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Moose's Camera Bag

January 1, 2010 by  
Filed under Uncategorized

What does Moose Use and Why?

07.15.10

The gear you own in large part makes your life as a photographer easier, makes you visual communication as concise as possible. Since as a photographer you are constantly learning and as a person you’re continually growing bringing more to your photography, your camera bag contents will naturally change. At least, that’s how it is for me. What you see here is the gear in my photopack as of the date you see above. With my opening statement, you know it changes and it changes at times faster then I can keep up this page, but you get the idea.

We all need to be unique and true to ourselves in our approach to photography. So cloning what I have in my camera bag in your camera bag not only does not guarantee you photographic success, but possibly robs you of your own potential. So why is this page here then? To be totally honest with you, to keep the email load down to just hundreds a day rather then thousands because photographers want to know about equipment. You must understand this though, the contents of my bag are based on my style of communicating photographically the projects I am currently working. And that’s based on my years behind the camera photographing wildlife, biologists, landscapes, life. There’s a lot that goes on in gear selection, the biggest part being the constant push to improve. It’s what I call the Darwin Theory of Photography – evolve or parish!

How do I select my camera gear? That’s a damn good question since at times, there is no logic to it. First, it’s normally in the Nikon line up because that’s what I shoot. (And why Nikon, they still make the best flashes and now, the amazing D3x/D3s). I don’t care if you shoot Canon, I just care you shoot and use your images to change the world! After that, it’s the tools (bodies, lenses, accessories) that permit me to visually interpret the world in my viewfinder so I can communicate the wonders I am so fortunate and photograph. The first twenty nine years behind the camera have literally been focused on wildlife and wildplaces. This information is here for that self serving reason, make it easier for you to do the same thing and make a difference! You could sum it up as I select the gear I have then by the simple mathematical formula of: What I’m Photographing + What I want to Communicate = Gear Used.

What follows is what I typically have with me based on the main focus of the project. What you see is what I have with me but not what i carry out into the field. I only select from what you see the tools needed at that moment. Moral: I don’t hike in the field with a photopack on my back. What is listed except where noted is packed inside the Photopack in which it is under. Those items not packed in the Photopack are now (click here to learn how I pack to fly) FedExed to the location in a Pelican Case 1660. I no longer trust any gear to check-in when flying.

And strictly for trivia, here’s how the product shots were taken. They were all done with the marvelous 70-180macro. It’s a common question so generated a simple page with the info.

WRP’s MP-1 Photopack

The MP-1 is the photopack I grab the majority of the time. This is because the 600mm is the longest lens I need for my current projects (and it’s easier to ship the 200-400VR than the 600VR). The list you see here is what I have with me on projects all the time. Items with a single * listed below tend to go FedEx in a Pelican case. Since I first started to use the MP-1, a few hundred thousand air miles ago, I’ve yet to have a problem getting it on any plane as carry-on on any plane. While it does weigh more than my ol’ back wants to carry, it does get my gear to where I need to work.

Here’s info on the MP-1 I use and here’s a video how I pack it .

MP-1

* = FedEx to location
** = carry-on shoulder
+ = Gitzo 3540XLS for everything but 200-400VR & 600f4
++ = Gitzo 5560SGT is for 200-400VR & 600f4 only

WRP’s MP-3 Photopack

The MP-3 has been a workhorse of a photopack for me! The only difference between the gear in the MP-1 (above) and MP-3 is the selection of the longest lens. For projects where I’m depending on the 200-400VR is when I grab the MP-3. My MP-3 has a little over a hundred & fifty thousand air miles on it being shoved in more overheads than I care to think about without ever having a problem. It’s also been in more rain and snow and no matter what I’ve thrown at it, when I unzip the flap my gear has always been ready to go.

Here’s how I pack the gear into the MP-3.

MP-3

* = FedEx to location
** = carry-on shoulder
+ = Gitzo 3540XLS for everything but 200-400VR & 600f4
++ = Gitzo 5560SGT is for 200-400VR & 600f4 only

WRP’s MP-5 Photopack

The MP-5 is simply not used by us very often. We just too much gear with us, more then the MP-5 can carry. When it does go, quite often, the MP-5 is packed with excess accessory gear like chargers are packed in my checked luggage to be pulled out once on site (with most gear going in the MP-1). When in use, I depend on the MP-5 to “down size” once on site and on the trail with the big lens on the tripod over my shoulder.

Here’s how Moose packs gear into the MP-5.

MP-5

* = FedEx to location
** = carry-on shoulder
+ = Gitzo 3540XLS for everything but 200-400VR & 600f4

WRP’s MP-7 Photopack

The MP-7 is my go to photopack for most of my event and convention shooting. It’s my location / landscape photography photopack. I don’t think you’ll find any other photopack like the here to see how I pack the MP-7.

MP-7

* = FedEx to location
** = carry-on shoulder
+ = Gitzo 3540XLS for everything but 200-400VR & 600f4

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