In 2016 I had a major transformation in my approach to photography gear and couldn’t be happier today. I had to adapt to the reality of aging and not being able to carry the loads I used to carry. That year, during my 736 mile backpack trip through the state of Washington and the high Sierra Nevada on the Pacific Crest Trail forced the issue. It was paramount that I carry a camera outfit that didn’t break my back given everything else I had to carry without losing capacity to make pro level landscape and adventure imagery. I wasn’t sure I would succeed on either front. That trip produced 2 magazine covers, several double page spreads and other published print pieces.
My minimalist backpacking camera set up allows me to continue to enjoy backpacking still in my 60’s to my favorite remote places, like this camp on the Tonto Trail in Grand Canyon National Park, in December, 2024. Carrying less makes the experience better. My trail set up on this trip, a Canon R7 with a Sigma 10-18mm, f/2.8 (16-36mm full frame equivalent), is lighter and more capable than what I was using just 4 years ago without any sacrifice of image quality.
CARRY LESS, SHOOT MORE
Ever since then, I have fully embraced what I call the “carry less, shoot more” mantra. This has allowed me to go further from the crowds and shoot more remote and beautiful locations. I adopted this less is more approach for my photography from my other passions. With backpacking and packrafting finding a balance between weight, durability and performance is an absolute necessity in having a positive backcountry experience. Hyperlite Mountain Gear, a high end, ultralight gear company, who’s featured my work as a guest blogger, calls this Optimal Balance. I believe this principle of optimal balance is applicable to most genres of outdoor photography.
Consider this from Marketing Expert and national best-selling author, Seth Godin: “Lousy tools are dangerous … and undermine our work. Great tools are magical. They multiply our effort, amplify the quality of our work and delight us, all at once. It’s mediocre tools that we have to watch out for. They quietly and persistently corrupt our intent and force us to work harder on the parts that don’t matter as much.”
As we age and can’t carry as much and go as far as we used to, choosing the right tools that multiply effort and amplify the quality of our work as Seth wrote about should take priority over price. I try to maintain a high level of fitness for my age, but I know I can’t carry as much as I used to. Fortunately, I don’t have to. We’ve never had a better selection of lighter mirrorless camera bodies, lenses and accessories than we do today. It’s hard to keep up with. There are so many choices that it can be overwhelming to choose all the components of your camera system that all work together to maximize the joy of outdoor photography without struggling with poorly designed gear.
On challenging photo hikes like a winter hike up the Narrows in Zion National Park in winter it is helpful to have your camera readily accessible. This means less set up and take down time when fleeting light presents itself to you.
OPTIMAL BALANCE
As overwhelming as it is, we should all put in effort to achieve this optimal balance with our camera systems. And yes, it is a system and involves more than just bodies and lenses. Your system includes tripods, heads, plates, lights, filters and camera bags. They should all work together well. Whenever practical and affordable I am updating my system with newer gear if it adds value by increasing performance and/or reducing weight.
You may not plan on doing self-supported, multi-day wilderness adventures with your photo gear, but even for everyday use having a simplified and efficient camera that is easily and quickly accessible, a breeze to set up AND operate that works smoothly and solidly means more years enjoying the outdoors and photography. You will also miss fewer shots. It’s painful to see shooters struggling with gear as the epic light is rapidly disappearing and/or the animal is running away.
My operation now is far more efficient and lighter than it used to be. My camera bag is small and easy to travel with. As a general practice when I’m operating close to a vehicle, I have 2 cameras, 1 with a wide angle to normal zoom and one with a telephoto zoom. I want options on how to best render a scene or subject and having 2 bodies with different lenses minimizes changing lenses and filters. Sometimes, however, it’s not practical or comfortable carrying 2 bodies and lenses.
Even if you are not walking far, having a compact system means you can get all the gear you need in a small space, like under a helicopter or small plane seat and not miss good shots. My compact general landscape and travel rig is a Canon R5, with 2 EF lenses: a 15-35mm/f4 and 70-200mm/f4, both compact and light lenses. What I need for 95% of my shooting with full frame capability from 14mm to 500mm fits into a Mindshift Backlight Sprint pack.
EASE OF CONTROL
Ease of control is a really BIG DEAL for me. Even though my camera is doing the heavy lifting with calculating focus and exposure I am still in absolute control over how it renders a scene or subject. I constantly adjust, override and tweak settings the camera makes to optimize image quality. Doing this should be easy and second nature, just like driving a vehicle with standard transmission. I can think about something else or carry on a conversation without having to think about what gear I need to be in or how to work the clutch and gas pedal. I just do it. It’s all muscle memory.
I love my Canon R5 not because it takes better images than other brands and models. It doesn’t. I love it because it is the most efficient camera I’ve ever used. This didn’t come naturally. I spent hours reading the manual and studying the menu. I have customized every button and dial so it is dedicated to a specific function that I use and change regularly to adapt the camera for optimal performance for the situation I’m in.
When we arrived at this lake near Delta Junction, Alaska the aurora was quite active and we were all excited to get on it quickly. Even if you never wander far from a vehicle, as was the case here, having an efficient system that’s easy and quick to set up, and knowing your camera intimately means dialing it in in minimum time and missing fewer shots. Fortunately, at this location we all nailed the best of it.
HAVING AN EFFICIENT SYSTEM
Camera gear and relationships are like shoes. They can be the best made and most beautiful to look at, but if they don’t fit, there will be pain with every step. The R5 and other Canon bodies (not so much the R7, boo, hiss) just fit me.
I have an easy to grab and carry, easy to access, light accessory pouch that always has a polarizer, extra card and battery. My lenses all have the same filter thread minimizing the number of filters I carry.
My tripod legs are fairly light, smooth, silky, solid and a breeze to set up and take down. All my lenses and bodies have custom plates. There is no movement, no slip, and no interference with vital camera functions. I don’t share mounting plates. (Imagine sharing a pair of shoe laces between 2-3 pairs of running shoes just to save a buck.)
It only takes me 5 seconds to solidly mount my camera or lens on the tripod. My custom fit L-plates just make it quick and efficient to switch from horizontal to vertical.
I have practiced learning where critical buttons on my camera are and the difference between the focusing and zoom rings on my lenses so I can operate them in the dark. I guess all those years spooling film for E6 processing in a pitch black room has paid off.
This was from a hike-in, paddle-out pack rafting trip in which I take my backpacking camera set up. It adds 2 pounds to my total weight and is compact enough to pack in my deck bag on my packraft.
CAN I CHANGE TO BECOME A MEAN LEAN PHOTOGRAPHING MACHINE?
If you are not there already, reaching the goals I’m describing above is not easy. It takes time and practice. It’s not something you reach once and then just coast. It requires recurring effort and change.
I remember the Man’s Prayer, from the corny Canadian sitcom, ‘The Red Green Show’. The man’s prayer went like this: “I am a man, I can change, if I have to, I guess.” OK, ladies, you already have an advantage, right? Can you change too? Spoiler alert: It’s NEVER too late to change, regardless of age, and try new things. It’s never too late to increase physical fitness, flexibility or learning new cameras and techniques to streamline your photo operation or add to your artistic repertoire. We should all strive to become a “mean, lean, photographing machine!”
What are you doing to make your photography faster, easier, lighter, more impactful and more enjoyable?