very interesting read

Great read! It puts into perspective the often overlooked effort that can go into a picture...I think almost all of my photos are 'grab' shots, and i'd probably get better results if i put in some time like this guy illustrated.
 
Good read and I like to keep it simple too when I travel.

Nikon Bob
 
Nice article, reinforcing the KISS approach to photography (and an interesting perspective on the Leica as a thinking person's point-and-shoot).


- Barrett
 
Thanks for the pointer to the article - also there's a great book on general photography by National Geographic that has some personal perspectives of some regular photogs interspersed with the guide.
 
Thanks it was very interesting to read travelers interview with this truly respectful photographer. Keeping gear to the essential is the way to go. As I shoot for leisure I think I'll stick to my new IIIa with the cron and a handheld meter. That must do the job! Tomorrow shooting for the HCB contest 😉

Charles
 
Good insight for National Geography and other advanced pros kind of photography. Nevertheless I do not think I could photograph my beloved family indoors with ISO 100 or 200, nor wish to take a time tight trip overseas with 2 lenses only and my wife besides.

Funny, but at tourist frequented sites, if you know how, becoming another clumsy looking tourist could be a good camouflage for an advanced amateur. And truly clumsy tourists sometimes produce great images too.

Much more important than traveling light, in my opinion, is the quickly passed by point at the article, about spending time with your subject, both for becomming part of it, and start to really seeing your prospectivve images. But for this you have to have lots of time, patience and empathy. Patience and empathy depend upon your character, lots of time depend upon money. It is the exception to the rule whenever professional photographers have been able to do what they wanted instead of what they have been paid for to do.

And in my opinion too, the most important aspect of photography, as of life, is to have fun or/and satisfaction. For this, in life as in photography, there is no rule at all.

Cheers,

Ruben
 
Interesting article but pro's often leave out as much as they put in. My tutor at uni was baffled by how William Albert Allard was able to shoot 100 iso slide film of a interior group shot and get every face in focus. He was lucky enough to bump in to the great man at Perpignan and ask him about the shot -he said he had assistants with two sheets of corrugated iron bumping in extra light through the windows -remember these guys don't necessarily tell you all their tricks. I wouldn't be surprised if he does have extra gear around (possibly carried by an assistant who helps with captions names etc.) to save his bacon if need be. Don't be fooled -National geographic shoots are big productions and assistants etc. are part of the budget. I got this information from the editor of national geographic in '96 who gave a guest lecture at my college. I'm not saying he doesn't shoot as he says most of the time, but the rest of his equipment might just be an SUV away. Us mere mortals don't have this luxury.
 
Toby said:
Interesting article but pro's often leave out as much as they put in. My tutor at uni was baffled by how William Albert Allard was able to shoot 100 iso slide film of a interior group shot and get every face in focus. He was lucky enough to bump in to the great man at Perpignan and ask him about the shot -he said he had assistants with two sheets of corrugated iron bumping in extra light through the windows -remember these guys don't necessarily tell you all their tricks. I wouldn't be surprised if he does have extra gear around (possibly carried by an assistant who helps with captions names etc.) to save his bacon if need be. Don't be fooled -National geographic shoots are big productions and assistants etc. are part of the budget. I got this information from the editor of national geographic in '96 who gave a guest lecture at my college. I'm not saying he doesn't shoot as he says most of the time, but the rest of his equipment might just be an SUV away. Us mere mortals don't have this luxury.
Click to expand...
I'm not so sure about that. Every interview I've ever read, and in a couple of National Geographic technique books, he talks about the same minimal gear list. I'd be inclned to believe he really uses what he says he does. Sam Abell uses the same approach, if I remember correctly.
 
I'm not sure about the second-guessing. Two camera bodies and three or four lenses is pretty darned sufficient, I would think. He said he sometimes packs an SLR with a long lens that doesn't often get used. That's three bodies and four to five lenses. Plus a couple of flash units and that's as much gear as anyone would want to carry around. And it's not all that common for photojournalists to travel with photo assistants. Some people in far-flung places don't like the hassle of looking after an extra person. Different people have different styles, and minimalism is definitely an acceptable style.
 
And A Further Note About Equipment Simplycity

And A Further Note About Equipment Simplycity

AND A FURTHER NOTE ABOUT EQUIPMENT SIMPLYCITY:

Yes, you can travel very light and do a lot with a couple of M-7s and a two or three Leica lenses...

But how much do you have to spend for that pleasure bahamas package at the used market ? Five, seven thousand dollars ?....More ?

Therefore, we the pocket- humble amateurs of the world, who claim for a humble space under the sun, if we have advanced technical demands, have no other choice but to buy lots of cheap (but good) used gear, splitting the functions of a single Leica into several cameras, and carry with us more gear than the respected NG photographer, who may laugh upon us whenever our path comes across.

With due respect,

Ruben
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I shot prefessionally for several years with: A very used Nikon F, a Nikkormat and four primes -- 24/50/85/185. To save weight, I sometimes carried a 135/3.5 or 200/4 for the longer lens. A picky eBayer could put that kit together today for well, well, well under $1,000. Could probably do it for under $500 total if you opt for an alternative to the 180.

I picked up nearly all my SLR gear at pawnshops.
 
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