Non UK Auschwitz Advice

Ganton Gunner

Ganton Gunner

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peter
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Ok I am going to Poland in a 3 weeks for the FT worlds Air rifle comp.
While there as only staying 20 miles away I have booked a tour for me and a couple of friends.
I plan to take my D7200 (D500 staying at home i have a fear of it flying with airport staff or going missing etc.)
I have 3 lenses available but not sure I will want to do much lens swapping etc, so after some advice on whats recommended by people who know :)
anyone who has seen my pics will realise my main interests are normally birds etc,
I have available a sigma 50-150 2.8, a sigma 17-50 2.8 and a tamron 10-24 3.5-4.5
ideally I would only like to take 1 lens with me but logic says 2 so I can have one spare in my pocket while walking about etc.
I have every intention of keeping my pics black and white as I believe it is the most tasteful and respectful way (if that makes any sense)
Also I would really appreciate any advice on things to watch out for so to speak and any tips.
many thanks in advance :)
 
Ive not been, but have followed numerous threads and documentaries about it, so I would suggest keeping your options open...ie 50-150.....

I would say enjoy the trip, but clearly its not the right thing to say...I find myself both utterly transfixed and yet appalled at the whole thing, and would one day like to make the trip.
 
having been twice i would suggest the 17-50mm is all you would need
if you could borrow a 18-200mm that would be even better

its a very humbling experience
 
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Bobsyeruncle said:
You need to go to both Birkenau and Auschwitz.
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Birkenau is aka Auschwitz 11, it's part of the Auschwitz complex. I'm sure you know this, but it's worth bearing in mind for anyone planning a visit.
 
All groups are escorted around Auschwitz. Heed what they say about respecting the site.

They ask you not to take pictures in some places.

We had one guy in our group who couldn't care less and took pictures anyway.
Most disrespectful. It created a very bad feeling within the group.
 
MartynK said:
Birkenau is aka Auschwitz 11, it's part of the Auschwitz complex. I'm sure you know this, but it's worth bearing in mind for anyone planning a visit.
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It's in a different location though, that's why I said you need to do both.
 
The group leaders set quite a pace as there are so many people to take around - thousands every day. To be honest, there is not a lot of time to think about and take shots. I'd suggest a wide angle lens as most of the tour is inside the various buildings. The lighting is pretty bad inside the buildings and there will be dozens of people cueing to get round.

Auschwitz-Birkenau by Ken, on Flickr

Birkenau Crematoria II by Ken, on Flickr
 
kendo1 said:
We had one guy in our group who couldn't care less and took pictures anyway.
Most disrespectful. It created a very bad feeling within the group.
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I've been to a few places where the ask is to not take photos in certain places - Hong Kong's Big Buddha and Uluru & Kata Tjuta being three examples - and witnessed people absolutely ignoring the request from guides and in written notices. In each of these cases they were Americans (not sure what that says). Certainly on the Uluru trip, which was a guided walk around the 10Km base, it made things very uncomfortable.

Auschwitz is on our list of places to visit and I think I'd prefer not to take a camera at all. I think I'd prefer to just spend the time reflecting and not sure what I;d do with any photos I did take (just my view, of course).
 
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I visited Auschwitz back in a hot and sunny May 2009. Travelled from Krakow in a minibus size coach from the bus station. Auschwitz was fairly crowded with lots of school tours going on. I wandered around by myself, shooting with the DSC-R1 I had then. Where photography was allowed the light was challenging, especially for a camera from that time. Internal shots were often at iso 1600 and 1/4 sec supported by door frames etc, outside no issues. The group tours of Americans were the worst for photographing everywhere with flash, but no one told them to stop.

While waiting for the coach to Birkenau a bad thunderstorm hit, and I was just in my shirtsleeves. Had to make a quick decision, and ran for the bus stop, just squeezing in under cover, catching the next bus back. Always planned to visit again, still waiting.

If you had bought the 16-80 lens with your D500 I would have suggested pairing with the D7200. Based upon the lenses you listed the 17-50 would be the best option to take, but if you could take another, then the 10-24 as well.

Auschwitz Chimneys by Steve Bell, on Flickr
 
kendo1 said:
The group leaders set quite a pace as there are so many people to take around - thousands every day. To be honest, there is not a lot of time to think about and take shots. I'd suggest a wide angle lens as most of the tour is inside the various buildings. The lighting is pretty bad inside the buildings and there will be dozens of people cueing to get round.

