Hikers who photograph

[Lostsheep]

Ok, so after reading TR's and general chatting around here, I'm getting the impression that a majority of folks here have a serious inkling for photography, which leads to some of my general questions. And yes, I'm one of those people too. I tend to take a decent amount of gear regardless of weight, just to get that awesome photo and capture some of the many highlights.

On to the questions:
Are you a hiker that photographs or a photographer that hikes?
 - I'm still a hiker that photographs. Personally, until the photography starts to become an income, it's just an awesome hobby right along w/ the backpacking. To me nothing beats staring at a photo and being removed for the chaos of every day. I do take a decent amount of gear, but getting out is why I go.

Does your equipment vary with your dayhikes, single overnighters, or multiple nights out?
 - I have realized I take mostly the same gear regarless of the lenght of the trip. I do tend to bring more with me when I go for shorter distances, but that only varies by a lens or so.

What gear do you tend to take with you on overnighters or dayhikes?
 - Overnighters I'll take the camera, tripod (mini), a simple wide angle zoom lens, a simple telephoto zoom lens, cleaning cloth, memory cards.
 - Dayhikes, the same as above except possibly a fixed focal lenght lens for the low light shots.

What do you shoot with?
 - Sony. I shoot with a Sony DSLR and don't mind the weight. My backup is a simple Pentax Point & Shoot.

Just curious as to who all is out there with the same passion and what gets the job done for you.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Lostsheep,

I am a photographer who hikes these days. A few years ago, hiking was the purpose, and photography was an ancillary concern. Towards the end of my stint as an undergraduate, my proclivity for exploration, both via hiking and driving, was producing more and more photographs, and I started shifting towards more serious photography. By the time I came down to Alabama for law school 3 years ago, it was all about the photography, hiking was a means to an end. I don't ever expect to make any money from my photography, and most serious amateurs reach the point where they realize that isn't what they want anyway. For me photography (and hiking) is a release. When I tried to turn my waterfall photography into something serious, it destroyed the fun. Hence why my projects ended with the ramshakle website I've left up, even though I have more than enough information (and photos) to do an Alabama waterfall book at this point. When going to photograph a waterfall turned from fun to a chore, I stopped looking at it as anything more than a hobby, for fear I'd lose my hobby.

My equipment varies based on my trips, and I can answer your last few questions with one compound answer. My current SLR outfit consists of a Canon Digital Rebel XT, and a Canon Rebel Ti (film), along with several Canon lenses, ranging from 17 to 400mm, all but one are Canon lenses, and some are Canon L lenses. My typical hiking kit consists of my wide-angle, my 100 macro, and a telephoto zoom, my dReb, and my RebTi with its 28-80. If I am going somewhere particularly dangerous, I just carry my Rebel Ti, its 28-80, and my only off-brand lens, a cheap 70-300 that has been replaced by a Canon lens for all other purposes.  For serious photography, my kit expands to include as many lenses as I can fit into my camera backpack. I also own a Pacemaker Speed 4x5 camera. I don't camp these days, nor do backpack, the tiny dog restricts me to dayhikes, so I cannot speak on those aspects of packing. My tripod lives on my camera backpack, and like most photographers, I feel naked without it.

[Chris]

I've always wanted to carry a camera on my hikes. Unfortunatley though I cannot afford one right now. Hopefully that can change sometime soon. There are many, many beautiful areas I would love to  photograph here in Alabama.

[cwhiker]

I am a photographer and Hiker all in one neat package.  Both are passions that keep me sane 
photography gear I take with me on all trips
Canon Digital Rebel(soon to be the 40D)
28- 300 Tamron zoom lens
speedlite 430ex flash
Bogen/Manforotto Tri pod
Neutral Density filter set for long exposures
Polarizing filter
lots of memory cards
All packed in a Lowepro DryZone Rover Backpack
If my husband is with me on a trip He uses the Nikon D50 and the speedlite flash that I use for my real estate photography

[Lostsheep]

.... I don't ever expect to make any money from my photography, and most serious amateurs reach the point where they realize that isn't what they want anyway.... When I tried to turn my waterfall photography into something serious, it destroyed the fun....When going to photograph a waterfall turned from fun to a chore, I stopped looking at it as anything more than a hobby, for fear I'd lose my hobby.

...I don't camp these days, nor do backpack, the tiny dog restricts me to dayhikes, so I cannot speak on those aspects of packing. My tripod lives on my camera backpack, and like most photographers, I feel naked without it.

