What's in my bag and why?
Part II: Revisiting Lessons Learned
A Recap
Last year, I wrote an article entry titled "What's in my bag and why?" in which I discussed the downward spiral of gear obsession and my determination to stop worrying so much about the contents of my camera bag. Well, almost a year has gone by since I downsized a ridiculous amount of photography gear into something more sensible. I've kept at it even still and have come back to tell you more about how things are at present.
Making Way for Vision
Upon releasing myself from the crushing weight of so many camera bodies, lenses, tripods and other nonsense, I noticed immediately that I was a lot happier out there in the field! The quality of my worked improved vastly in a short amount of time. I say this with little ego and suggest also a certain amount of added time and experience. However, it is perfectly clear to me that during this time I was not burdened by so many choices in the camera bag. I know it seems silly to consider such a thing a problem, owning too much nice gear, but trust me when I say that it matters.
Looking back upon a year of what I consider to be my finest work so far, I realize that the majority of my images were made with three lenses providing focal range of 17mm to 200mm. It is both important and unimportant for you to know this. The important bit is that I have begun to develop my own personal vision and it so happens that I have created my most meaningful images within this focal range. The very unimportant bit is that the three lenses happen to be Canon L lenses, each one highly praised upon technical review.
$proof = substr($pudding, $0, $8);
(Geek humor translation: The proof is in the pudding!)
This year yielded several successful images. Over the summer, I visited Crested Butte for a week of shooting from sunrise until sunset with Charles Needle and Mark Johnson. From autumn until the start of winter, I enjoyed several trips to Rainier National Park. Some of my favorite images from this fall were created at Chinook Pass. Looking back across the year, I notice the very beginning of what could be referred to as style or vision. What I see and how I like to see it finally has begun to show in my work. I feel now that I have a certain degree of control over the final image. Again, with as little ego as possible, I chalk some of it up simply to spending time making images. Another important bit involves creating the image in my head before clicking the shutter.
More Change
Alright! "What about the gear?", you ask. That's why you're reading this article, right?
You want a peek at my camera bag. You want to see specific brands and lots of technical bits...
You'd best not wander off to B&H Photo after reading this list.
The contents of my bag matter only to me!
You've been warned!!
Ok... here it is...
Before
Canon 40D
Canon 10-22 f/3.5-4.5
Canon 17-40 f/4L
Canon 24-70 f/2.8L
Canon 50mm f/1.4
Canon 70-200 f/4L IS
Canon 100mm f/2.8
Sigma 500mm f/4.5
Kenko 1.4x teleconverter
Kenko extension tubes
Filters by Singh-Ray
Pentax Digital Spotmeter
Canon 420EX Shoe Flash
Lowepro Mini Trekker AW
Lowepro Slingshot 200 AW
Gitzo G1325 Tripod
Really Right Stuff BH-40
|
After
Canond 40D
Canon 70-200 f/4L IS
Nikon D700
Nikon AF 24mm f/2.8D
Nikon AF-S 17-35 f/2.8 ED
Sigma 150mm f/2.8 macro
Filters by Singh-Ray
Lowepro Mini Trekker AW
Gitzo G1325 Tripod
Really Right Stuff BH-40
|
Stop right there! Another camera? A Nikon?!
Yes, I did purchase a Nikon dSLR. Don't get the wrong idea! I did not visit DPReview to conclude, "Hey, wow, the Nikon D700 scored a Highly Recommended. I've got to have one!". Neither is that how it happened nor is it an excuse used for further justification. After creating many landscape images over the year I reached the decision that a full-frame digital SLR would prove a wise investment. In other words, the D700 would be the right tool for the job moreso than the Canon 40D.
As for the D700, it is everything that I had hoped for in a camera for landscape work. My trusty 40D is still where it's at for wildlife work and intimate landscapes. In fact, the two perform wonderfully side-by-side and I'm excited about creating more great images this year.
Jamie, JFP
|
|
