How do you pack your workhorse?

[Richard Mahoney]

Everyone,

At an early age I was especially fascinated by things hidden away in drawers and boxes and dark rooms. My grandmother, I've been told, dreaded my visits ;) Anyway, something of the old curiosity came back when I saw various photographs of Ansel Adam's station wagons cum shooting platforms. All those boxes in the back ... just what did he have in them, and why so many? Personally, I don't carry all that much, although it is heavy. Just a monorail in a tall metal box, a tripod, film in an ammo box, and meter and 35mm with a couple of lenses &c. in an old fly fishing bag. The rest is just all the usual things for an aging truck -- oil, grease, tools, spares and ropes and ties -- all strapped down to keep them in place. Pretty spartan really. How does everyone else travel -- pictures encouraged ;)

'66 Land Rover 88 -- The Well with LF Gear

http://camera-antipodea.indica-et-buddhica.com/about/equipment/green-1966-land-rover-88-well.jpg


Kind regards,

Richard

[Daniel Stone]

Richard,

maybe this could clear up some of the "wonder what was in those cases",?

IIRC, it starts talking about it at the 4:00 min mark on part 1

Part 1/2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am54LMSwz9E

Part 2/2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpCRx6Pq004&feature=related

-Dan

[Doremus Scudder]

My Xterra gets pretty full of stuff when I'm on "photo safari" for longer periods of time (sometimes I can be out for a couple of months at a time). In addition to the camping gear, I carry 50 filmholders and extra film in a cooler, my usual day-hiking kit (Wista DX, 5 lenses (90mm, 135mm, 203mm, 240mm, 300mm), meter, lightweight tripod, etc.) in their packs and pouches. I also carry another, larger pack with extra camera body (Zone VI with more extension) and a few extra lenses (450mm, 150mm and 75mm. These last two I alternate into my regular kit when needed). I carry a bag with spare meter, extra tripod leg locks and knobs, repair stuff, extra exposure records, some spare dark slides, etc. I also carry an extra tripod and a changing tent.

The actual phot stuff I use most takes up very little room, the spares, my clothes and camping gear take up a bunch more. When I'm really going to be away from civilization for a long time, I carry lots of food, firewood and 10 gallons of gas in two cans strapped to the roof rack of the Xterra.

Best,

Doremus Scudder

[Thad Gerheim]

The camera gear usually goes into saddle panniers on the Bay horse, since the Gray sometimes unloads his own packs (and it isn't pretty)!

[bobwysiwyg]

.. since the Gray sometimes unloads his own packs (and it isn't pretty)!

:D

[Richard Mahoney]

The camera gear usually goes into saddle panniers on the Bay horse, since the Gray sometimes unloads his own packs (and it isn't pretty)!

Well I'm pleased to say that my beast is possibly a little less temperamental, although she does have a healthy appetite and insists on being well fed.


Kind regards,

Richard

[mdm]

At least you can slam the bonnet when she is being tempramental.

[Peter Gomena]

I take a photo road trip in a 1967 Land Rover in about two weeks. It belongs to a friend, who has a similar stash of tools, camping gear and other things stowed away. By time two of us are in his rig with enough beer and other things to last us 2-3 days, we don't have to worry too much about things rattling around loose. Come to think of it, nothing is quite like rattling around the outback in an old Rover. The bruises keep showing up for days afterward.:D I can't wait.

Peter Gomena

[John Jarosz]

In the hidden trunk of my Honda Ridgline pickup.

[Jerry Bodine]

Richard,
The pic of your Land Rover has brought back a flood of pleasant memories of LF trips with my '69 LR 88 (new then, only ~$3400 full retail). Wonderful vehicle and yes a bit temperamental. Had a custom 20-gal tank installed behind the rear axle, because the stock 12-gal tank under the driver seat was not nearly adequate for long distances. In '70 when I was single, I drove the Alaska "Hwy" in July from Seattle to Mt. McKinley NP (now Denali NP) in Alaska, loaded to the window levels with camping gear, food, and new Sinar Normas (5x7 & 4x5). That was only a 3wk trip, returning via Jasper NP and Banff NP - a very successful photographic outing. I had tried it 2yrs earlier with a city car running on crummy tires and had 5 flats in the 3wks, not fun. So the LR was better prepared with 3 mounted spares, one inside, one on the hood (sorry, bonnet) and one outside on the back door, and had NO tire problems. I clearly remember the moment at which I encountered pavement on the return trip, after spending so long on dirt. I had to pull over for quite a time and sit there in a very depressed state, thinking if I should just turn around and go back to the dirt and wing it for a living. Then reality set in. Now retired, after nearly 150yrs :rolleyes: in the workforce, the fun continues in a considerably more comfortable '03 4Runner with more space inside than is needed, but the old bones appreciate it. The arsenal now includes an 8x10 Norma and all three of them are working like new - I take very good care of them. Never even occurred to me to photograph the LR, was preoccupied with the landscape.

[Vaughn]

In the hidden trunk of my Honda Ridgline pickup.

Note to self: Ridgelines have hidden trunks...:D

I have a 2002 WV Eurovan "Week-ender" (pop-top, table, bed downstairs and upstairs -- no sink/range top). The 8x10 is in its pack and seat-belted on the front passenger seat or on the back bed (bed kept out) with the pod next to it -- all covered with my sleeping bag.

