even 6 or 8 picture/ second speed and even do not stop until 2030 exposures. Of course, it can be important for those who want to take action photos of animals or of their pets running wild in the garden.

Which DSLR do I need?

If you want to decide which camera to buy, always ask yourself about your needs and your money intended to spend. If you want a camera only for

trips and holidays and you do not have too much money for it, then even the entrance level is well sufficient with the above described two-lens kit.

Your pictures will not be better if you buy a more expensive camera, you can achieve much more by the improvement of your artistic skills and by learning the composition rules. If speed is important for you and you are often out in extreme weather conditions, then it requires to sacrifice more money for your hobby.

In this case it is worth investing into a more sophisticated, more expensive DSLR body.

Entrance level:

Summary

Nikon D3200, Canon EOS 1100D, Canon EOS 650D, EOS 700D, EOS 100D, Sony Alpha SLT A-57

It is important to decide at the beginning the brand you vote for, as due to the abundance of accessories and the continuous innovations it can be your good companion on your photo trips on the long term. If you can afford, it is worth buying the more developed bodies. If you are entering the DSLR segment now, the entrance level will be sufficient, as the lenses provided with the body will be compatible with your future bigger cameras as well.

The point is to stick with your brand.

Medium level: Nikon D5200, Canon EOS 60D, Pentax K-30 Advanced level: Nikon D7100, Canon EOS 7D, Sony Alpha SLT-A77, Pentax K-5 II

Have a nice price list browsing!

Photo school

Terrestrial orchids

article’s sponsor:

In flower shops or at exhibitions we always admire tropical orchids for their varied forms, amazing colours and nice smell. However, it is not widely known that their terrestrial relatives are indigenous to Hungary as well. Orchids are the real aristocrats of the world of plants, they occur at not too many places and not in great numbers. They conquered many different habitats such as the mountain meadows, forests, lowland marshes and even dunes. Their appearance is varied, significant differences can be detected - even within the same species - regarding the number of flowers and their size, thickness, colour and pattern. Some species bloom even in early May, while others open their petals only in July. They are the most beautiful in the early morning hours and before dusk. At dawn dewdrops can wet our clothes and shoes quickly and damp habitats come with plenty of mosquitoes as well.

From a photographic point of view the geometry of the flowers somewhat unfavourable as their leaves are “on the ground floor”, while their flowers are “on the third floor”. Another difficulty is that the smallsized species almost disappear in the lush undergrowth, some of them even cannot be easily noticed.

All the orchid species are protected, their conservation value ranges from HUF 5000 to HUF 250,000.

You should move carefully in their nearness and photograph them with care. Our equipment (tripod, macro lens or telephoto lens with extension tubes. A reflector, a diffuser and a torch can also be useful.

Have nice lights!

Himantoglossum caprinum The lower nectary of the large-sized himantoglossum is long and twists during the blooming period, giving an opportunity to take an interesting picture of detail in landscape format.

Canon EOS 30D EF80-200mm f/2.8L f/6,3 1/15 sec ISO 100

Violet Limodore

(Limodorum abortivum)

You can take exciting, landscape format detailed photo of this flower too thanks to sparse inflorescence and the relatively large-sized flowers. If you take care of the background, then you can use little narrower apertures than usual to achieve higher depth of field.

Canon EOS 30D EF80-200mm f/2.8L f/7,1 1/25 sec ISO 200

Canon EOS 30D EF80-200mm f/2.8L f/4 1/80 sec ISO 200

Pyramidal Orchid

Canon EOS 5D EF80-200mm f/2.8L f/5.6 1/5 sec ISO 800

Lady Orchid

(Anacamptis pyramidalis)

(Orchis purpurea)

Its striking colour and pyramid-shaped inflorescence make this flower interesting. Because of its unfavourable geometry the picture can only depict the inflorescence and its immediate environment. You have to find a depth of field in which the flower stem is not included.

Extension tube is not needed to photograph this large-sized plant. Besides using a reflector, make sure that the forest in the background is not lit by the sun, otherwise the shiny spots of the leaves will not look good and deflect the attention of the viewer away from the flower.

Canon EOS 5D EF80-200mm f/2.8L f/5 1/200 sec ISO 640

Canon EOS 5D EF80-200mm f/2.8L f/5.6 1/5 sec ISO 800

Three-toothed Orchid

Loose-Flowered Orchid

(Orchis tridentata)

(Orchis laxiflora palustris)

I took the picture from a little above of the level of the flower in grazing light with reflector and shadowing the background.

It blooms on marshy fields. The slim and tall inflorescence is not enough for a picture, so it is worth looking for a viewpoint through which another plant appears in the blurred background.

Red Helleborine

(Cephalanthera rubra)

We can encounter this flower in the deep forests.

Because the flowers stand sparse and are relatively large, it is worth taking a detailed photo of one or two flowers with careful reflecting and selecting a still background.

Canon EOS 30D EF80-200mm f/2.8L f/6,3 1/30 sec ISO 250

Canon EOS 30D EF80-200mm f/2.8L f/3,5 1/1000 sec ISO 100

Canon EOS 30D EF80-200mm f/2.8L f/4 1/400 sec ISO 200

Green-winged Orchid

Early Marsh Orchid

(Orchis morio)

(Dactylorhiza incarnata)

Its Hungarian name, “Greyhound orchid�, comes from its speckled pattern. The flower hides in the grass, only its taller specimens can be photographed well. The background can even be the sky if there is no sufficient difference of tone against the undergrowth.