You're probably the 50th person to mention that photography can go from passion to hate in a few simple steps. I would seriously hate knowing that my love for backpacking/dayhiking had been jeapordized because of a chore in "getting a picture". I seriously enjoy the photography and use that too, as a release from everyday. Its always good when someone recognizes that and then corrects the issue instead of losing something they so deeply enjoy.

Just so you know, I thoroughly enjoy your waterfall photos and definitely think they are worthy of a webpage!

[Lostsheep]

I'm a hiker who photographs 50% of the time and hikes 50% of the time.  

I love my Sony D-SLR a-100...I used to take along extra lenses and equipment, but have learned that a standard wide angle lens (3.5-5.6/18-70) and a tripod will usually do for the majority of shots I take...

I too have the Sony A100. Wise choice I had a series of Konica Minolta film cameras and lenses, and when Sony announced the lenses would carry over, I jumped on the bandwagon. Plus, their customer service isn't bad either.

[Lostsheep]

I've always wanted to carry a camera on my hikes. Unfortunatley though I cannot afford one right now...

Check the sales adds in some of the circulars b/c several of your big box electronic stores do sales pretty often. Also, check out DPreview.com and you can find anything and everything you ever wanted to know about a camera!

[Joshua Szulecki]

Lostsheep,

You're probably the 50th person to mention that photography can go from passion to hate in a few simple steps.

It is SCARY how fast it can happen. It literally happened in the span of a weekend for me. I went on one trip Friday, and another Saturday. On Friday, I was gung-ho, ready to get out a take pictures. Saturday brought an angry me in the car at some stupid hour of the day, and I got so frustrated by my own attitude about "getting the shot" that I actually turned around and went home. I struggled for a few more weeks about it, and finally decided to stop "working" on my waterfall materials. Since the website was already about a year behind where I was, and that was as organized as any of the information in public eyes ever got, I killed the project and just left the website up as-was.

I'm still debating what to do with the information I do have gathered, and I am currently contemplating just quickly compiling what I have on the waterfalls I know about into a report of some sort, and leaving it for posterity. Since I have finals, and then the bar, and then the job search all lined in a row, I doubt I'll get to it this year.

[Rob]

Lostsheep,

I have been dabbling with photography since the mid 70's and have always enjoyed the challenges that come with it. Most of my previous photography was with film cameras. Now I've jumped on board the digital / modern way of doing it. I'm always in the learning stages of everything I do, and enjoy that process too. I find it to be quite exciting to get home with the days shoot and preview the photo's. If I find even just one photo that has captured my "mind's eye" I consider it a success.

I recently find myself going on short treks and taking more pic's! I still love to hike and will continue to as long as I can, I'm still having complications with the injuries from the auto accident but am not willing to give up! (strong will, strong mind, strong body).

I am currently using a Nikon D80 with an array of Nikkor lenses, lowepro pack, and a much too heavy tripod ( also good to use as a walker in tough situations like Pevine Falls  )

I Hike, I take pic's, I get frustrated, I limp, I ache, I LOVE to do it. I DON'T GIVE UP!   Happy Trails!

[MoBill122]

  We been discussing a Canon PowerShot S5 IS Black 8.0 MP 12X Optical Zoom Digital Camera
, but thats as far as we've gotten.
 
 Maybe I should say....the WIFE has been looking at it.      I have a feeling she'll hand me my old Canon AE-1, if I mention taking a camera on a trail.

 

[Lostsheep]

Maybe I should say....the WIFE has been looking at it.      I have a feeling she'll hand me my old Canon AE-1, if I mention taking a camera on a trail.

I was told my name would be MUD and I'd get to use my tent more frequently if I came back without my camera, or if I came back with it and it didn't work!

[Joshua Szulecki]

Lostsheep,

I busted a $40 ND 8x filter on a recent hike, and shrugged it off. Not that I can afford to lose $40 right now, but when you take gear into the woods, you have to be willing to accept the consequences. Stick with the AE-1 if you don't love your tent.

I'm still trying to decide on which camera to bring if I do the Quillen/Parker hike tomorrow. I really detest shooting film, but bushwhacking and stream crossings make me nervous.

[PastorLarryT]

On to the questions:
Are you a hiker that photographs or a photographer that hikes?
 -- I am certainly a Hiker that likes to photograph Creation.  The digital camera makes a great way to share my hiking experiences with family and friends.  I'm not a professional photographer by any stretch of the imagination - but I love to photograph nature.

Does your equipment vary with your dayhikes, single overnighters, or multiple nights out?
 -- I generally stick to the multipurpose Kodak digital camera with zoom.  Does a decent job.  Would like to invest in a better digital SLR at some future date.

