photography

This was round 1 of packing for this trip…it got thinned out a bit to save on baggage fees
2 lights…an Einstein and an Alienbee, plus battery to power them, cords, remotes, and reflector
GoPro / misc. case. Gaff tape (even better than duct tape), mounts, batteries, external mic
Clothes, pre-treated with permethrin for bugs and whatnot
2 stands, mini soft box, umbrellas, and a tripod
Ditty bag (that’s what my dad called it anyway…tooth brush, floss, soap, allergy meds…and ear plus…in case the critters or the night life won’t shut up
My three favorite travel items…Tevas for wading into streams, headlamp for hands free light, and a big ol’ knife…mostly for cutting cheese
Mud boots for the Panama rain forest…the subject said, “they will protect you from the mud… and snake bites.” Yay.
Sun screen, bug spray, cards, a whistle, light duty rope, reusable silica gel packs, and zip lock bags for drying out unhappy electronic gear
A couple Canon 5dMarkll cameras, lenses from 16-400, extra batteries and cards, and a self-timer gizmo thingy (technical term)
Lots of waterproof bags, skeeter nets, rain coats, and footwear
Briefcase with the all the work stuff

Anatomy of a travel shoot

  Just a closer look at the gear that comes along on a travel shoot. More info is in the captions…just click on each image. This is why I like to drive places. I made one last pass and thinned out a bit before the flight…but this is the gist of it.

15 below
downtown Minocqua
using the GoPro
the results
doesn’t look like much…
but it’s lovely
the moment just before the model steps on your GoPro
the moment just after the model steps on your GoPro
beer
critters
food
20 below
20 below plus an incalculable wind chill at 40 mph
swinging bridge
biggest snowman I’ve ever seen
a pretty big fish…and a dude that has bare, wet hands at 20 below
some of this
fresh groom
the warm day
and a little of this
bye…

Photo Tip #27…Dress Warm

Travel photography is all glamour, all the time. You get to be in the world’s most beautiful places under stunning conditions. People are happy to see you and they treat you well. Of course, sometimes you get to work 20-hour days. Sometimes you have to photograph snowmobiling at 30 below and sometimes you get to…

The porch
See? It has air conditioning!
The interior

Travel tip #83…Change plans

We had a campsite reserved, but with 100 degree days in the forecast, we made a last minute change. Two miles from our national park site was a private campground with air-conditioned camper cabins. As luck would have it, someone had cancelled and I snapped up the room, proudly announcing the good fortune to my…

The Needle’s Eye on the Needles Highway
Unidentified wildlife on Wildlife Loop Road
Pre-dawn along the Needles Highway
Heading back to camp

Out of the blue

Long before the sunrise photographers arrive, the world is beautiful. The details are subdued, the air is still, and I like to imagine how the light will fall on the landscape and reveal the scene. For me, it’s a time of wonder and anticipation, especially when the place is new to me. At the end…

Travel tip # 73…get off the freeway

Slow down. Stop. Get out of the car. Two decades as a travel photographer and I still have the same knot in my stomach every time I approach a new location. “Crap,” says the voice in my head. “I don’t see anything here. How’s this gonna work?” At 70 mph, it’s hard to see the…