How do you juggle all the accessories while shooting LF?

[Jim Noel]

I dislike "Photographers Vests" as there are too many pockets in which to lose items. My meters and loupe are around my neck, holder in the bag with filters in the pocket of that bag, a tightly woven black T-shirt serves very well as a dark cloth up to 5x7. For the 9x10 I replace the T-shirt with a commercial product derived from a T-shirt. For the 7x17 I use a 5x7 foot dark cloth. All of m cameras have integral levels. If they weren't original equipment, I added them.

[Jac@stafford.net]

A sling-bag for the tripod legs might be helpful.
It folds in with the legs.

I use ones like this: http://www.digoliardi.net/skc1.jpg

[ROL]

The real question is how do you carry your giraffe? (...we still having fun?)

[lenser]

Jack, My biggest question to you is if you are staying within a reasonable hike from your starting point, or if you are on a several mile (and days) trek into the back country. If a long distance then maybe a packpack would be the answer, but for even fairly long hikes, I would suggest you look for a Zone VI bag....the kind shown here with the white Cordura rather than the naugahide version.

First of all to apply this to the question I just posed, this bag has very stout attachment rings on the back, so it can be mounted on a tradition back pack frame so that it can easily be used far afield in a more comfortable carry rather than just on the shoulder.

More importantly, it is the most organized design for a field camera to actually be used in the field, that I've ever come across. The center bay is for the camera body and you can adjust the dividers to create six outer bays for holders, lenses, filters, loupe, meter, lens pen and notebook while the lid has a mesh pocket for the dark cloth.

The image I attached is from a late 1990's Calumet catalog, but expect to pay this much or more for a used one in really fine shape....and be happy to pay it. The bag is just that good. These often come up on the big auction site. The middle image, is of my personal bag ready for an excursion.

Ditto vote on the cargo pants and the hunting vest to add even more levels of organization if you need it.

Also, a ski band or sweat band around my forehead is a must for keeping the rivers of sweat out of my eyes. You can find the ski bands at lots of outdoor gear shops, and likely the sweatbands at a fishing store or a gardening shop. I've had mine for years and don't remember where I found it.

For short walks from the car, I bought a wonderful multi pocket carpenter's belt at Lowes or Home Depot a couple of years ago. It is extreme heavy duty construction and will hold a loupe, meter, several film holders and filters plus one extra lens with ease. They had extra pockets that could be added for a big bottle of water and some snacks. When using this on short hops, I usually just tuck the dark cloth into the waistband, throw the camera and tripod over my shoulder and off I go.

[jackbaty]

I really like the carpenter belt idea. I'm (so far) not trekking far from my car, so that seems handy enough. Thanks! I'd even have room for ROL's giraffe.

[lenser]

I remember being very surprised at the price on the belt. It was well under $20.00 at that time. I don't remember the price on the extra pockets, but the way it is in the photo is exactly how it came for that price.

[jp]

I've got these LL bean cargo shorts that have big back pockets, big enough to hold multiple film holders (in their anti-static bags). I keep a couple film holders on one cheek, and water bottle on the other. Light meter around the neck. No loupe. button up shirt for a dark cloth (I still have a t-shirt, which spares the world and subjects from my less than perfect torso). Speed graphic on a tiltall.

[ROL]

I've got these LL bean cargo shorts that have big back pockets, big enough to hold multiple film holders (in their anti-static bags).

...and never sit down?

I might mistake the man with 8x10 or larger holders for a grizzly. Then again, my static ass prolly wouldn't work.

[jp]

There's rarely a place to sit where I go photographing. If I did need to sit, I'd just have to unload the pockets, which is sort of like when they unload 16 clowns from a VW at the circus.

[welly]

I don't try to tackle everything at once. I set up my camera and whatever I need for that process I have to hand. Then I compose and focus and whatever I need for that (loupe, dark cloth) I have and nothing else. Then that all goes away and I put my film holder in the camera and I meter the scene. So now I've only got my light meter in my hand and easy access to any filters. One thing at a time and it becomes an easy process.


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