With the help of fellow food adventurers, @pikku_finery and @scott_foodie, I will be embarking on my first trip to The Big Easy!
Before every trip, there's the excruciating process of decision-making for what photo gear to pack. This time around, the length of the trip - three full days - furthers the justification of packing lightly. That's something I tend to struggle with. Haha! On average, per trip, I carry five cameras. On some longer trips, I've travelled with up to ten cameras! Yikes! Thus, is the challenge of a natural light film photographer, bound to an ISO for rolls at a time. How to balance traveling light while having the flexibility of access to different cameras for different situations?
1. One thing I did not want to compromise is the look achieved from shooting on a recent trip to NY with a Ricoh GRDIII. I'm hoping to self-publish a second book in this street photography series. So not packing this camera won't be an option. It's a pocket point and shoot, so it shouldn't be an issue anyway. P&S cameras should be the primary weapon of choice for street and travel. This is debatable, of course, with a decent argument for camera phones.
2. Use my iPhone more! (What a segue)
I'm trying out a camera app that has low to no viewfinder visibility. Stealth is key in street photography and having a black screen while shooting is a great function to have when shooting candids "from the hip." It also helps that the shutter function is enabled by touching anywhere on your black screen or optionally via phone bumping. That sounds naughty. Sensitivity of bump is adjustable.
3. Planning accordingly for street shooting should include knowing what weather you might expect. Knowing what natural light you have to work with is the obvious reason. But also: forecast indicates that we're in for thunderstorms for at least two of the day's we're in NOLA. That means I might avoid carrying more cumbersome and expensive equipment. Perhaps the weatherproof Yashica T4 or a cheap thrift store point & shoot is in order. Big waterproof parkas with big pockets should come in handy. Despite all the concerns of shooting in the rain, don't be discouraged to shoot. Rain by itself can be a dramatic subject to document. And as a natural light photographer, rain usually provides some of the best possible lighting situations; you have diffused light from the clouds above and reflected light from the wet streets below. That's yummy lighting!
4. Well, up to this point I've only decided on a couple digital options and a film point & shoot. I may not know until the last day before departure date if I will bring a medium format camera and/or a polaroid camera. Or if I should consider bringing a system camera with multiple lenses and filters. I'll have an update when at the airport I suppose. :)
What camera gear do you pack and what considerations do you make for your shorter trips or getaways?