This flower blooms on marshy fields. A careful reflecting is required to keep the rich patterns of the inflorescence. A yellow head of flower in the background can balance the dominance of the purple and green colours.

Canon EOS 30D EF80-200mm f/2.8L f/4 1/200 sec ISO 100

Canon EOS 5D EF80-200mm f/2.8L f/4.5 1/800 sec ISO 500

Burnt-tip Orchid

Military Orchid

(Orchis ustulata)

(Orchis militaris)

It has very tiny flowers, only half centimetres each. This specimen almost hid in the lush grass of the meadow, so it was hard to find a viewpoint from which I could secure a calm background for the plant.

It got its name from its flower which reminiscent of an open-armed medieval knight wearing a helmet with a visor. The patchy background became exciting as you can see through the gaps of the bush row to the neighbouring meadow.

Woodcock Bee-Orchid

(Ophrys scolopax)

It is an insect-imitating flower. It is not easy to photograph as its flowers head to different directions and contrary to the light and shiny shoot tips, some parts of the flower are dark with matte and hairy surface.

Canon EOS 300 EF80-200mm f/2.8L f/4,5 1/60 sec Fujichrome Velvia 50

Text and images: ร rpรกd Krivรกnszky

Nikon D600, AF-S NIKKOR 70–200 mm f/4G ED VR 1/100sec f/3.5 ISO 2000

Field test Nikon D7100

We received the news from Nikon Ltd that the new camera body had arrived and can be tested.

After some arrangement we got the camera for a whole week, so we could try it out in several situations. We also received an AF-S Nikkor 24120mm f/4G ED VR lens for the body and we took a AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4D IF-ED lens for the test as well. Anikó, the Art Director of our magazine and I jointly delved into the process of testing. Nikon D7100, launched in February, is the successor of Nikon D7000 which was equipped with a medium category DX sensor. Nikon’s engineers have built such innovations into the new body that currently this is the best camera in the amateur segment. At the same time I can state that it can come in handy in many situations for professional photographers as well, especially at animal photography with telephoto lens.

NIKON D7100, Nikkor 24.0-120.0 mm f/4.G ED VR AF-S f/11 1/160sec ISO 100

NIKON D7100, Nikkor 24.0-120.0 mm f/4.G ED VR AF-S f/22 1/15sec ISO 100

Technical novelties Before the field test, let’s have a look at the novelties of the body. Resolution was increased from 16.2 megapixel to 24.1 megapixel compared to Nikon D7000. In order to increase picture sharpness the sensor does not include optical low-pass filter, so it can make its best regarding picture sharpness. The available 6000x4000 pixel is far enough for even high-resolution landscape photography. The auto focus system has also been changed a lot, instead of 39 AF points now we can have 51 AF points with 15 cross-type focus points up to f/8 starting aperture sensitivity. This is an excellent performance, the AF system of the body has just became the same as of the professional Nikon D4. The speed of the body at such resolution is 5 or 6 picture/second. Surprisingly, a 1.3x crop mode was also built in which can be used as follows. Thanks to the smaller frame the speed in burst mode goes up to 6-7 picture/second and the 51 AF points fills the frame entirely, so it is much easier to keep moving animals or any moving subjects sharp. In this function we can see a frame in the viewfinder and our picture will be made within the frame, it can be familiar for those who put DX lens on their FX format cameras.

Of course, resolution will be lower, 15.4 megapixel.

Why does it make sense? For instance, if we shoot with a 300 mm telephoto lens and with 1.5x DX multiplication factor the crop equivalent to 450 mm was not sufficient, then we could extend it with 1.3x crop factor which this way will be equivalent to a 585 mm lens projected on a full frame body. This is very useful as the picture is not made by a converter, so the light intensity remains and the original RAW (NEF) file will be the same what we exposed and this is quite important in photo competitions! At moving subjects we can get close to our themes only by the decrease of shutter speed. I found this function very useful, it can be exploited primarily by nature photographers.

AF system I have already mentioned the 51-point AF-system above, let’s have a look at the functions now. The so-called phase-detection AF system is able to focus in light as low as -2 EV, so precise focusing is possible even in the darkest light conditions, even by moonlight. This system makes more exact and faster shooting possible in case of through the viewfinder photography (TtV).

The AF range modes are as follows: you can fully customize the system from the one-point AF to the dynamic range, the system can be controlled separately even at each theme selection. May it be 9-point, 21-point or 51-point setting, the full range 3D tracking and the automatic AF range can be set separately. Significant improvement can be experienced in the contrast-detection autofocus which can be used in Live View mode.

So far the AF has not been really good in this mode but now it is more precise, faster and can be controlled simplier.

In the AF-F function which can be used in the Movie mode focusing function was improved.

The situation detecting system is very efficient. by the usage of the 2016-pixel light-meter sensor it can determine the environment of the subject precisely before the shot, optimizing the auto exposure (AE), auto focusing (AF) and the auto white balance (AWB), which is important especially in videos. These important changes made Nikon D7100 the best DX camera of its segment.

The test For testing, we selected one of our favourite scenes, the Hortobรกgy National Park. Nikon D7100 was challenged in several situations.

