Unpopular opinion: My camera gear stays with me no matter where I roam

Everyone seems to love packing just a phone for pictures to move fast. I keep my whole photo setup in my bag because it lets me really grow my side project. Who else bucks the light travel idea for something they love to make?

4 comments

4 Comments

the_paul2mo ago

Man, I just can't do it. I used to haul a DSLR everywhere and it just killed the fun. I missed the actual hike because I was fussing with settings, and half my shots were of my feet from the camera swinging around. My best photo from last year is a phone pic of my friend laughing, because I actually had my hands free to be in the moment. The big prints are cool, but so are the memories you don't stress over capturing.

zarat383mo ago

Carried my full kit to the desert last year, tripod and filters and all. Yeah, my backpack was heavy, but waiting for that perfect sunset light with my real camera let me capture colors my phone just wouldn't see. Got a shot of the dunes I ended up printing huge for my living room. The extra weight is a pain, but it's how I actually get better and make stuff I'm proud of.

corap213mo ago

Haha, @zarat38, you're making me feel lazy. I tried hauling my camera gear on a hike once, but after a mile I was ready to ditch the tripod for a smartphone shot. My back still hurts thinking about it, and my "perfect sunset" turned into a blurry mess because I was too tired to steady the camera. But seeing your dune photo, I get why it's worth the pain. Maybe I need to toughen up and try again.

leo_black763mo ago

Consider going back to that same spot with a different setup. What would you do differently to avoid the blurry mess? I always wonder if people plan their hikes around the gear or just suck it up. zarat38's point about colors is huge - phones just can't catch that depth. But man, the back pain is real, lol. How do you balance wanting great shots with not wanting to suffer?