Earlier in August we asked you for your burning outdoor photography questions. We’ve selected a few of them, and as part of our ongoing photographer series, Kaare (sounds like Cory) Iverson shares his thoughts with us.
How do you carry your gear on a long hike? How do you organize all of your filters, lenses and extras?Ah, this is ever the conundrum with shooting in these difficult to access locations. I’ve been through countless systems and bags to try to find a one-size-fits-all solution and finally given into the old adage of the professional photographer - “you will never own just one bag for your gear” - and for this I am endlessly grateful for my relationship with Osprey and the garage full of packs it affords me.
My approach to carrying in camera gear on a long hike now is to spend a lot of time in pre-production so that I can limit the amount of gear I carry to the bare essentials that I predict I’ll need on a particular job. I then break my kit down into a series of modular cases that I can distribute throughout my pack (which is also loaded with all the survival essentials I’ll need while out there). Once on location, I’ll set up a basecamp for equipment where I can lay out and organize gear. If I want to make sure I don’t miss opportunities to shoot during the hike in, I’ll opt to also carry a light weight mirrorless camera setup on my person for quick access. It’s also nice to have a packhorse.
How do you carry your gear on a long hike? How do you organize all of your filters, lenses and extras?Ah, this is ever the conundrum with shooting in these difficult to access locations. I’ve been through countless systems and bags to try to find a one-size-fits-all solution and finally given into the old adage of the professional photographer - “you will never own just one bag for your gear” - and for this I am endlessly grateful for my relationship with Osprey and the garage full of packs it affords me.
My approach to carrying in camera gear on a long hike now is to spend a lot of time in pre-production so that I can limit the amount of gear I carry to the bare essentials that I predict I’ll need on a particular job. I then break my kit down into a series of modular cases that I can distribute throughout my pack (which is also loaded with all the survival essentials I’ll need while out there). Once on location, I’ll set up a basecamp for equipment where I can lay out and organize gear. If I want to make sure I don’t miss opportunities to shoot during the hike in, I’ll opt to also carry a light weight mirrorless camera setup on my person for quick access. It’s also nice to have a packhorse.
you will never own just one bag for your gear...
I’m looking to buy an entry level DSLR camera with a budget of $300-400. What would you recommend? I’m a bit of a die hard Canon user - more out of laziness about learning a new camera system than major technological advantage so I’m going to have to point you there (but also look to Sony and Nikon for comparably great systems as well). In the introductory end of the DSLR lineup you’ll find a camera series called “Rebel”. It used to be that these cameras lagged far behind the flagships of the Canon lineup but as digital image technology has advanced they’ve stepped up to be very capable camera systems. Canon also has a refurbished department where you can buy camera and lens kits for a pretty deep discount and a solid guarantee on quality.