Capturing early morning lights and bird photography is considered to be extreme conditions. Due to the excessive rains the Great Plain became marshy, so capturing a nice sunrise at such a scene is a good opportunity the test the landscape resolution. On the selected day we set off Budapest 2 in the morning a bit sleepy but full of ideas and expectations from the behaviour of the camera body as the weather forecast predicted fog by dawn. This just what we wanted: fog, backlight, water surface, these are such photo themes which might challenge any camera. I prepared the body for landscape photography at basic sensitivity, setting to ISO 100 and I increased quality by an AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens. We could check the details precisely in the pictures taken. Despite the early morning fog and the backlight teh AF did not jump but found the contrasts in the picture precisely, for what I was very happy as the nice lights had gone quickly, we could keep testing only for a half an hour. The results and the richness of details talk for themselves.

We have never experienced such edge sharpness with any DX body.

NIKON D7100, Nikkor 300.0 mm f/4D IF-ED f/5.6 1/400sec

c ISO 400

Bahama

NIKON D7100, Nikkor 300.0 mm f/4D IF-ED f/5.6 1/800sec ISO 800

We continued the testing with bird photography from hides. In accordance with the season we shot Hoopoes. We put the AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4D IF-ED lens on to the Nikon D7100. The test of the AF system went excellently. The birds were not really active, however they showed themselves for a few seconds on the branches and the camera focused very quickly and exposed. A Wallcreeper couple also approach our hide, they moved even more faster than the hoopoes.

About 85 percent the test material made this way was razor-sharp, which is an excellent performance from a medium category camera. We set the sensitivity up to ISO 640 because of the low light but that was the maximum we needed and the picture were done in very good quality and rich in details.

The third test situation aimed to try out the HDR and multi-exposure opportunities. HDR was not available in D7000 but here we have the HDR mode which was familiar from Nikon D4 and D800. We could save the pictures either in TIFF or JPG. I selected a nice flood area where the trees were reflected along the road.

This scene was perfect for a little foolish and creative photography.

The next day Anikรณ and I went back to make some experiment with a Nikkor wide-angle lens. The body performed well in that test too, we almost have not had any blurred picture.

A body designed for extreme conditions

100% zoom

Nikon D7100 was definitely born to be used for nature photography, its massive frame was made out of magnesium alloy, the upper and back cover provide a strong protection against dust, hits and weather. The structure of the shutter which is guaranteed by the producers, was tested up to 150000 exposures. May it be cold, frost, heat or sand, D7100 will do its job.

To summarize: Nikon D7100 is a fantastic high-resolution DX sensor DSLR body with an excellent AF ISO sensitivity. The precise development of the AF system, the 51 AF points and lots of other novelties push this camera rather up to the professional segment, but it defeinitely became the best of its category.

We would like to say thank you for the long test opportunity to Nikon Ltd.

Tester: Anikรณ Imre and Tamรกs Imre

Csaba Kolluder

I live my life at the hectic pace of the modern

and psychological aspects of human perception,

metropolises in Budapest for nearly fifty years.

it somewhat differs from the curriculum of the

I am a technical professional, so it is a crucial

traditional photo schools. Despite that, I can warmly

component of my way of thinking that I make

recommend Rudolf Arnheim’s work, Art and Visual

my decisions according to logical constructions.

Perception: A Psychology of the Creative Eye, for

Therefore, in my daily work, I am characterized

those who would like to create messages by visual

mainly as being objective and rational. Looking

tools and for those who want to understand them.

out of this closed world gives me the chance to create my inner balance and harmony. Exploring

Due to my respect for nature photographers,

areas in nature which are hardly touched by

I would say in any case that myself is included

human hands and capturing my experiences, this

in that category. I’d rather make a new category

is what nature photography presents to me.

“experience photographer”, which is based on the inspiration of Thomas Burnet’s following thoughts:

At the beginning I just wanted to capture the aesthetic experience as perfectly as I could. However,

„I think, the biggest subjects of Nature are those of

as time went by, I felt an increasingly strong desire

which sight is the most delightful, and - after the wide

to understand the processes which cause that

skies and the endless regions of the stars - I cannot find

a certain visual content not only has an impact

anything else which I could watch with such delight,

on us but is able to trigger emotions as well.

than the infinite sea and the mountains. There is

Armed with more than forty years of life experience

something mighty and fascinating in the sight of them

and after countless photo experiences I delved

which encourage man for big thoughts and passions.”

into the subject deeply. I restarted my studies.

During the research for my thesis I studied primarily visual communication in the context of impact and generation of emotion. As my approach to this subject is rather based on the physiological

Portfolio

Among smooth waves

Peace an

nd silence

Systematic

cally natural

Once upo

on a time

Shivering

Tamed waves

This is Iceland too

Strange whiffle

Embraced

d by waves

Between sk

ky and water

Unusua

al forms

Softs an

nd solids

Naturally s

systematic

Field test Canon EOS 6D

Canon EOS 6D was announced by the producer last autumn but I could get its final commercial version for a short testing only in spring, this year. We could call 2012 the year of full frame DSLRs as never ever has been launched so many outstanding quality camera at the same time from different producers. Let’s see what Canon EOS 6D knows.

Canon EOS 6D, EF28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

f/11 1/50 sec ISO 250

Press news We could read and hear in every press release that this camera will represent a new category of EOS and will be the entrance level for amateur photographers who want to buy a full frame body. The real novelty is not that another - a bit cheaper - body was born, but its WIFI and GPS application. These are inbuilt application so the photographer do not has to spend extra money on these technical achievements.

