Convenience in the Field

[Mark Muse]

I use a Gitzo 1325 too. The one problem I grappled with it is the lack of spikes (I understand there is now a video version of it that has them). The 1325 has shallow cone shaped plastic caps as leg terminators. If you happen to be on matted vegetation it can be hard to get the cones to penetrate well enough to really ground the tripod. So I carry a black rubber bungi cord that I have modified by removing the metal hook from one end and adding a loop of nylon cord large enough for my foot.

In use I put the remaining hook through the top of one of the leg hinges. Before I pull the darkslide I put my foot in the loop and push my foot to the ground. Beats the heck out of looking around for rocks to put in a mesh bag all the time. It helps in the wind too. I understand why some folks insist on those massive wooden legs but this adds as much of MY mass (which I have to carry around anyway) to the pod as the bungi cord will transfer.

And no, I have never forgotten that my foot was in the stirrup!

[Leonard Metcalf]

Interesting post, thanks Kerry.

I have had made a bag that carries my tripod attached to my backpack, it has quick release straps to hold it in tight, and a zipper for easy access. In it is my carbon fibre gitzo, linhof ball head with quick release plate. I treat my gitzo very poorly, but after eight years it still is working fine. Never totally emersed it, but after reading the post will take it apart for a good clean even though the sand has long stopped making any noise. I find a ball head quicker than a pan tilt head - but reading other peoples posts I realsie that this is a very personal choice.

I often leave it set up after one photo and look carefully for another.. and will carry my camera set up for short distances over easy ground.

I am in the process of getting a pack made that holds my camera bag (also custom made) right at the back of the pack under zips. I will be able to throw my pack down (carefully of course) and have quick access to all of my camera equipment. I have also found that once I am at my campsite, I often want to just wander with my camera gear and having it in individual packages dosen't faciliate this very well. Getting to my camera gear easily whilst carrying all the extra equipment for camping can turn me off getting it out. I noticed this on my last overnight walk, as it was burried deep inside the pack, and I am sad that I missed a few of those shots that I was too lazy to take. When I have to waterproof my gear to swim in a canyon with I use a pelican case and a zippered backpack, with the tripod in a dry bag. Not the best but workable. (Hint keep a towel in with your tripod so you can dry your hands and face before opening the camera case)

Some other things I have discovered that have sped up my photography. A non folder (I leave my favorite lens in it) which I can use every movement confidently without coming out of the dark cloth (an ebony), quickloads (though not to rapped about the choice of b&w films avaliable), knowing my lenes well enough so that I don't have to change them after a quick look (a viewing card helped at first), and lastly being confident with my exposures. I have discovered myself spending more time on this step of the process than any other.

Large lenes choice also seems to slow up the decsion making process. When weight is an issue I leave behind a few of my lenes, and take my favorites. In extreme environments I have been known to only take one lenes.

And finally, composing fully before setting up the camera - then I don't have to move it...

[Henry Ambrose]

With saltwater fishing gear it is well known that you must rinse your equipment everyday in fresh water and disassemble, clean and grease it throughly fairly often to prevent damage. The -only- alternative is equipment malfunction. Anodized finishes on aluminum parts help but are not enough, you must clean regularly. This applies to tripods as well. The lifetime of composite assemblies can be quite long in theory but not always in real use. In particular the joints where the composite is bonded or attached to metal components are prone to entry of corrosion causing elements. When these joints are left unattended they may fail. Even though these new materials are marketed as corrosion proof, lighter and stronger than older materials they are not maintenance free.

[tim atherton]

"Gitzo's reputation for standing behind their unconditional lifetime warranty was legendary." I remeber it was a big selling point pushed intheir ads, but wasn't this only something offered by the US importer - and, of course, only turned out to be applicable to the "lifetime" of that particular importer...

[Hans Berkhout]

Problems I have had with my Gitzo 1228 (a love/hate relationship):

one collar came loose from legsection- I epoxy glued it back on. Spoiled a day's shooting. I ran over it with my car; a hinge prong was bent so I replaced the section. The leg section itself was not broken (!) but split/cracked longitudinally in quite a few places and if it was not for the hinge malfunction I could still have used it. Very sharp fibers protruding from it. Intense use of the tripod over a few weeks resulted in a tendinits in my wrist.Too many collars to (un)twist.

[Gem Singer]

Kerry,

Creating this could book could become a huge project. You probably should include a chapter, or two, on chooosing a camping location and shelter, as well as clothing and gear, such as boots, gloves, hats, etc. The choice of which type of backpack to use will take up a chapter of it's own.

I'm looking forward to adding your book to my collection, even though I no longer do any hiking and camping.

[David Mark]

Kerry,

Thank you for your post, which touches on what are for me some of the most important questions I have about working in the field.

