{"id":74074,"date":"2021-09-22T10:00:42","date_gmt":"2021-09-22T14:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/?p=74074"},"modified":"2021-09-17T13:06:40","modified_gmt":"2021-09-17T17:06:40","slug":"whats-in-my-bag-alec-sills-trauschs-backpacking-photography-necessities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/whats-in-my-bag-alec-sills-trauschs-backpacking-photography-necessities\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s in My Bag: Backpacking Photography Necessities"},"content":{"rendered":"

Backpacking photography will test you physically, mentally, and for some, spiritually. You learn more about yourself in the few days in the wild than months back home. Out there, you get to experience places few will ever even know about.<\/p>\n

For landscape photographers, this is the holy grail. You are finding unique shots to tell a story that many will never be able to personally experience. It also allows you to tell a story unabridged and gives you the chance to shape a narrative without any other preconceived notions.<\/p>\n

This is what drives me to backpacking photography.<\/p>\n

Getting prepared for a backpacking photography trip<\/strong><\/h2>\n

But how do you get out there with your backpacking gear and<\/em> camera equipment? Most people find prepping for a normal backpacking trip to be difficult. Then, adding in a camera, lenses, a tripod, batteries, and extra gadgets can seem overwhelming. That\u2019s okay.<\/p>\n

The first thing to understand is your pack is going to be heavy. Adding on photography equipment likely won\u2019t keep your pack under 35 pounds. For me, depending on the length, I\u2019m usually in the 40 to 45-pound area.<\/p>\n

With that understanding, we can then move into how to choose the gear for your trip.<\/p>\n

How to choose the right gear for trip<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The gear you bring will define the type of landscape you\u2019re shooting and vice versa. If you\u2019re heading into the Pacific Northwest and will have the opportunity to shoot layers, strongly consider bringing your 70-200 mm f\/4 lens<\/a> or even a 100-400 mm f\/4-5.6 lens<\/a>. Let\u2019s say you\u2019re going during a full moon and you enjoy astrophotography<\/a>, a wide angle lens like the Canon 16-35 mm f\/2.8 lens<\/a> is probably a better choice.<\/p>\n

Another area to consider is your personal preference. Maybe you really <\/em>love your 24-70 mm lens and it can do everything you want. Then, boom, your choice is made.<\/p>\n

Also, a determining factor of what camera gear to bring is the length and difficulty of the trip. If you\u2019re only going one night or the trail is mild, adding more lenses isn\u2019t a bad idea. However, if you\u2019re going 30 miles with 8,000 feet of elevation gain like I recently did<\/a> in Kings Canyon National Park, picking a versatile lens is the best call.<\/p>\n

You also need to consider how you will carry your camera. Some like to keep it in their backpack and only pull it out during breaks. Others, and I\u2019m in this category, use a clip or harness to ensure it\u2019s easily accessible throughout your trek. I find this method to be perfect as I\u2019m always at the ready if we stumble upon an incredible view.<\/p>\n

In the end, what is important is having a packing list to ensure you don\u2019t forget anything. Here\u2019s what I would suggest bringing:<\/p>\n

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Photo by Alec Sills-Trausch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n