Technology and appearance EOS 6D is an interesting body as it represents the entrance level of full frames and was designed according to that fact, so you should not expect a professional look and a big, robust structure. However, when I took it in my hands, I did not feel the “little brother” feeling. Moreover, at the crucial joints it even got a water and dust resistent insulation.

And the front and back part of the body was made out of cast magnesium.

It is definitely similar to the 5D Mark III body, however, the controls look closer to those of the EOS 60D, such as the rear control wheel.

This way a hybrid, amateur full frame was designed but it is also professional.

According to Canon’s description, the shutter was designed for 100,000 exposures which is good news as it should be enough for today’s photographer. The soul of the body is a DiGiC 5+ processor-controlled (the same as in the 5D Mark III) 20,2 megapixel CMOS sensor which can capture 5472×3648 pixel images in the highest resolution. This is a significant resolution but a bit less than that of the competitor’s full frame. However, it is good at noise level reductions, so the image quality is better at higher ISO sensitivity.

On the day before testing I studied thoroughly the menu system and the functions. I expected a bit more from the AF system, we can select only from 11 focus points or leave it for the auto focusing.

This solution was reminiscent of the first EOS 5D, there is no focus priority option what the “big brother” or the EOS 7D had, so I am not looking for the M-Fn button next to the shutter button.

We can reach the most important menus in a blink by the Q control button which is very usable in the medium categories.

After a half an hour of familiarization I could control the body with the usual routine.

Image quality and speed Most photographers ask about these two if they email me or we just meet.

This is partly understandable as these are the most important indices before the purchase of a body.

Let’s see what EOS 6D is capable for.

To test the image quality I took test photos at different ISO sensitivity in studio environment and assessed them

by Canon’s own Digital Photo Professional factory software. I disabled the high ISO sensitivity noise reduction in the menu of the camera, so I could minimize the software aftercare before processing. The results are as follows. The large full frame sensor size and the quasi 20 megapixel resolution are excellently suitable for good quality shots at high ISO range.

The results of the ISO sensitivity test: between ISO 100 and ISO 400 I could not experience any difference, I could even say that it doesn’t matter which ISO value is used at this range. Between ISO 500 and ISO 800 a little noise emerged but with fine tuning and with some overexposure it gave excellent results. At ISO 1000 and ISO 1600 it shows a little noise, but it is negligable and by a smaller software noise reduction can still provide excellent photos. I blew it up and checked in a 70x100 cm print size

by Photoshop and it would be OK on the wall or even at an exhibition. ISO 2000, ISO 2500 and ISO 3200 are noisy, but by Digital Photo Professional software - setting Luminance Noise Reduction to 4 and Chrominance Noise Reduction to 6 - we can get quite acceptable pictures.

Canon EOS 6D, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM +1.4x III

f/1

11 1/320 sec ISO 200

Our picture photographed at these ISO values can be published in the press up to A4 size or with some digital noise - they even good for an exhibition. Oh my God, how it has developed again, an ISO 3200 picture for exhibition, it could not be possible a few years ago. ISO 4000, ISO 5000 and 6400 can be accepted only with some compromise, I would not recommend them for nature photography exhibition but they are still good for digital presentations or for websites.

They can also be used in the press in a smaller, e.g. A5 size. As for ISO 12.800 and ISO 25.600, we do not use this high sensitivity ranges for nature photography, but we might need them for socio-photography or for travel pictures. It has a good quality for after-images. Just to make it more interesting I took an ISO 1600 photo out of our archive taken by an EOS 1D Mark II camera and it was nearly as noisy as the EOS 6D

at ISO 12.800, that’s really a nice result. An even higher sensitivity does not make sense to me, in addition they are all manipulated by software.

To summarize all results, the camera can be used well in the field between ISO 100 and ISO 3200.

The size of the RAW images range from 21 to 25 MB, so to get a bigger capacity card is definitely recommended.

The multi-exposure abilities of Canon EOS 6D with about 4.5 to 5 picture/second are not the best, it can expose 13 to 15 pictures at the highest RAW resolution, then it gets slow and even stops and waits for saving the images. It is worth buying a faster SDHC card if speed is important for you. Its AF system is also not the best here, so nature photographers can use this function rather for landscape, macro, abstract and plant photography.

Canon EOS 6D, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM

Out in the field Due to the short test period and the extremely rainy weather I could take the camera only for a one-day landscape and macro photography.

I put a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2,8 L II IS USM, a Canon EF 16-35mm f/2,8 L USM and a Canon EF 24-70mm f/4 L IS USM lens in my bag next to the EOS 6D. Anikó and I set off very early, at half past three in the morning. We picked up Arpád Krivánszky who also uses a Canon system and knows the spring nature photography scenes well in the region of Budapest. After an hour drive we arrive at our photo scene which was unfortunately covered by thick fog, but it was just good to check how noisy our images would be at increasing ISO sensitivity. After a while, at the lights of the rising sun we visited another two nice scenes where we could test

f/11 1/60 sec ISO 200

the body for landscape and macro photography.

Despite the short test period I can state the following facts. The electronics of the camera did focusing well even in fog but I often had to select from the focus points to make focusing on the right contrast. I could not use HDR - one of my favourite modes on EOS 5D Mark III - at RAW setting.

I had to set the camera to JPG mode and using the CA (Creative Auto) function on the control wheel I could find this option. Unfortunately, this way I could not save RAW HDR images from the original three exposure, only JPG HDR is available. I was not happy for that but this camera is not at the same price category as its “big brother”. Despite of that the dynamics range of the photos is quite good and details on the dark parts can be well processed by software.

