Photography while on the move can bring plenty of enjoyment, but when you tack on 20 lbs. of gear to a full hiking bag it can also bring exhaustion.
There are few things as disappointing to a photographer as seeing a great photo and not having a camera on hand. Unfortunately, the solution, always having a camera on hand, leads to always needing to have the right lens, tripod, flash unit and so on as well. The problem soon becomes not seeing something worth taking a picture of and not having the gear, but having so much gear that getting to where the pictures are is just too much work. Lightening your load whether just out for a stroll or on a long hike can make for more enjoyment and better photos.
Instructions
Suggestions
1. Lay out all of your photography gear that you plan to bring on one surface; a table or bed work well, but a work bench can be used just as easily.
2. Think about what you plan to shoot. If you plan to photograph wildlife, then take your wide angle and your normal focal length lenses off of the surface. If, instead, you will shoot landscapes or people, then remove your super-telephoto lens.
3. Remove lenses that cover the same focal lengths. If you have a 24-105 mm lens, then do not bring your 24-70 mm lens.
4. Charge your batteries before you leave and always carry one backup battery. Remove any excess batteries from the surface as well as any battery grips. If you are on an extended trip, then bring one or two more batteries, or if you have access to electricity, bring just one backup and bring the charger.
5. Take long range zooms, such as an 18-200 mm lens, from your bag and replace them with small and light prime lenses, like a 20 mm lens for wide angle landscapes and a 50 mm for normal shots. Primes are often much lighter and take up less room in your pack.
6. If you will be shooting primarily in daylight, leave your tripod at home. If you will be shooting near dusk or in the morning, then consider bringing a light tripod. The lightest tripods are usually made of carbon fiber. Smaller tripods pack easier and will be perfectly usable with a light kit.
7. Pack smaller cameras. For example, the Nikon D300 and the Nikon D90 share the same sensor, but the Nikon D90 is significantly lighter.
Tags: camera hand, gear that, having camera, having camera hand, then bring, wide angle