Auschwitz-Birkenau by Ken, on Flickr

Birkenau Crematoria II by Ken, on Flickr
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the options were a 2 1/2 or 3 1/2 hour tour so we booked the 3 1/2 as figured it may be quite busy etc. :)
 
BT Bob said:
I've been to a few places where the ask is to not take photos in certain places - Hong Kong's Big Buddha and Uluru & Kata Tjuta being three examples - and witnessed people absolutely ignoring the request from guides and in written notices. In each of these cases they were Americans (not sure what that says). Certainly on the Uluru trip, which was a guided walk around the 10Km base, it made things very uncomfortable.

Auschwitz is on our list of places to visit and I think I'd prefer not to take a camera at all. I think I'd prefer to just spend the time reflecting and not sure what I;d do with any photos I did take (just my view, of course).
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He was American :) He kept pushing in and moving people aside so that he could do what he wanted...

My thoughts on the tour were that it was okay to take pictures outside - not much point inside. It was too busy, the lighting was not very good, and photography was discouraged in many.
It seemed like the best thing to do was to look and take in the enormity of what had happened, rather than take pictures. The reactions of the visitors was very variable - crying, shock, horror...
Not a pleasant day out but something worth doing.
In the corridors there are hundreds of pictures of the inmates on the walls. You were asked not to take any pictutres of them. Empty rooms were okay, but pointless.

So, I would suggest mainly outside pictures.
 
I went to both Auschwitz and Birkenau last year. I found the inside parts of the tour extremely crowded and hectic as a result, with not really enough time to reflect with your own thoughts.

During the outside parts of the tour, however, there was more space and a chance to take some photos. I kept to the 24-105mm

Auschwitz-Birkenau by Nigel Pitts-Drake, on Flickr

Auschwitz by Nigel Pitts-Drake, on Flickr
 
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Is a guided tour obligatory?
 
kendo1 said:
The group leaders set quite a pace as there are so many people to take around - thousands every day. To be honest, there is not a lot of time to think about and take shots. I'd suggest a wide angle lens as most of the tour is inside the various buildings. The lighting is pretty bad inside the buildings and there will be dozens of people cueing to get round.
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Really? The last time I was there I was free to wander at my own pace. I did arrive via public transport though, wasn't on a pre-booked tour or anything.
 
purpleclouds said:
See my above post, but I've also just researched this and no, it's not mandatory to join a guided tour.

http://auschwitz.org/en/visiting/
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Similar info just found:
If you are determined to visit independently you need to know that during peak season (April - October) the museum makes it obligatory to buy a ticket and become part of a 3.5hr guided tour unless you get there before 10:00 (difficult to do from Kraków) or after 16:00 - during which times it is possible to visit for free on your own (last entrance to Auschwitz I is 1.5hrs before closing).
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https://www.inyourpocket.com/krakow/visiting-auschwitz_113559v
 
We visited at end of August and it wasn't that busy. We didn't go as part of a bus tour though.
I found the guided tour very informative and it didn't feel at all rushed.
We did Birkenau first, then the main Auschwitz site.
I was aware of what went on in the camps, but didnt fully take in the enormity and full horror of what went on until I visited.
We also visited schindlers factory in Krakow and enjoyed that visit.
 
purpleclouds said:
Ah interesting, they must have added that caveat in recent years. If you're on the 7.10 bus from Krakow you should be there well before 10. The trains used to be uselessly slow but I think they've improved on that line and don't take much more than an hour either these days so arriving before 10 should be quite simple!
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Interesting reading. Although I'm likely to visit Krakow again combined with photo month, I'll now pass on visiting Birkenau. During last Krakow visit Schindlers workshop wasn't then open, they were still raising funds for it. For anyone staying in Krakow Liban Quarry is a nice walk out from the city centre. It was a wartime forced labour penal camp, there was a memorial there to the Poles that were worked to death. It was also used as a set for Steven Spielberg's Schindler film. Walk out to Krakus Mound, great views, then down into the quarry.

Liban Quarry distant view by Steve Bell, on Flickr
 
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I visited last year at the end of an organised workshop elsewhere in Poland and deliberately chose not to take my D750 with me, as mentioned you are always part of a group and I simply used my phone to record the day. Extremely moving experience and I didn't regret not taking the DSLR & kit.
 