Canon EOS 6D, EF70-200mm

m f/2.8L IS II USM +1.4x III

100% zoom

I was not prepared for macro, so I borrowed the extension tubes from a colleague for a short time, and I could take shots of butterflies, so this field was also tested.

My other favourite is the multi-exposure, although here I also found some simplifying.

I could only choose from two modes and it can only save the result.

Unfortunately, I could not try out the video mode because of the short testing time.

GPS and WIFI As an extra service, we can switch on the GPS receiver in the menu which refreshes data in eight different frequency. The coordinates will be in our pictures in EXIF file, so we would know wher we took the photo which is a great help for explorers and nature photographers. It is the best solution to get back to a plant we have photographed before. Of course, we can save our route and pictures in a map too (e.g. Google map).

Another novelty is the WIFI option. We will need Canon’s Remote Control software for the wireless connection. The Android or iOS application can be downloaded to smart phones as well. If we use the Remote Control with a laptop, than we can save our studio pictures directly into the computer.

And with a smart phone we can control our camera, can see the live view, expose and do lots of things without even touching the camera body. It can come in handy in hide photography.

Summary

f/11 1/100 sec ISO 400

Canon EOS 6D is a new camera focused on nature, report and travel themes, with many extra functions and data transfer options.

If you have been fancying a full frame recently, then go on and buy it, you won’t be disappointed.

The body was provided by Canon Hungary and the Camera Ltd.

Tester: Tamás Imre

Overall winner

Evening idyll © Hermann Hirsch Canon EOS-1D Mark III, EF500mm f/4L IS USM f/4.5 1/125 sec ISO 400

GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2013

GDT

Gesellschaft Deutscher Tierfotografen Hermann Hirsch youngest photographer ever to win in the history of the competition. Last weekend during their annual general meeting, the Society of German Nature Photographers (GDT) selected the Nature Photographer of the Year 2013. Eighteenyear-old Hermann Hirsch, member of the GDT Group of Young Photographers, is the youngest winner in the history of the competition.

Every year this competition is exclusively run for the Society’s members (unlike the competition ‘GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year’ which is open to all photographers resident in Europe.)

“To watch a vixen raising her young in the middle of a city influenced by human activity as much as Dortmund, has been one of my most stunning experiences in nature so far. A total of eight little foxes romped about near the entrance of their den, situated only two minutes from where I live. Naturally, I spend several hours each day there to observe what was going on and also to photograph. The one in the photograph is the biggest of this litter of foxes. He was always the last one to leave the den and he also regarded me with the greatest suspicion. One evening when the little foxes played and scrapped right before my very feet, the ‘big one’ would only sit there and watch the summer sun go down.

What an idyllic scene in the centre of the Ruhr region!”

With his image “Evening Idyll” Hermann Hirsch came out on top in a field of 226 GDT members from nine countries. In total 3,577 images were submitted. After pre-selection by a jury, members made their choice at the weekend from ten images in each of the seven categories: Birds, Mammals, Other Animals, Plants & Fungi, Landscapes, Nature’s Studio, and this year’s special category ‘Animal Portraits’.

The photographs of this competition will be exhibited from May 23 until the end of September at the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) in Bonn.

As usual a selection of the winning images will also be shown at the GDT International Nature Photography Festival running October 25 to October 27, 2013.

You can view all awarded images at www.gdtfoto.de.

Contact Hermann Hirsch: Hermann.Hirsch@gmx.de, phone: +49-176-31 25 11 04

Categor

win

A frosty resting pl NIKON D4, 50 f/8 1/250 se

ry - birds

nner

lace Š Bernd Nill 00.0 mm f/4.0 ec ISO 1600

Category -

runn

Fox in fog forest Canon EOS-1D Mark III f/5 1/100 se

- mammals

ner up

t © Klaus Echle III, EF17-40mm f/4L USM ec ISO 1000

Category -

3rd p

When night falls © Canon EOS 7D, EF30 f/2.8 1/800 s

- mammals

place

© Christoph Kaula 00mm f/2.8L IS USM sec ISO 1600

Category - ot

win

Spotlight © K Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF10 f/2.8 1/500

ther amimals

nner

Klaus Tamm 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM sec ISO 100

Category - pla

win

Lady’s slipper © A NIKON D700, 3 f/4 1/500 se

ants and fungi

nner

Ariane Mueller 300.0 mm f/4.0 ec ISO 800

Category - l

runn

Landscapes in bloom NIKON D700 f/5.3 1/8 se

landscapes

ner up

Š Sandra Bartocha 0, 250.0 mm ec ISO 200

Category - na

win

Bubbling © NIKON D800, 70.0 f/4.8 1/3200

ature’s studio

nner

© Sigi Zang 0-200.0 mm f/2.8 sec ISO 1250

Category - ani

win

Capercaillie Š Canon EOS 5D Mark II, E f/2.8 1/640 s

imal portraits

nner

© Klaus Echle EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM sec ISO 400

Category - birds runner up

Returning from the hunt © Michael Lohmann Canon EOS-1D Mark IV, EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM f/14 1/1250 sec ISO 1000

Category - landscapes 3rd place

Piano Grande © Heinz Buls Canon EOS 40D, EF35-350mm f/3.5-5.6L USM f/8 1/30 sec ISO 200

