In part three of his exclusive four-part series, acclaimed landscape photographer Colin Prior tackles the eternal question of what to pack, and what to leave behind.
A constant source of anxiety for us photographers is what equipment to take away with us. If we look at the problem logically, the answer may be quite obvious, but there’s always that little voice urging us to pack more, to not leave that lens behind – just in case. Well, I’m afraid to tell you that these personal debates never get any easier, and are only exacerbated when planning an overseas trip; so don’t think that it’s only you who suffers quietly. But hopefully my own philosophy and experience might help in clarifying your own thinking when it comes to your next trip.
Until recently, when I went on location to the Scottish Highlands, I was carrying a panoramic Fuji GX617 camera with three lenses, a large format Ebony 5x4 camera with seven lenses and a Canon outfit with two bodies and five lenses. But when walking or climbing in the mountains, I’m only able to carry one body and a couple of lenses, so I often set off wondering what on earth I was doing transporting all this equipment whose cumulative value was well in excess of my car.
Since then, I’ve moved on and no longer work with the 5x4, so have one less camera bag to haul around. Ironically, when you work with such large format equipment it dictates your approach and because of its weight and bulk, confines you to working at short distances from a vehicle. Life however is still way too complicated, and until the end of last year I continued to work with the Fuji GX617, and Hasselblad X-Pan II system together with the digital Canon 1Ds Mark II. However from the start of this year, I replaced all my film-based cameras with another Mark II body. Working on location with both digital and film cameras was a real pain, since in addition to carrying a laptop, portable hard drives and storage devices, you still had the anxiety associated with film. The other consideration, which has ultimately influenced my decision to move entirely to digital, is Fuji’s decision to cease production of Velvia 50. For 15 years, this film was my exclusive choice and I have no desire to shoot landscape with a 100 ISO emulsion. Despite the increasing trend of photographers migrating to digital capture, I really do have to question the wisdom of Fuji’s decision to replace one on their most successful films - one which has enjoyed a loyal following by the majority of outdoor and wildlife photographers throughout the world - with an improved emulsion with no track record. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
So what’s in my bag? Over time, I’ve evolved solutions based on specific criteria, ultimately dictated by the expectation of a shoot. Basically, if I’m climbing mountains, weight is always the limiting factor. If I plan to camp overnight on a summit, I carry a big climbing rucksack with a one-man tent, sleeping bag, thermarest, stove, gas, pots, cup, food (lots of it) waterproofs and of course, a camera and tripod. So what I need for this scenario is a small camera bag like the Lowepro Toploader 75AW and a supplementary lens case. This combination will allows me to carry a Canon 1D’s Mark II with a 70-200L f2.8 IS lens mounted, a 24-70mm f2.8L and a TC1.4X converter at the top of my rucksack and on reaching the summit, give me a small robust bag from which I can work untethered from the heavier equipment. My tripod is a lightweight Gitzo mountaineer G1227 with an Arca-Swiss B1 ballhead. Without the weight of camping equipment I may have added a 100mm f2.8 Macro lens. Back in the car, I would have a wider range of optics such as a 300mm f2.8L IS and perhaps also a 500mm f4L IS which could be used at shorter distances from the road.
Beyond this, if I were planning an overseas trip, I would be using either of my two Lowepro Nature Trekker or Pro Trekker bags. These are camera backpacks specifically designed for carrying professional kit into remote parts of the world and are equipped with waterproof covers. With an extremely robust and durable construction, they allow the photographer to arrange his or her equipment in a way which suits their own way of working. Typically they will hold a couple of bodies and around five or six lenses and the Photo Trekker meets airline criteria regarding cabin bag size (but probably not weight when full!). I have, on occasions checked them as hold luggage and my equipment has always been intact at the other end.
Regardless of where in the world you’re travelling, having too much kit can often be more of a problem that having too little, and my ultimate goal is finally to be travelling with one camera system and no film. Five years ago it would have been just a dream, but I’m closer to this goal than ever before. With quality no longer being dependant on format, camera and lens size, technology has liberated us from the need to own three camera systems. However weight remains one of the biggest issues and the Canon 1Ds Mark II couldn’t be described as lightweight. For the time being, I will continue to depend on vehicles, assistants, porters or pack animals and of course that much more civilised mode of transport, which overcomes all weight-associated problems - the helicopter!
On a recent trip to photograph the wild landscape of Fiordland in New Zealand’s South Island, I quickly became aware of the inaccessibility and vastness of its landscape and decided to charter a helicopter. After an amazing flight over a seemingly endless array of peaks we asked to be dropped on a peak at the head of Breaksea Sound. As I set up my tripod, I noticed a rather disturbed area of ground on the summit which bore the scar of a lightning strike, albeit at another time - in fact it was uncannily still with some high cloud. As the sun sank in the sky we photographed the crimson and yellow hues over a seeming endless array of peaks.
Sunrise was around 7.30am and lit up the sky in a spectacular kaleidoscope of colours, owing to the veil of cloud cover. For a brief moment, the sun broke through the clouds and created a halo around the peak on which we stood, projecting it into the sound but it was all too brief and the clouds closed in. An hour and a half later we were back in the helicopter, en-route to an un-named mountain summit, which from the air had looked interesting. The summit featured an amazing array of weathered granite rocks, which have over the millennia been shaped and smoothed into the most bizarre forms and textures. A relentless combination of wind, rain, ice, snow and sun has eroded these rocks into some of the most magnificent examples of natural sculpture I have ever seen. We spent six hours on the summit photographing in an overcast light, which was ideal for this subject. All my photographs were recorded digitally and the ability to preview images instantly adds considerable value to a shoot, particularly in accessing the success of both composition and exposure. Improvements to images are made in real-time, on location - it’s in the bag.
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