Backpacking and Photography

pantherlax

I'm going backpacking in the woods of either Delaware or Vermont in a week with about 4 friends. Its spring break of our senior year in highschool and instead of going to the beach down south and meeting girls, we are going to go backpacking but thats ok because I'm really excited for it lol.

Its my first time backpacking, but I've been shooting for two years.

Now question: backpacking with a camera.

1) In addition to my pack, I plan to carry my camera bag with me, a small backpack thatll include body, 18-70mm and 50mm 1.8. However I just weighed it all combined with bag and it weighs 5lbs, and 2 lbs just the bag. I've read and undestand how every pound is important and makes a difference. Should I keep it safe and bring it with my bag or is there a safe way to store my lens and camera?

2) We are going for about 2 or 3 nights. Will i be tempted to bring a tripod? If so how should i take it with me?

3) Although when i go out to shoot in general i just shoot whatever catches my eye and shoot anything instead of looking for something specific before hand. But this being one of our last highschool memories and having no experience backpacking i cant really picture what kind of situations and scenes i will encounter other than the nice landscape and nature shots. I dont kno what i am looking for as a response in this question lol but maybe someone can give me a sense of what our camp, our backpacking will be like.

Its kinda long i guess, but please read the bold for the straight to the point question.

Thanks.

achambers

The first thing to remember backpacking is 'an ounce in the morning is a pound at night.' Every ounce in your pack counts, at the end of the day, no matter how in shape you are, you're pack will feel like it's full of bricks.

I would suggest that you leave the 50mm home It may seem like it's a light lens and it won't add much, but when you couple that with food, clothing, tent, sleeping bag, etc the weight adds up. I would also leave the bag home. You can always wrap your body and lens in some clothing and put it in the top of your pack to carry. For extra protection Ziplock makes 2 gallon bags, I would suggest double bagging your camera anytime you're carrying it in your pack. Bagging your clothes isn't a bad idea either (single bag). My pack fell down a 30 foot cliff into a river and started to float away:cry , my gear was bagged and everything came out fine:ivar . My pack had about 2 gallons of water in it when we got it pulled out.

I would also suggest leaving the tripod home just because of the weight issues. I own a small lightweight monopod, sometimes even that can be a weight issue.

OsirisPhoto

Oh man, you're going to have fun Alan's advice about water-proofing and weight should help to keep it fun.

I would pack the camera gear in a small top-loading pack and wear that on the chest. Helps to balance the weight of the main pack on your back and allows very easy access to the camera kit when needed. You can also then have the camera strapped round the neck and resting on the top of the 'chest pack'. Have it just right and you can even change lenses without breaking stride

Personally, if the photography was going to be an important aspect to the trip, I would take the hit and pack a tripod for low-light, smooth water and group shots. Most good rucksacks have loops for ice-axes, etc.. but I tend to just hang the tripod by its handle on the bottom of one of the shoulder straps.

Halite

I agree with achamber's advice. Since this is your first backpacking trip, you want to take as little weight as possible. You can often improvise a solid place for your camera for scenic shots or self-timers of the whole crew. You can pad your camera with spare clothing.

Don't skimp on protecting your gear from wetness and dirt--triple bagging is not too much protection and weighs almost nothing.

Have fun!

batts

I've done my fair share of hiking, and would like add to this. By far the best setup I put together is making sure the camera is close, not in your pack, but right in front of you. I've mostly carried either a 28-105mm w/macro a switch when using film, and a 18-70mm for digital. I'd leave the 50mm at home, you can always crank up the ISO or be creative using some tree, rock, hiking pole, pack, or something to balance the camera on for long exposures. Get yourself a small camera pack, with a few pockets to hold extra battery or CF cards, and rig it up to you body somehow, also throw in a few freezer ziplock type bag in the pocket and just throw the camera in there when it's raining or your worried about it, as others have mentioned.

Just some more information, I carried a D70 18-70mm with the below setup in the photo, mild to very harsh conditions, about 6 months of hiking the entire Pacifc Crest Trail. People are always talking about sealed camers and all, and I didn't have one problem using the above system. Times it would get wet, sandy, snow covered, frost, but it still works. Just treat it with some care and you shouldn't have any problems.

You will always want a different lens, so that is the hard part, the 18-200 is a great all around lens now, but at the time it wasn't even made. I've carried a tripod, but found I don't use it much, but sometimes carry one on small weekend trips.

Last word of advice, there are some great places in that area. I can only guess you guys might be hiking on the AT? Great trail. One thing you can get caught up in is taking more landscape type photos. DON'T forget to take people shot, people, people, people, take many, in your tents, around camp, at breaks, getting water, etc.. these are the ones you will most likely look back to remember the times with your friends, the landscape ones might just all run into each other I've found. Have people take some of you too, don't get stuck behind the camera.



My crude rig, had a neck strap, and a semi waist strap to prevent it from bouncing against my body while I walk. Sorry I don't have a better photo to show it, mostly because I'm the one behind the camera. I've also rigged it to my pack before with some simple and cheap webbing and d-rings, but found it annoying when I had to take off my pack, so I like the idea of keeping it seperate from my pack, so I can take one or the other off. Leaves me the option of throwing the pack in the woods, and still having my camera there to hike some side trails or whatever.

Hope that helps, enjoy the trip., you guys will have a blast.

photodoug

just to add: get the Nikon binocular strap: it's like a cop shoulder-holster that holds the camera to your chest...allowing you to swing up to your eye when needed.

REI sells it: Nikon Pro Harness.

pantherlax

Wow, thank you all for your great replies!

Putting all your advice into consideration, I plan to just take my 18-70mm and keep my tripod at home. I'll keep it bundled in some clothes at the top of my pack although i expect to carry it around my neck most of the time.

And definitely will pack it in baggies lol.

I've also read that putting in a fanny pack could also be a good idea, and they make waterproof ones.

And also, I googled, but does can anyone link/pm me to a good outdoors/backpacking forum?

rockgrabber

Just an FYI....
I sent you a PM. I have worked at a Backpacking store for the past 5 years, and its one of my passions (along side photography).

Just thought I'd pitch in,
Cameron