As I prepare for my own round-the-world adventure in the year ahead, I’ve been finding myself spending more time musing on a packing list, than the destinations. The OCD wants to prepare for everything, to have anything it needs on hand and ready to go. It wants to pack my X-Pro 3 and a bevy of lenses, and a flash, and batteries, and my laptop to process it on when I get back to the hotel room, and a backup drive, and-
And then I remember that this may well be the only time in my life that I will see these places, meet these people, and try these things. That the more I bring with me, the less mental room I have to savor, enjoy, and process the world around me in those precious moments.
I’m going to bring either my X100F, or splurge on a GFX100RF. That’ll be it. No flashes, no tripods, no laptops, no international high-speed data plan. Just me, a point-and-shoot, and unlimited EDGE data for the odd GPS route.
I want to use my photographs to remind me of times gone by, traveling alone, when my memory is foggy or old age has caught up with me. I don’t want to be in photographer mode, I want to be in-the-moment mode.
My wife and I did this last year and it was an incredible experience. A year ago today we were driving up to Cape Tribulation in Australia. Along the way, on a small hike on a boardwalk through the woods, we were startled by a cassowary crossing our path less than 20 feet from us!
We did manage to pull out our phones and grab a video. A year later, I’m so glad we did — even more fun than seeing the cassowary step across the trail is hearing our voices excitedly whisper to each other about how big and close it was.
I’m jealous of your trip. Not a day goes by that I don’t reminisce fondly on ours. And I’m sure you’ll strike the right balance between being a photographer and being in the moment :)
This thread is an amazing variety of stances on photography. Some people are convinced you need to leave all lenses at home to plug in and a child comment of yours talks about bringing the holy trinity zooms and a prime to get everything. This forum is a bit maddening in its lack of focus at times.
I've been bit by lens fomo a bit but never as much as this post and the child post seem to be and never enough that I've missed a shot I really, really regret. My "standard" load out is to bring my long 70-180 Tamron f2.8 and a 50 f1.8. If I know the trip will have little downtime I'll pack just the 50 or nothing at all but my smartphone. My smartphone is wider and can capture everything my 50 can't, though it is harder to get the shot I'm looking for with it due to the lack of control.
If I'm doing a photography trip, sure I'll bring my tripod, glass I need, flashes, and strobes. But if I'm just going with family of friends often enough the 50 or just my smartphone is fine.
I just shot a family member's college graduation with my 50 and the 70-180. I did get lucky in that the lighting was fantastic outdoors, but I still have no regrets, missed moments, or shots I couldn't do. A few moments I regretted not having my ND filters to help tone down highlights in the cloudy golden hour sky (or my tripod to grab an HDR shot), but it wasn't hard to mask and bring highlights down in post anyway.
Agreed. I went on a work trip to the islands off of Phuket, and several days in the UAE.
I loaded up hard. R5, the "holy trinity" (15-35/2.8, 28-70/2, 70-200/2.8), 100-500, and an 85/1.2. I used two lenses, mostly one (the 28-70).
I am going on a trip, two weeks in Maui. And I'm going to take an X100VI, for most days, and mirrorless with 2 lenses for 2 or 3 of the days tops. I have an SSD with a CF/SD reader, and both cameras I will have have USB-C charging so I want to enjoy, but not have the experience be secondary to photography.
That packing list is honestly why I’m seriously considering the GFX100RF while I have a windfall available. That 100MP sensor allows so many possible shots via cropping, that additional lenses aren’t needed. The only downside is the lack of that sweet, sweet DoF for portraits, but seeing as how every one of my friends loathes being photographed, that doesn’t feel like a downside.
Have you gone on trips before or is this like your first real trip too?
Sounding so confused like this makes it seem like you don't travel much? If you like taking pictures take them, if you don't then don't. I wouldn't over think this.
If you really haven't traveled much maybe take a trip and see how you feel about it
And then I remember that this may well be the only time in my life that I will see these places, meet these people, and try these things. That the more I bring with me, the less mental room I have to savor, enjoy, and process the world around me in those precious moments.
I’m going to bring either my X100F, or splurge on a GFX100RF. That’ll be it. No flashes, no tripods, no laptops, no international high-speed data plan. Just me, a point-and-shoot, and unlimited EDGE data for the odd GPS route.
I want to use my photographs to remind me of times gone by, traveling alone, when my memory is foggy or old age has caught up with me. I don’t want to be in photographer mode, I want to be in-the-moment mode.