thinking of another road trip this summer...

[FrankS]

... with my father. 🙂

I'm thinking of driving along the south shore of the St. Lawrence R. and around the Gaspe' of Quebec. Of course it would involve photography so that brings up the recurring theme of what cameras to take. (Please stop reading if this is a boring subject for you.)

This will fit in a Domke F6 bag: medium format camera (likely a Fuji GW670) for B+W formal shots and landscapes, 35mm rangefinder (likely a Hexar RF) for B+W casual shots, 35mm slr (likely a Nikon FG or FE) for colour slides, and a second 35mm RF (maybe Leica CL) for colour neg film, backup, or dedicated to the 21mm.

28, 50, 80-210 lenses for slr
21, 35, 50 lenses for RF

Why so much different gear when some suggest that less is more? Because I don't know exactly what to expect, and since I'll be driving, there's no problem with carrying or transporting.

 

[FrankS]

Has anyone done this trip? Or have a story about your own road trip?

 

[Assaf]

sounds like a cool trip. How long is it?
Regarding the gear - I think that carrying many cameras is a headache, even if you have a car. You have to give a lot of thought to which one you use, worry too much for them being lost or stolen etc. Leaving cameras in the car is also usually not such a good idea, at least in most places I know.

Personally, I wouldn't take more than two cameras - one MF, one 35mm. If something happens, they can backup each other.
Regarding which 35mm, I guess the Nikon SLR is more versatile, and the RF's are more fun. So, that's a choice you have to make.
Good luck
Assaf

 

[lawrence]

There's another problem with taking many types of camera and film, which is that the collection of photos will lack coherence. I have four different sets of cameras: 35mm rangefinder, 35mm SLR, 6x6 SLR and digital SLR but I try not to mix them up much because I don't want a mish-mash of styles from one trip -- I want the results to work together as a set.

I'm visiting Morocco and Spain next month, for the Moroccan expedition I'll take my rangefinders for street photography. For Spain I'll take the 35mm SLRs because I want to photograph the port of Bilbao, particularly the Guggenheim. I'll shoot one type of b&w film on each trip, 400 in Morocco and 100 in Spain. Of course this is going to restrict the results but I believe this is an advantage.

 

[Ahmed Poltroon]

If I took a trip with my father I'd throw him out of my car after 40 minutes. That would be more than enough.

Your gallery shows a lot of photos of old beach chairs. Why don't you just bring a bunch of weather-resistant disposable cameras?

 

[Merkin]

I'll shoot one type of b&w film on each trip, 400 in Morocco and 100 in Spain. Of course this is going to restrict the results but I believe this is an advantage.

Unless you are just looking for the look of different emulsions, you could probably do just fine with a 200 speed film for everything. When I was in Tangiers, it was brighter than a lot of places in spain, particularly up on the Spanish Plateau. You will likely end up with about half full sun and half open shade in both places, depending on the season. If it is the rainy season in Spain, a 400 speed film might be appropriate. You might also want to throw a few rolls of fast film in your bag, because there are some great opportunities for night photography in Spain.

 

[MickH]

Slightly O/T, but I went to the local gallery last week to see the exhibition by Chris Coekin - a "local lad made good". He has documented a road trip hitching round the UK. I found some of the photographs a bit self conscious - well, they would be I guess - but thought the concept was interesting. He only used two cameras: P&S for self-portraits and snap-shots of the environment, and large format for formal portraits of those who gave him lifts.

I thought it interesting as an approach to specifically use only two cameras and have a pre-defined purpose for each. Overall it makes an interesting document and, I would think, something Chris will look back on in future years with affection.

Here's a bit of an overview.

I have no connection with either the Gallery, or the photographer.

 

[charjohncarter]

Hey, I agree take plenty of gear (and film) with you. Just yesterday, I went to my wife's cousins house for Easter. It was a great party and I used all the film in the two cameras I had with me. Fine, the party was over. On the way back home at about 7:15 PM going though Moss Landing, CA: perfect light, many wonderful scenes, all I could think about was way don't I have my 6x7, and at the least why don't I have more film.