What gear do you tend to take with you on overnighters or dayhikes?
 -- See above.

What do you shoot with?
 -- Kodak EasyShare digital with zoom.

[cwhiker]

Lostsheep,

I busted a $40 ND 8x filter on a recent hike, and shrugged it off. Not that I can afford to lose $40 right now, but when you take gear into the woods, you have to be willing to accept the consequences. Stick with the AE-1 if you don't love your tent.

I'm still trying to decide on which camera to bring if I do the Quillen/Parker hike tomorrow. I really detest shooting film, but bushwhacking and stream crossings make me nervous.

Joshua, I know how you feel man I can't count the times I have lost or broken I filter while on a hike. its just all part of it. I used to feel nervous about taking my digital with me, but now that I have the lowe pro backpack with the waterpoof camera area I don't even think twice about taking it with me. although one day last year, I had the camera on the Tri pod and was crossing a creek and sliped on a rock and fell backwards I was lucky that the camera was on the tri pod or I would have gotten it wet .

[Joshua Szulecki]

cwhiker,

Ziplock bags were invented for a reason, and I always carry a few!

My Rebel XT is ready for retirement to backup camera status (read: wet spots) and will probably be replaced with a somewhat more advanced model, but it is holding up okay despite my abuse. It has been dropped, drenched in sweat and spray along with drizzled on, left in a hot car, left in a cold car, rolled down a hill in a backpack, landed on numerous times by my big rear while in a backpack, etc... Only battle scars are one trip to Canon for a new flash board and status LCD, and some intermittant odd "won't turn on" behavior that seems to have sorted itself out. Probably replacing it with a 40D, although I'm still debating it.

I don't worry so much about the camera, but my lens kit has gotten pretty valuable, and the front element on a 17-40/4L is positioned for easy breaking. Good thing a C-PL or a 8xND lives on it at almost all times.

[cwhiker]

cwhiker,

Ziplock bags were invented for a reason, and I always carry a few!

My Rebel XT is ready for retirement to backup camera status (read: wet spots) and will probably be replaced with a somewhat more advanced model, but it is holding up okay despite my abuse. It has been dropped, drenched in sweat and spray along with drizzled on, left in a hot car, left in a cold car, rolled down a hill in a backpack, landed on numerous times by my big rear while in a backpack, etc... Only battle scars are one trip to Canon for a new flash board and status LCD, and some intermittant odd "won't turn on" behavior that seems to have sorted itself out. Probably replacing it with a 40D, although I'm still debating it.

I don't worry so much about the camera, but my lens kit has gotten pretty valuable, and the front element on a 17-40/4L is positioned for easy breaking. Good thing a C-PL or a 8xND lives on it at almost all times.

yea,  Ziplocks are great when doing crossings, but  I was lazy that day. I am still shooting with the first rebel(300 D) so its more than ready for retirement. I went to Wolf camera today and played with the 40D I am in love going to order it from B&H in NY

[Joshua Szulecki]

Since I'm going to be stuck in NY all summer studying for the bar (staying with folks, not taking NY bar exam), I may actually drop into the B&H store if I decide to replace the 350D this summer. I haven't had a chance to try out a 40D yet, although I did check out the 20D when I bought the current camera.

[lawnmowwer]

 I am a hiker/packer at heart. I like to take pictures. Usually just of the people on the hike. The parent of the Scout I work with enjoy them. I am presently without a camera. I had a pentax IQ 90 wr after many years it got water inside. I got a digital and took it on many trips. I got filled with water sitting in the floor of my former jeep. The top was up the doors were on and all the window up ( the dealers answer was a lot of cars probably leaked last night).

I am in the market for a new camera. If any of you good Photographers have any suggestions. I will say the photo is not the goal for me. So something weather proof is best, but any suggestions will be considered. I wish I was a good photographer but I am just not.

[Lostsheep]

Lawnmower, since you're used to Pentax, go back and look at them some more. They have a line that is dedicated as "water proof" and carries a guarantee about it.

For a point and shoot, it's great. My wife uses one and I have one as a backup and can't complain. Quality is good, they're small to fit in a pocket, lightweight, and very easy to use.

Just so everyone knows, in the monsoon last weekend, my camera was in a "crumpler bag" and stayed safe through the storms. Everything else I owned was full of water. Also, check out Camera Armor for a little peace of mind. Made mostly for DSLR's, it provides a silicone gasket that covers the whole camera and helps with water, dirt, and debris.

Its good to know that most of us take the photos, some I know don't carry it for weight, but I don't know how the "go back" during the busy parts of the week.

