CARRY LESSER PHOTOGRAPHY EQUIPMENT

Most of the people have this illusion in their mind that the professional photographer carry more equipment on their backpack. Carrying more equipment make the photographer a real professional. This is the myth. The photographer always looks Professional while carrying a heavy backpack and two high-end professionals cameras hanging on his shoulders & blah blah. I have one question to ask the equipment makes your professional photographer or your better images makes you a better professional photographer. I think the answer should be, “only the better images”.

Let’s discuss why the photographer should carry lesser photography types of equipment.

Not good for your health– carrying unnecessary photography equipment on your back, can give you a backache and this can be a nightmare for every photographer. By carrying a heavy bag pack, you cannot walk so long or freely. This heavy bag pack will also interrupt you to take a close shot, can’t bend your back towards down to shoot close & create disturbance for different experiments, different compositions, different angle etc. better not to carry a heavy bag pack. Always hold your attention and stops you to shoot.

lens Changing– Whenever you need to change your lens than it is a big problem, Every time you takeout out your bag, search the lens in the bag then change the lens and pack the current lens in the bag. It is a pathetic activity and pure wastage of your time and energy.

Chances of theft– If you are in abroad or different location from your home town too. Then carrying a big bag pack can be noticed by the looters or you can invite unexpected accidents, risk etc. If anything happens accidentally then your whole expensive photography equipment can be stolen, grabbed at once. Then you will need to rebuy the same kit, reinvest for the same. It’s a big nightmare. Its better avoid heavy bag pack of highly expensive photography kits. Not advisable spacially in the travelling.

Solutions and Advantages.

Preplan before the shoot– Wherever you are going to shoot, choose the lens and carry one or two lens maximum along with one body, extra memory card, extra battery backup, a rain cover. I hope, This much stuff is perfect to carry. This will give you freedom of unnecessary carrying heavy bag pack. Suppose you are going for wildlife photography then one zoom lens (150-600mm or 200-500mm) is more than enough. Never carry a laptop, iPad and any other expensive accessories.

Hire one assistant- In case, you cannot avoid the important thing to carry then, in this case, hire one assistant who can carry your bag, protect your bag, can make you free to shoot. This is the best option.

Be with the group– If your bag is really heavy and all your photography gears are important to carry to shoot, No assistant is available unluckily then try to be with the group of people. At least this is the safest option to shoot.

Explore better locations– While carrying lesser gear, you walk for so long, explore the good location, shoot different subjects. Gives you more comfort and less attention to the backpack.

Focus photography, not the heavy backpack – Once the heavy backpack is ready to carry then you always focus on your bag, not the photography. Whereas the lesser small bag will never interrupt you to capture the shot from any angle. You will not ever feel that you have a bag too.

Even I do not like carrying unnecessary stuff while shooting and I do not advise to carry a heavy backpack, even in travel, wild, street photography genre. I carry one lens and one camera body along with one water bottle that all. I love to explore the location and accordingly, I choose my photography gears. Carrying less gear is fun, you also enjoy other things also. But carrying heavy backpack always hold your attention and stop you enjoying other things and photography too. You should have the freedom to shoot without carrying any hassle or any trouble on you back.

Choose your photography gears wisely and enjoy photography and have fun. Make sure your gears should not bother you at all but it should always support you to capture better shots. Must play the role of better companion in your photography journey.

Keep experimenting and Have wonderful and happy photography to you all.

Photographer and blogger Prasenjeet Gautam (www.prasenjeetgautam.com). Prasenjeet shooting in the above-posted photographs.