 

[shimokita]

When I was in collage I did a similar trip from the [US] mid-west via Montreal. I wanted to get to Trois-Pistoles (just because of the name), but ended up in Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

I think if I did it again I would take a tripod and the appropriate filters. Lot's of great photo opertunities. We ended up drinking local home made sceech, glad I didn't go blind...

Have a great trip,
Casey

 

[Assaf]

Regarding personal experience from road trips: I've never been on a road trip, but I did go on a backpacker's trip last year in south America, and it was the first time I took more than one camera.
I left home with an M6+35mm and 50mm lenses, and an Olympus film point and shoot for backup. Along the way I bought a Rolleiflex 3.5E. You can see the results here if you're interested.
Thinking of it (well, nowdays I think of camera gear to take, before I think of the rest of the trip's details) I think to me, the best combo is a good digital PS, like Canon G10 for general photography + a "quality" camera for special stuff (either MF or RF with 35mm and 50mm lenses)

 

[David William White]

I drive out every year, but through to Riviere-du-Loup as quickly as I can, then make south for New Brunswick. Once there, I stay off the TCA and take the coastal roads all the way to the NL ferry at Sydney. I dunno...somehow I just can't get 'into' Quebec.

On a related note, one year I went with my grandfather, sharing the driving. He hasn't driven stick since the war, but he did okay. Don't know if you're in the same position, but my grandfather kept stopping at these out-of-the-way places to see if those waitresses he once knew were still around.

This year I think I'm going to NL through Labrador...just for a change.

Back to the topic at hand...I just take the one medium format TLR and a few propacks of Ektachrome. No sense in fiddling with 35mm and later wishing I had taken a bigger camera.

D.

 

[FrankS]

Thank you for your input and stories so far. I've changed my mind slightly, and will use colour neg film (instead of slides) for a snapshot journal of the trip because it will be easier to share. Also, some scenes will need to be recorded in colour. I'll still take 35mm RF for spontaneous 400iso B+W shots and a MF camera for formal and landscape 100iso shots with the possibility of richly toned and detailed prints.

If I were to simplify on this kit, it would be the 35mm B+W that would go, but I'd rather have it with me and not need it, than need it and not have it with me. This is a road trip by car (rather than flying or backpacking) so no problem.

 

[FrankS]

Hi Blake,
I would do that in a minute if it weren't for the need for health insurance (for my father) when travelling outside of Canada. He's 79 and has some health issues.

 

[mikeh]

Pshaw!
A 7lb burger is child's play for Frank.

 

[Ahmed Poltroon]

Is Stucky's still around? I bought fireworks there when I was 12. I remember the place was a big disappointment after all the signs. It was just a big building full of junk and horrible food. Some horrible pecan candy or something too.

That was probably 40 years ago. There was some other place on I-95 that had a lot of signs, and it was awful too. What a gyp.

When you got to Florida there were all these 10 cents and 25 cents orange juice places on the border. I'll bet they watered the orange juice.

The Monkey Jungle was OK. I had a camera and I took photos of all the dirty monkeys. In hindsight, it was pretty depressing. I think they tortured the monkeys.

I was too young for Burma Shave.

 

[Ahmed Poltroon]

Oh yeah, there was "Pedro's South of the Border". Another big gyp, but LOTS of big bottle rockets. A restaurant that sold grease-soaked fried chicken, and you could buy a turtle in a plastic bag that died the next day.

 

[FrankS]

My choice of equipment may change to two F3's (col.neg, and B+W) and the Fuji GW670II for MF B+W enlargements. 28, 35, 50, and telezoom for the F3's.

 

[FrankS]

I may be taking Al's 28mm on a road trip.

 

[back alley]

get any 'new' lenses for the nikons yet?

don't lie! i know you did and knew you would and now they will go on holidays with you...dark side has got you it has...