Category - Na

runn

Indian Summer © NIKON 1/800 sec

Category - pla

runn

Maple leaves in fog fore Canon EOS 7D, EF-S10 f/9 1/250 s

ature’s Studio

ner up

Katharina Becker D7000 c ISO 125

ants and fungi

ner up

est © Joachim Wimmer 0-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM sec ISO 100

Category - Animal portraits runner up

Young Lion © Carsten Ott Canon EOS 5D Mark II, EF400mm f/5.6L USM f/5.6 1/500 sec ISO 200

Category - other animals runner up

Wing tips © Karsten Mosebach NIKON D800, 200.0 mm f/4.0 f/5.3 1/2000 sec ISO 500

Tips and tricks figures, forms, faces

Rarely we can find some formation in nature which reminiscent of the shape of a human, an animal or a certain object. Such formations can develop in a cliff, tree trunk, plank, surface of the ground, water or snow and ice. Sometimes we need decades to set up a collection which is worth showing.

I think photographers cannot go out with the intention to find such things, but if the encounter with such themes happens, they should capture it! Of course, there is a risk that the viewer cannot follow the photographer’s too vivid fantasy and cannot see what the photographer thought to detect. However, the success is sure if the similarity makes the viewer smile widely. As for me, I have never applied any artificial intervention to achieve that success.

Please receive with love this set of pictures which were taken from spring to autumn. I will show my winter photos of this kind next time.

Leaf in the tree A little humorously, I was thinking a lot about how leaves can grow on the trees if all the previous ones fell down in autumn? Obviously some of the leaves hide inside the trunk of the tree....

Canon EOS 30D EF28-105mm f/3,5-4,5 1/5sec f/16 ISO 100

I’ve brought flower!

I’ve brought flower! - said the Giant, clutching a pine tree in his hand (from left). Thanks, darling! the Giantess whispers in his ear (from right). The couple is talking to each other on the sandstone cliffs above the Elba in the Czech “Switzerland”.

Canon EOS 30D EF80-200mm f/2.8L f/16 1/5sec ISO 100

Ecological footprint A part of the cracked soil in the foreground of the abandoned bauxite mine was reminiscent of a footprint, that was leading me to the title. The ecological footprint of the civilised man is too big, people waste energy, produce rubbish and use natural resources excessively.

Shy elephant Canon EOS 30D EF28-105mm f/3,5-4,5 f/10 1/100 sec ISO 100

This shy, closed-eyed elephant welcomes the visitors in the Tisa sandstone labyrinth, near the German border in the Czech “Switzerland”.

Eight O’ Five Conifers are characterised by having several branches at the same height, so clock-like formation can appear on the cutting surface of the trunk. You can expect the analogue display with hours hand and minutes hand, no one has ever found a digital display in any trunk...

Canon EOS 30D EF80-200mm f/2.8L f/11 1/30 sec ISO 100

Canon EOS 300 EF28-105mm f/3,5-4,5 f/5,6 1/60 sec Fujichrome Velvia 50

Laughing Gnarl (on the right) The theme is laying on the street, as they used to say. Well, this E.T. shaped face (as many people said) leered at me from a pine board, on the side of a corncrib. I thought it was worth applying with this picture to the Nature Photographer of the Year national competition in 1995 in the “Composition and form” category. Few years ago a photographer friend of mine also found a face in a tree and gave the title “Tree Cheek” to his picture. I competed with that picture and my photo, titled “Laughing Gnarl” was placed second by the jury.

Canon EOS 300 EF80-200mm f/2.8L f/6,3 1/90 sec Fujichrome Velvia 50

Canon EOS 30D EF28-105mm f/3,5-4,5 f/9 1/10 sec ISO 100

Canon EOS 300 EF80-200mm f/2.8L f/7,1 1/125 sec Fujichrome Velvia 50

Magilla gorilla

Gulliver’s head

Magilla keeps frightening the tourists by the road to the “Fátyol” Waterfall, in the valley of the “Szalajka” Stream.

Mirador is a viewpoint on the eastern side of the island of Mallorca from where this long-haired, pointed-nosed, bearded head can be seen.

However, this head could not be seen without the shadow which made up the line of the eyebrow and the eye.

Canon EOS 30D EF28-105mm f/3,5-4,5 f/5.6 1/80 sec ISO 200

Canon EOS 300 EF80-200mm f/2.8L f/8 1/125 sec Fujichrome Velvia 50

Sycamore cheek

Natureface

This face is looking to the distance from the trunk of a plane tree in Budapest.

This rock formation reminiscent of a woman’s head - the favourite theme of the local postcards - can be seen in the high mountains of Slovenia, North of Kranjska Gora, near to a mountain pass. This picture was made by my “family business”: my son spotted it, I took the photo and my wife gave the catchy title.

Pussycat I found this pattern reminiscent of the head of a cat at the end of a weathered, black beam of a wooden house in the Dolomites.

Canon EOS 30D EF28-105mm f/3,5-4,5

f/11 1/30 sec ISO 200

Text and images: ร rpรกd Krivรกnszky

People-cultures-cities A little bit of Peru We have spent three weeks in Peru. We have travelled, photographed, videoed enthusiastically but we could manage to get to know and capture only a little section of this wonderful country.

The more we have seen, the more we wanted to discover. We could fit only Lima and its environment, the Southern Mountains, Cuzco and its region, the Sacred Valley into our programme.

We managed to organise our trip the way that we could participate in one of the biggest religious event, the Corpus Christi holiday in Cuzco.

