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| © John E. Marriott |
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It's one thing to throw a ton of gear into your car if you're driving to a landscape shoot. But when you strap a pack onto your back and head into a wilderness, less is more. For the lowdown on lightening your load, we asked top pro wilderness shooters to share their tips. Here's some gear and techniques they use:
Cosmetic appeal
Don't leave home without your makeup bag. No, not for mascara, but for filters, memory cards or film, blow brush, lens cloths, and sensor cleaners. These light, plastic organizers feature plenty of compartments and zippered sections. Get one that's moldable enough to fit into odd spaces in your pack.
John E. Marriott
www.wildernessprints.com
Use bubble wrap
Bubble wrap is much lighter than other padding and can save your equipment from the bumps and grinds of wilderness travel. A camera inside a bubble wrap pouch -- itself inside a puncture-resistant, waterproof stuff sack -- is almost invulnerable.
John Noble
www.wildernessphoto.co.uk
Soak up the sun
Forget heavy alkaline batteries! Go rechargeable, and take a roll-up solar battery charger like the Brunton SolarRoll 9 (www.brunton.com). It weighs only 10.6 ounces and costs $240 (street).
Bill Stevenson
www.billstevensonphotography.com
Use your head
Your map shows a ridge that promises spectacular sunrise shots. It's 2,000 feet above your camp. What do you do? You get up at 4 a.m., grab your photo gear, and hike two hours to get there before sunup. How do you light your way? Try a headlamp like Petzl's Tikka 3 LED (en.petzl.com), which weighs just 2.5 ounces, plus three AAA batteries. The cost: $30 (street).
Martin Hawes
www.martinhawes.info
Legs to stand on?
Cut pack weight with a carbon fiber tripod. Slik's Pro 813 CF II carbon fiber tripod (www.slik.com) weighs 3.4 pounds. The equivalent Slik tripod in aluminum, the Master Classic, weighs 5.5 pounds. The downside is the price. The carbon fiber model runs $280 (street), while the aluminum model costs $140. If you think a light tripod isn't stable enough, hang your pack from it as an anchor. Lighter still, a pocket-sized tripod such as the folding, 4-ounce, $20 (street) UltraPod II (www. pedcopods.com) may be all you need. Or don't take one at all, and use rocks, trees, and your pack as steadying devices.
Ben Knapinski
www.bjk.com.au
Go soft
Use soft CD sleeves rather than plastic filter cases. This can save an ounce or two. No big deal? Say that when you're humping up 3,000 feet of switchbacks.
Lenard Sanders
www.mustseephotos.com
Pool haul
If you have to cross slow, deep rivers or swim through slot canyons, take a lightweight, inflatable baby pool big enough to float your photo gear and pack. Get one with multiple tubes that inflate separately, in case of leaks. Sunset Glow Inflatable Baby Pools come in different sizes, weigh between 2 and 5 pounds, and sell from $3.50 to $6.50. And, of course, make sure your gear is in a waterproof bag, such as the SealLine Dry Case (www.seallinegear.com) with a submersible closure. The largest size weighs 2.8 ounces and costs $20 (direct).
Ben Knapinski
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