In windy and/or rainy conditions I can open the back door and photograph from under it. The van worked well on my last photo trip to Joshua Tree, Death Valley, and Alabama Hills (in Feb).

Vaughn

Prior to marriage, kids and divorce, I traveled through-out the American West with my 4x5 in my 1971 SuperBeetle (from around 1980 to 1987). Great vehicle for my solo adventures -- good mileage, travel any kind of road (okay, not exactly 4-wheeling it), and dependable.

[John Jarosz]

Note to self: Ridgelines have hidden trunks...:D


Yeah, OK; but I didn't tell you about the hidden shotgun that guards the hidden trunk. :eek:

[lenser]

Since the design Gods of Detroit failed to add a trunk to any SUV that I've ever owned or seen, I added my own version. Drawers hold any combination of formats (left is 35mm gear, center is the Zone VI bag and a Hasselblad bag as well, and right has longer lenses as well as film stores, tool kits, Yashica Mat, and odds and ends. Deck holds anything needed including lighting cases and stands for location shoots plus 8x10 case. Tripods sit on the floor in front of the drawers. This leaves the front and rear seats open for passengers, cooler, luggage, fishing gear, sleeping bag and camp stove, and anything else I may need.

I've used this same kind of system in varying sizes in my current Ford Explorer, a full sized Chevy Blazer, and two Ford custom Econoline vans under the fold out beds.

[jeroldharter]

Don't have a photo of my gear in the rig, but this is the truck. I can easily stand (or sleep) on top of the bed cap:

[SergeiR]

Since the design Gods of Detroit failed to add a trunk to any SUV that I've ever owned or seen, I added my own version. Drawers hold any combination of formats (left is 35mm gear, center is the Zone VI bag and a Hasselblad bag as well, and right has longer lenses as well as film stores, tool kits, Yashica Mat, and odds and ends. Deck holds anything needed including lighting cases and stands for location shoots plus 8x10 case. Tripods sit on the floor in front of the drawers. This leaves the front and rear seats open for passengers, cooler, luggage, fishing gear, sleeping bag and camp stove, and anything else I may need.

I've used this same kind of system in varying sizes in my current Ford Explorer, a full sized Chevy Blazer, and two Ford custom Econoline vans under the fold out beds.

Hmm.. That makes me thinking about making/finding similar one for me Subaru. I used to have similar one in me Discovery and miss nice neat organized space now.. ;(

[Ken Lee]

http://www.kenleegallery.com/images/tech/gear.jpg

Keeping your equipment in a low-price soft-plastic cooler - or a cheap canvas tote bag - makes it unattractive to potential thieves. You can leave it in plan view, on the rear seat if you like.

The cooler has a carrying strap, and by some miracle keeps things warm in the winter, and cool in the summer: how does it know ?

Placing a dark-cloth over the tripod makes it look like nothing more appealing than a pile of laundry.

[lenser]

SergeiR,

If you've never built one yourself, it's easy enough. I'm a lousy carpenter so I had the lumber yard cut the plywood to needed sizes for just a few bucks extra and then glued and used countersunk screws for all the assembly. Note that the scrap of free carpet on top matches the paint scheme for camo effect and then the heavily tinted windows make it almost invisible, even with gear on top of the box. I do make sure that nothing shiny is in visible range. I am thinking about putting some kind of bar lock across the drawers and anchoring the whole thing to the cargo loops in the floor.

[SergeiR]

SergeiR,

If you've never built one yourself, it's easy enough. I'm a lousy carpenter so I had the lumber yard cut the plywood to needed sizes for just a few bucks extra and then glued and used countersunk screws for all the assembly. Note that the scrap of free carpet on top matches the paint scheme for camo effect and then the heavily tinted windows make it almost invisible, even with gear on top of the box. I do make sure that nothing shiny is in visible range. I am thinking about putting some kind of bar lock across the drawers and anchoring the whole thing to the cargo loops in the floor.

i did built one in rover from plywood too ;) But it was car that i restored from ground up , and forester is new and shiny... ;) But i am missing all the ability to lock stuff to the floor, and shelves and so on.. And your picture just reminded me how much i loved it. Final straw ;)

[Michael E]

I'm going a little bit in the opposite direction here: I reduced my usual LF outfit to a flat 10x14" canvas bag, hanging over my shoulder. It contains my 4x5" Tachihara with attached 6.8/120mm Angulon (I "downgraded" from a much bulkier 121mm Super-Angulon), Sekonic spot meter, 6 film holders, another lens (90mm Angulon or 8.5" Tessar) as well as pen and post-it notes for the exposed holders. Even though I usually carry a Berlebach wooden tripod, I can squeeze a tiny Gitzo (without head only 14" collapsed) into the bag. With this outfit, I can ride a bicycle or walk around all day - I'm not confined to the vicinity of my car. I used to carry a backpack, but this is even smaller. I do 95% of my LF work with the 120mm lens on 4x5", which makes it a lot easier to go slim.

Michael

[John Jarosz]

I just found this and it seemed appropriate.

[SamReeves]

LOL, he forgot to pack the pooper scooper.