I just read an entertaining thread about “what equipment should I bring on my trip?” and I started to consider the question much more broadly than the poster had intended – that is, first on a practical level, then on a much more philosophical one:
The main concern: whether to bring LF gear, MF gear – or both – to an area of natural beauty for a 14-day trip.
And the first “practical” consideration occurring to me was how far one wishes to walk from the vehicle. The farther one explores, I thought, the more suitable the “lighter” format might be (if one format is indeed lighter than the other). A second consideration was how safe one might feel about leaving one format behind in the vehicle, while taking photos with the other – whether venturing far or staying near. (Perhaps one enjoys having two systems always at hand, though that sounds like a heavy and distracting option!)
On my trips, I’ve usually made similar decisions about my LF and 35mm gear; but over the years, I’ve worried less and less about such decisions, even while taking more and more trips.
And this is where I started to wax philosophical – and was very curious when, if ever, you’ve shared similar or contrasting thoughts:
Sure, I like to plan ahead like everyone else – doing my best to choose the gear that will best serve my photographic aims. But it’s also important for me to remember that an area of great natural beauty – like Yosemite in the original thread – is rich enough (especially if you have only 14 days to explore) to offer endless possibilities for just about any combination of personal aims and type of equipment one might have.
Perhaps more important for me is determining (in advance of my trip) the behavior that will best invite the scenes I like to photograph to “find me” – an approach, I’ve discovered, that seems to work independently of the camera equipment in my pack, or the more conscious ideas in my head.
Simple examples: identifying where I might take "the road less traveled," taking one (and only one) lens, exploring "unstudied" areas where I don’t really know what I’ll find – or, of course, avoiding spots favored by crowds and tourists. Also: ridding my mind of the photographs of the same area by other photographers – especially the famous ones! (With all the serious readers among us, I’ll risk mention of that famous passage in Don DeLillo’s novel “White Noise” about “the most photographed barn in America.”)
It’s an approach about trip planning that may not work for everyone, but over the long term, it has spun a lot of photographic magic for me – adding an immense amount of enjoyment to my trips, plus plenty of photos to my portfolio of which I’m proud. I’ve even come to consider it the pre-eminent part of my "planning," even more critical than decisions about my gear.
Can you share additional thoughts on the matter? I'd enjoy hearing them.
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