Moreover! We had the luck to take part in a one-day village celebration, not to mention rural weddings, military dance rites with which the locals made us happy along the way. The gradual acclimatisation to the increasingly high altitudes was an important aspect of planning our itinerary.

San Francisco in Arequipa

Arequipa, gate to the inner courtyard

Arequipa, decorated balconies

Marching students at the Plaza de Armason, Arequipa

Critique and the soldier, Arequipa

Lima did not show its nicest face when we arrived tired after a long flight. We only spent a night in a hotel near the airport, behind safe bars. The next day we flew again to Arequipa by a smaller, local plane. The town lies on the western side of the Andes, under the volcanic peaks, at 2380 m height. The city was founded by the fourth Inca, Mayta Cápak’s soldiers.

It has been a Spanish city since 1540.

Militarism is still going on. Every Sunday morning a guard of honour marches in the streets. The massive buildings made out of white volcanic stone have survived the centuries of war. The facades and the gates are richly carved, the windows have wroughtiron grates. The Saint Catherine monastery is a smaller town in the town. Its splendidly

bright-coloured little streets tortuously lead visitors from house to house and give us insight into the one-time world of the nuns.

The white city is coloured by plenty of handicraft shops with exciting homespun goods and nickel wonders. Even the small snack-bar, where we had lunch, was decorated with colourful pompoms and textiles.

The main square of the city is surrounded by an arcade. A fountain and palm trees in the middle in front of the cathedral. Above the arcades there are restaurants with terraces.

It is a photographer’s dream. To photograph comfortably, in calm conditions at the blue

Saint Katherine cloister, Arequipa

Army, Arequipa hour! I had to exploit my first blue hour in the square and my second one on the terrace very quickly. The blue hour only lasted for ten minutes. It was not in my expectation.

The volcanoes of the city, the Misti, the Coropuna and the Mismi can be seen from a splendid perspective from the top of a hill (2380 m) at the other side of the Rio Chili. They even built an arch under which all this sight can be “packed in�.

To organize our further trips we took a taxi from town to the bus station to buy a ticket for the local bus by which we could travel to Cabanaconde, the Colca Canyon.

We set off early in the morning and the taxi driver made sure that we took the right bus.

It does matter through which gate we approach the square where countless buses are waiting. We had a nice blue and white, muchtravelled bus. We tried to pack our luggage safely into the well-sized boot underneath.

Of course, I took my photo bag with me to the passenger compartment. The upper luggage rack was full. One of the boxes was loud from twittering of chickens.

Apart from us, only one tourist was on board, the bus was full of local people. We tattled along for a long time with frequent stops and new passengers.

We travelled through seemingly uninhabited deserted lands, crossed with canyons but there were always new passengers at the bus stops.

Marching soldiers, Arequipa

Arequipa, carved facade of the La Compania jesuit church

Cabanaconde, waiting for the performance

Even the corridor was filled with people sitting on their bags. Chivay is a big interchange (at 3630 m), the passengers changed. We stayed in. Go on by a similarly packed bus. There was a chasm by the narrow road. We were lucky, it was not raining.

Our clumsy bus was struggling on a dirt road, while we enjoyed our journey in a cloud of smell.

Finally we arrive at the bleak main square of Cabanaconde. A massive church and a few twofloor, flat-roofed buildings around the square.

We make our way through the mass and we are exhausted. Even a pig travelled at the top of the bus. Our hotel is few metres from the square on a little hill, at insuperable height. The journey and the 3287 m height suck all my strength away.

The next day early in the morning we continued our travel from here by the local bus with the sellers to the Crus del Condor viewpoint to photograph the Andean Condors. The River Colca flows 1200 metres under the viewpoint, the Mismi Volcano is in the background. At about 9 in the morning these giant scavengers circled around our heads thanks to the hot airstream coming up from the canyon.

They are easy to capture. But you have to arrive there in time, otherwise it is not easy to get a good position beacuse of the mass of tourists coming up from Chivay, so instead of the Condor you might only ponder.

Dance show on the main square, Cabanaconde

It is very cold in the morning but by noon it is really hot. After the condor watch we get back to our charming little village by hitchhiking. A party is on at the main square. The rich and the notables of the region are sitting under canvas. The local farmers are coming one by one with decorated buffaloes and bulls. The youth are waiting for their turn in splendid clothes, with embroidered felt hats.

Everybody is prepared for some performance.

The answers are shouted into a microphone.

Plenty of people all around. I can’t imagine where they were before. Finally the young people close the party with common dance. The small kids and the older ones in nice dresses with the characteristic hats of the region and its embroidery.

It does not matter if they can afford only one cloth but it has to be elaborate.

Lots of hikers are coming here, we just take a sunset walk on the terraces. The sun sets unusually quickly, without any transition.

Girl in Cabanaconde folk clothes

Generations, Cabanaconde

Another bus ride the next morning, but only to Chivay by the local bus, then form there by a tourist coach to Puno, the Lake Titicaca. We travel through a wonderful land, among beautiful terraced valleys and giant mountains. The clouds seem to be closer than usual. There is something to photograph in almost every turn, but the coach can stop only at a few places. It is already dark when we arrived at Puno, to our smart little hotel.

We are not lively, it’s not just the long trip but also the high altitude. The lake is the world’s highest shippable lake (at 4000 m).

