Video: How to pack for a two-month photo expedition

[DPRreview.com RSS Feed]

Dave Morrow—a well-respected outdoor photographer from outside Seattle, Washington—has shared a behind-the-scenes video detailing the gear he’s taken on his latest photo expedition. The 20-minute video provides an insightful overview of the gear he packs with him in his vehicle and in his backpack during his two-month trip through Oregon, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho and California.

Per his rules to filming the videos for his 'The Landscape Photography Journals' series, the video was shot with a GoPro and doesn’t feature any special editing or filming technique. It’s barebones and straight to the point. And that's not a bad thing...

Morrow does a great job explaining the reason he’s taking the gear and the purpose it serves in his particular use-cases. He doesn’t get too caught up in the specifics of everything.

You might not be as hardcore of an outdoor photographer as Morrow, but it’s a great look at the gear he uses and his reason for using it. Take mental notes along the way and maybe you’ll find something useful for your next trip, whether that’s a hike through your backyard or a two-month backcountry adventure like Morrow’s.

Something else that stuck out was Morrow’s approach to gear. As shown in the video, Morrow has three basic rules for buying gear. If these three rules can’t be followed, he won’t buy the equipment:

1. Buy everything in cash; no loans, no debt
2. Don’t accept ‘free gear’ from sponsors or partners. Nothing is free. Devote all time to exploring & photography
3. Don’t by anything until it has been 100% required on multiple trips. Less gear, more time for travel and photography

Let us know what you think of the tips down in the comments, and then head over to Morrow's YouTube channel for more videos like this.

Continue reading...

 

[BobH]

It's been my experience that once I reach "two days", what camera gear I'm packing doesn't change a whole lot beyond that point. I can go for one day with just the camera, a few extra cards and a spare battery. Beyond that, then it's chargers and a laptop for dumping to external drives. But basically, there's nothing I need on day 10 that I wouldn't need on day 2. If I've got chargers and a way to dump cards, I'm set for as long as I'll be on the road. Now, keep in mind that's based on a trip staying in hotels etc. A trip to a remote area without power etc. with everything in a backpack like he's doing is a whole different matter.