[Nalgene Ninja]

http://www.backpacker.com...igital_cameras/gear/12029

No DSLRs in the article, and currently I just take either my lil' Olympus digital or a film disposable.

I'm currently looking for my next camera too, but way too cheap to go the DSLR route.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Flemdawg... How much are the cameras you are looking at?

[MoBill122]

Canon PowerShot S5 IS Black 8.0 MP 12X Optical Zoom Digital Camera, we were looking at is anywhere from $325 to $400

[Joshua Szulecki]

Ooops, wrong person... message deleted.

[Nalgene Ninja]

Flemdawg... How much are the cameras you are looking at?

<$150

My current DC is a 3MP Olympus, that eats batteries and is VERY slow to start and shoot. The Pentax Optio M40 from the article seems about right for me. I do own a old clunky Pentax K1000 manual SLR but never had the urge to hike with it.

[Lostsheep]

I have that same Penax K1000 on the shelf at home. Excellent camera, but I too wouldn't take it out hiking either.

[lawnmowwer]

 Thanks I have looked at the Pentax water proof model, but the store people keep telling me that the Olympus is a better camera. I am perplexed as my last Pentax was a very durable camera.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Lawnmowwer,

What store is giving you advice?

[lawnmowwer]

 I have been to a couple, but Wolf is the main one.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Ignore them and buy the one you like better.

[lawnmowwer]

 Thanks for the advice.

[cwhiker]

Ignore them and buy the one you like better.

All ways go with what you like and not what someone else likes or thinks you need. you will be much happier in the end

[MoBill122]

Was clearing off my side of the neighbors fence yesterday, and finally fell out on the hillside for a much needed breather. 
Finally sat back up, and was looking around me for flowers, etc..... realized I was laying down in a bank of new growth poison ivy ! !  Sure hope I'm still immune to that stuff !

[cwhiker]

Sounds like my luck I hope you are too! if that was me I would be covered in a rash and itchy

[ednotmilkman]

Hi everybody,

I don't fuss with my camera and photo opps too much, and unlike most of you, I prefer some happy people in my shots instead of just a flower, a waterfall or a few trees. What I have not seen yet is another hiker who has glued, or purchased with the pole, a threaded 1/4" bolt onto the top of their trekking pole like I did last fall.

It sure helps to get myself in the shot when I poke the pole in hard ground or just lean it against a tree in rocky, or soft ground. And now I can get decent zoom shots without the "fuzzies"

[Lostsheep]

Oh contrair Ed. I actually use a Joby Gorillapod, hang my camera from a branch or perch it on a rock and shoot to my hearts content. I too like the people and activities just as much as the waterfall!

I did see a guy w/ a hiking staff w/ a threaded bolt on the top. Very ingenious idea!

[Joshua Szulecki]

Ed,

I've actually heard a few photographers talk about how they glued a bolt to a walking stick, trekking pole, and I think even a ski pole. You won't catch me doing it, because my equipment failure rate is high enough that I KNOW that bolt would come unglued.

As for the happy people... I keep people out of most of my photographs on purpose, because I don't like people, plain and simple.

[MoBill122]

 I found this today while looking for something else, so I thought some of you might want to review some of their old programs.   These are video's of Georgia Outdoors Tv Shows, and this link gives the names of them.  Lots of photography, etc

http://www.gpb.org/georgi...oors/term/episodes?page=1

Best viewed with high speed internet, or it will stop & go with your replay.

[Rob]

I share the same thoughts with Josh when using my camera gear, I'm not about to increase the already high risk factor for damaging it. Sounds like an ingenious idea to me too, but I think I'll stick to lugging around a tripod.

As for the people, I don't dislike them, or exclude them from all of my photos , I just prefer to not share those memorable occasions with others outside of my family album, unless it is topic specific such as trail journals, and usually when hiking, my main purpose is to document what nature has to offer that is not too closely related to those I hike with.     Happy Trails!

[MoBill122]

Although there were some other flowers I can't identify, here's a list of some I saw on the Pinhoti the past three days.  These were seen from Dugger Mtn Shelter to GA

Red Buckeye
Fire Pink
Wild Iris
May Apple
Yellow Jasmine
Nodding Trillium
Daisy Fleabane
Flame Azalea
Pink Azalea
While Azalea
Cinnamon Fern
Sweet Shrub
Mountain Laurel
Dogwood

[Joshua Szulecki]

MoBill122,

Have you seen Flame Azalea anywhere else in Alabama? It is one of my favorites, but I won't be able to get up to GSMNP/BLRP when they bloom up there.

[Magic City Matt]

http://www.alatrails.com/...ndex.php/topic,512.0.html