In the morning they collect the venturesome tourists from the nearby hotels and take us to the swimming Uros Islands to meet the native people.

Almost every women here are quite matronly due to the limited opportunities of movement or the obesity. They wear glaring colourful clothes with straw hats. They allegedly never leave the island but speak quite good English which needs a little explanation. They make their living from fishing and selling handcrafted goods. They take it so seriously that they do not let you photograph before you buy something from them. They live on islands made out of reed and live in hats made out of reed. They are fishing from boats made out of reed.

They have their own schools, although they are not as separated from the outside world as at the times when they fled here from the Incas.

The recently excavated Sillustani pre-Inca cemetery along the Lake Umayo is more interesting.

The 12 metres tall burial towers were built by the Colla people. All of them has a gate at the eastern side. They were the burial places of the local families. The dead were buried along with their clothes, food and personal belongings.

We have also visited the little town of Chucuito, 19 km far from Puno. The town is sporting with two churches from the colonial era. And the Inca Uyo, the temple of fertility can also be found here. It was rather an ancient outdoor gathering place to where women came to pray for their fertility.

We walked down to the side of the Lake Titicaca where we witnessed a biblical scene. A pilgrim dressed in rough sack cloth, wearing sandals stumbled towards us. A retired Swedish lady with a happy smile was coming who enjoys here the mystical strength of Mary’s lake. She was walking to the nearby wellness hotel with her local companion.

We got back to the main square, the little buses also arrive there from Puno.

Hat shield, Chucuito

Stairs to the church of Chucuito

Young married couple after the ceremony, Chucuito

Chit-chat in hats, Chucuito

Sillustan, pre-Inca cemetary

Taquile island’s terraces at lake Titicaca

Married and single man on the main square of Taquile

Three different directions, Taquile

Spinn

ning and walking, Taquile

We had some time to wander around the church.

Some people went into the church, others were just walking. Here the dark coloured, loose skirts are in fashion, wide waistlines and little brown hats. My occasional photo model hid behind her hat shyly. They do not like the camera. A splendidly dressed group came out of the church, matronly women in colourful laces, wearing tiny brown hats, men in suits carried a picture-frame-like object towards the football pitch next to the church.

A wedding party was starting. Crates of beer emerged. After a short greeting the dance started.

Skirts were flying, the tiny hats stayed on. The gate was unconquerable because of the numerous bystanders. They were not happy for the uninvited photographers but after a while they just forgot about us. We also almost forgot about the bus, but finally we could catch one. Back in Puno we jogged to our little hotel by tuk-tuk.

The next day we went for hiking. We spent one day each on the two islands of Lake Titicaca, Amantanin and Taquile. Amantani has a population of 4000 people. They make their living by agriculture, fishing and selling handcrafted goods. It is a terraced, cone-shaped island.

Simple, tin-roofed houses, tidy plots. Women in embroidered, black shawls are waiting for us at the port. They are the landladies of the tourist group.

We are going to stay in Maria’s house.

A zigzagging, rising path leads to her house. We can hardly keep the pace, although we left most of our baggage in the hotel. We receive a simple, tidy little room. We live in the wealthiest house of the village. No water, no electricity.

We go for a walk on the island, but for sure, we won’t visit the archaeological ruins of Father Earth and Mother Earth on the top of the mount.

Every little upward slope (the whole island in fact) is a serious challenge. The locals organize a party for us in the community house. The party is in a cheerless room, enlightened with a bleak bulb. The local band starts to play, the kids keep jumping happily. The natives gathered the few tourists together and are sitting around us and watching how we are drinking beer. This attention is very nice but we can’t stay long. At dusk we meet at the main square, this is the meeting point of headlamped tourists. Our landladies guard us home with safe steps, without lamps. The dinner is under preparation in the kitchen of Maria’s mother-in-law in medieval conditions.

Knitting man, Taquile

Woman in traditinal clothes at Amantani island

The next day we sail over the Taquile Island, inhabited by only 2000 souls.

It is a wonderfully situated, 5.5 km long island. Everybody walks in his own pace up to the main square at the top of the mount where the group will meet. We can’t skip mountaineering but the sight compensates us. A young girl is struggling with the slope in ski anorak. We can see the snow-capped peaks of Cordillera Real at the Bolivian side of the lake. No vehicles here.

A few, simple house scattered around.

Men wear mid-calf length trousers, white shirts, smart vests and knitted caps, while women dressed in loose skirts and nicely embroidered blouses with big black shawls on their heads.

Women hold a little reel in their hands, they even twist wool during their walk. Along the way we meet a man who was musing over the beautiful landscape while he was knitting an earflap cap. Young boys wear their caps tilted left or right indicating that they are single or engaged. Married women twine some hair locks into their husband’s belt to let him know where he belongs to when he goes out. How many safety measures in such a tiny island! The sight is just amazing, we do not carry our photo equipment in vain. I would stay a little longer in the main square. You just have to sit down, somebody always come along knitting, spinning wool and walking.

After a short orientation we have lunch at even higher level and then only the steps left downwards. This is not much easier, however, thanks to the many photo stops, quite bearable.

We are the last ones to arrive to the ship. After a few pleasant hours of sailing on the Lake Titicaca we are in Puno again and preparing for the next day journey to the Inca capital, Cuzco.

Handcraft market, Uros

Women waiting for tourists at Uros island

Women of Uros

Boat with lookout tower made of reed, Uros

Text and images: MĂĄria CsicserinĂŠ Papp

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