As others have said, all you'll need is a walkabout lens. I used a 24-105 on a 5d mk3.
 
Do they allow people with mobility issues to tour the camp at their own speed either on foot or mobility scooter rather than being part of a group.
 
I went nearly 20 years ago now and wasn't really into photography at the time. I must admit thinking about it now, I'm not sure how much I'd want to photo it and I can't think of anywhere else I'd say that about. I don't think you'll want for much gear there though, just a standard zoom or short prime or something would likely be fine. Very moving place and well worth visiting.

On a more cheery note, in that area, worth taking the trip to the Salt mines too. You'll definitely want to photograph them.
 
I went a couple of years ago and took my 10-24 on my XT1, more than enough and enabled me to portray the scale of Birkenau and pick out the details of Auschwitz main complex.

My colleague went last week and agreed that it doesnt really hit you until you leave.

The Salt mines are defo worth a trip, ingenious engineering.

I spent 10 day sin Krakow and still didnt see it all, such an amazing city, full of history :)

Ganton Gunner said:
Ok I am going to Poland in a 3 weeks for the FT worlds Air rifle comp.
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Good luck in the competition, I used to work with Justin Wood and shoot FT myself.
 
gramps said:
This may answer the question.
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Thanks Gramps

I have also looked at Trip Advisor and being disabled probably will be an issue for me and it's a long way to go to find that you cannot do it. We did visit Buchenwald and Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camps 4 years ago so have an insight as to how the Nazis treated people they did not like.
 
Paul W. H said:
We did visit Buchenwald and Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camps 4 years ago so have an insight as to how the Nazis treated people they did not like.
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Considering the inhuman treatment involved and the fact that even young children, babies ... and yes the disabled, did not escape it, it should never be forgotten.
 
Recently visited Gdansk and although too far from Auschwitz, I visited a similar death camp called Stuthoff. It was free to get in and as others have said, very humbling.
It was eerily quiet and late in the day so few tourists. I used a compact camera system Olympus micro 4/3rds with 14-40mm lens and that covered everything.
 
gramps said:
Considering the inhuman treatment involved and the fact that even young children, babies ... and yes the disabled, did not escape it, it should never be forgotten.
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Neither should Dresden when Uk / USA dropped 3,900 tons of high explosive and incendiary bombs killing tens of thousands in a city centre, many were women, children who burnt alive.
 
And don't forget the innocent victims in London, Coventry, Birmingham, Bristol, Southampton, Sheffield, Liverpool, Manchester, Cardiff ...
 
GTG said:
Neither should Dresden when Uk / USA dropped 3,900 tons of high explosive and incendiary bombs killing tens of thousands in a city centre, many were women, children who burnt alive.
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Paul W. H said:
And don't forget the innocent victims in London, Coventry, Birmingham, Bristol, Southampton, Sheffield, Liverpool, Manchester, Cardiff ...
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Please do not sidetrack this thread :(

The concentration camps were (in context of those mentioned) the places of incarceration & murder of civilians i.e. non combatants.......it was done with the intention of genocide.

The deaths due to bombings are in their context tragic but every conflict since man stood on two legs & discoverd tools has seen the innocent die as the result of wars.

The two circumstances above though connected by the war have no direct relationship ~ concentration camps & the mass murder of civilians is something in a league of its own......with the only more recent comparisons of any relevance being Cambodian killing Fields of The Kymer Rouge, the Rwandan mass slaughter of a tribal group and the Balkans!!!!
 
Mr Pid said:
Good luck in the competition, I used to work with Justin Wood and shoot FT myself.
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I am reasonably good friends with Justin often have a meal together when both stopping away at shoots. Unfortunately he is not able to make the world's this year otherwise he would have been in the group :)
 
steveb said:
Interesting reading. Although I'm likely to visit Krakow again combined with photo month, I'll now pass on visiting Birkenau. During last Krakow visit Schindlers workshop wasn't then open, they were still raising funds for it. For anyone staying in Krakow Liban Quarry is a nice walk out from the city centre. It was a wartime forced labour penal camp, there was a memorial there to the Poles that were worked to death. It was also used as a set for Steven Spielberg's Schindler film. Walk out to Krakus Mound, great views, then down into the quarry.

Liban Quarry distant view by Steve Bell, on Flickr
Click to expand...

Indeed, with Płaszów concentration camp right next door too. Amon Göth's house and infamous balcony are also still there.
 
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