A pretty common question I get asked on our Facebook Fan page is regarding what do I recommend when heading out into the field for landscape and nature photography. Now the list I'm sharing here is what personally I use and recommend. Most of the time when I get out, all my gear is on my back and I'm riding to location on my mountain bike. I'm a huge fan of the quality of the Specialized bikes. This bike is an Enduro SL Pro Carbon.
Here I am last summer:
1. Cleaning Kit:
Often times I'm near the ocean or just out in the woods or desert and things get dirty, dusty, misty and all of the above! Having good camera and lens cleaning gear will save a ton of frustration and post processing time later!
Here are a few recommendations:
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2. Spare Memory Cards:
Unless your sporting a film camera, you better make sure you have at least a couple memory cards with you!
These days cameras are taking much larger images and memory cards can fill quickly (Especially with Nikon D800), or accidents happen. If you have trekked up a mountain or drove hours to get on location, I'm sure your going to appreciate being prepared for a memory card mishap!
I'm a die hard SanDisk fan, so here are a few cards I would recommend:
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3. PowerBars:
You wouldn't leave the house with out batteries for your camera, well same thing applies here. Being hours away from civilization or stuck on location with out opportunity to break free to get some greasy McDonalds or 5 day old hot dogs rolling on the heat plate at 7'eleven
, your stomach and digestive system will love you when you come prepared with some tasty and healthy PowerBars!
I change up frequently, but here are a few of my current favorites that I recommend:
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4. Spare Batteries:
So unless you've figured out how to power your camera, flashes and flashlights with a portable nuclear reactor or you have a solar powered battery charger (but then again, thats unnecessary weight), the simplest solution to this is to bring at least one extra set of batteries with you. I always have one extra camera battery, 4 AA and 2 AAA's in my bag to power everything from my Camera, Pocket Wizards, Cable Release and flash lights!
Recommended:
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5. Tripod:
When shooting landscapes, nighttime photos, or just in general when slow shutter speeds will be used this is a given, however sometimes over looked when packing gear. Personally I'll usually have 2 tripods (large and small) with me for a couple reasons: One for each camera or If I'm using my Dynamic Perception time lapse dolly... I need two for support.
Now I've tested a number of tripods over the years, there are plenty of good options. These are what I recommend and carry with me:
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6. Comfortable Shoes:
This is an important one. When your trekking through wet areas, slippery terrain or just on your feet all day, having good shoes will make a world of difference in your comfort and foot health! Not to mention keep your feet warm in the winter.
I'll always recommend 'The North Face' first as I've been wearing their shoes and boots for years. Depending on time of year or where I'm going to be photographing, I'll wear one of these two recommended shoes/boots:
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7. All Purpose Tool:
I don't know how many times having an all purpose tool has saved my butt or has come in handy in the field. Over the years I've owned a few different ones, but love the Gerber brand the most.
Recommended:
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8. Cable Shutter Release:
If your shooting anything that requires longer shutter speeds or if you're already using a tripod for reasons to reduce camera shake, this is a must have. Now there are a ton of camera shutter releases out there, so you might want to check your camera manufactures page for recommendations.
Personally I use:
You know what I use and is always with me? PocketWizard Plus III's. I'm putting these under this category because I use these to trigger my camera from distances or as a spare shutter trigger release or just use them to trigger your flash. Hands down out of all the Pocket Wizard's I've owned these are my favorites and gladly recommend this!
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9. Flashlight:
Do I need to give a reason?
I do carry a couple with me, I like the Gerber flash light the most as it's small and has different colors I can switch to at night. I'll use the red so I don't mess up my night vision.
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10. Wet Weather Protection for your Camera:
Even in California we get crummy weather and when it does hit and I need to continue shooting, it's awesome to have something to safeguard the camera from the rain. These things are inexpensive and hardly take up any space in your camera bag.
I recommend: