The glare of the headlamps also enabled them to get a good look at us, and what grabbed their attention immediately was Pete’s photography equipment, which was mixed up with everything else. He was militant about carrying a backup for every piece of gear he used, so he had brought double the amount he needed: two high-tech digital cameras capable of shooting video as well as still shots, each worth $8,000; eight battery packs to run the cameras, plus four sets of solar panels to charge the batteries, four lenses, a pair of tripods, and an assortment of cables and tools. The entire kit weighed
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Oh my god. Fucker, I don't carry that much crap with me when I'm DRIVING. Four lenses when I'm CITY travelling is a bit much. I'll often leave one or two in the hotel to lighten up my bag so it doesn't slow me down. In the BACKWOODS? No way. One body. Two lenses. For the canyon, I'd have probably gone wide angle prime and superzoom, but I could see an argument for other set-ups. Either way, no more than two. Throw in ONE extra battery and the solar charger. MAYBE a tiny bottle of lens cleaner and a lens cloth. Maybe. They'd be the first things to get ditched if I decided I was carrying too much.
Best part: being forced to carry a minimal kit MAKES YOU A BETTER PHOTOGRAPHER. Anyone carrying 28 pounds of professional gear into some of the most stunning natural landscapes on earth can get good photos. Skill comes in when you're working with limitations.