I have a some thoughts, suggestions, and questions to share. First, though, let me confess that I may be the world's slowest large format landscape photographer. I typically take thirty minutes or more from the time I put down my pack to the time I have exposed a sheet of film, even when the composition is pretty obvious from the beginning. This is far too long, since, as you point out, the good light is often fleeting; and time spent on one picture takes away time that might have gone to make a second -- or a third -- image. Further, my slowness has made me risk averse. I am reluctant to take a picture that might not work, and I pass up something that might be worth an experiment, looking for the sure thing. Ironically, that means that I sometimes spend the whole morning or afternoon walking and looking without actually exposing any film.

With one of my favorite seasons of the year, early spring, coming up fast, I have been thinking hard about what I can do to increase my working speed in the field. Several photographers have written to say that an invariable routine is helpful, once mastered. I believe this, but am going to try -- and want to suggest to others -- a variant of this: Have two setup routines, one for maximum quality and one for maximum speed. My current routine is designed around the idea of the best possible quality. I set up and level my camera (a Canham DLC) with great care, front to back and side to side. I carefully measure the focus spread on the focusing rail, tilt using Howard Bond's focus/check procedure, remeasure the focus spread, take zone readings, take notes on the zone readings, etc., etc. It has gradually dawned on me that I may get perfectly good negatives with a good deal less than this all-out effort. For instance, if I don't tilt, I may have to use a very small aperture. But my experience has been that a 4X5 negative exposed at f64 and enlarged to 16X20 -- which is as big as I can go in my darkroom -- may still look adequately sharp. Now it is true that if I had used tilt and exposed at, say, f32, the picture would look sharper still; but I think it is fair to say that if the composition is good and the printing is good, no viewer is likely to complain about a lack of sharpness. So, if I am trying to work fast, it makes sense for me to skip tilting the lens, a step that often takes me five minutes or so to get exactly right. Another time saver, I am finding, is to use Phil Davis's incident metering system in place of zone metering. Yes, it is not as precise as careful zone metering, but for me it is much faster; and I have now used the incident system enough to be confident that it will always give me a negative I can work with in the darkroom. Still another time saver, for me, is to set up the camera low enough so that I can use the bubble levels on the tops of the standards, rather than using my Horseman block level to level the camera. I prefer having the ground glass at eye level, but if I do that, I must use the block level, as I have no way to see the top-mounted bubble levels. The bubble levels are not as accurate as the block level, but they are, I think, accurate enough.

I would be very interested to hear from other backpacking landscape photographers how long it takes them to go from unslinging their packs to exposing film.

Gear I have found helpful: 1. Summitek composing frame. knots on the neck cord allow you to guage the effect of different focal lengths. 2. Bogen 410 head. Great for all reasons Kerry mentioned. Mine did develop some play, and had to be adjusted. The Bogen repair people were great. Reis tripod. The Reis is wonderful on uneven ground; very quick to set up. It and the Bogen are heavy, though. The combination weighs in at over 10 pounds. As I hope to continue to hike and climb, and as my knees seem to be aging faster than the rest of me, I am looking for a good lightweight alternative. So far a Kirk BH-3 on a Gitzo CF tripod seems the best bet. I am concerned, though, that working with a ballhead will slow me down. If ball head enthusiasts have tips or tricks for working fast with ballheads I would love to know what they are.

Kerry, thanks, again, for starting this discussion.

[David Mark]

P.S. Kerry, I would also love to see you write a book on working techniques for landscape photographers. My suggestion for a title: "A Field Guide to the Field Camera."

[Leonard Metcalf]

Use a ball head with a tensioning adjustment, then it is easy to hold it in the right position with one hand while you tighten. I only level the tripod by sight.

Thinking through my last large shoot over the last break I also am noticing that leveling the camera is only important in about 15% of my shots. Which leads me to ask how much of peoples advice is specific to thier subjects and methodology?

Can I also suggest a carbon fibre Miller tripod made in Australia - which has an amazing similarity to a Rites could be worth looking into. Have seen one, the owner was very happy with it, but can't really comment myself. Appeared to be the type of tripod that you could abuse, submerse and yet be still light weight. Miller fluid heads are recognised widely in the film industry as one of the best, they have been making wooden tripods for years. When my gitzo dies I will probably try one - drawback not as compact.

I used to think I was a slow photographer untill I worked with a photographer over x-mas. He was using the latest Canon 16 megapixel digital, a manfroto tripod, pan tilt head, and zoom lens. At one stage I was taking three photographs to his one. Well, if you count his bracketing, exposures, focal length, and camera position. He probably took ten images to my one of the same subject. He would latter edit on the back or on his computer.

The difference in speed was that he was using the camera to find his best photograph, while I was finding it in my head first, then taking the photo.

I also notice that each photograph I take inspires me differently, some I play with for ages, and others I can work quickly with.

[tim atherton]

"Can I also suggest a carbon fibre Miller tripod made in Australia - which has an amazing similarity to a Rites could be worth looking into."

Those puppies start at what $1,200 - $1,500 and go up to $10,000 and more...?