Climbers photographed as they near the summit. Image: Vixit/Shutterstock
Photography is an integral part of any expedition, but visually documenting an arduous journey in a remote location brings numerous challenges. Geordie Torr gets some invaluable tips from a group of expedition veterans
Today, more than ever, with the insatiable appetite of social media channels among other things, the need to visually document an expedition is a vital part of its success. Sponsors need to be kept happy, supporters and the media to be kept up to date and illustrated reports will often need to be prepared at the expedition’s conclusion. The sale of good-quality images can even help to fund the expedition or its successor.
While the increasing sophistication of smart-phone cameras makes them invaluable for quick, impromptu pics, for proper expedition photography there’s still no substitute for a good SLR. But how to go about choosing one. And what other equipment will you need?
Often, one of the chief considerations when it comes to buying camera equipment for an expedition is cost. Expeditions are typically expensive undertakings put together on limited budgets, so any money-saving opportunity will be welcomed. Tom Ang, author of the photography chapter in the RGS-IBG’s expedition handbook, suggests keeping things affordable by buying models that are one or two back from the current release.
‘Nearly all of my equipment is second-hand,’ says long-time Geographical contributor Martin Hartley. ‘When I get asked the question, “Which camera should I buy,” I always suggest a used professional DSLR – they are way cheaper than new cameras and lenses and far more robust than non-professional cameras.’
For Tim Taylor, veteran of numerous high-altitude climbing expeditions in the Himalaya, Alaska and elsewhere, buying second-hand is also increasingly becoming an attractive option. ‘I’m all for the use of second-hand equipment, if it has been well serviced and is guaranteed,’ he says. ‘Companies such as MPB are a great source of second-hand kit.’
According to Patrick Williamson, MPB’s global head of media, the website offers a number of features that make it particularly suitable for expedition photographers. ‘All of the gear sold on MPB goes through a thorough quality-checking process, ensuring that it’s in good condition and fully functional, which is important for expedition photographers, who can’t afford to have equipment failures in remote locations,’ he says. ‘MPB also enables photographers to sell their used gear, which can be a useful way to offset the cost of upgrading equipment or to unload gear that they no longer need.’
Romanian-born expedition photographer Ana-Maria Pavalache, who has spent much of her photographic career in the High Asia region, injects a note of caution, however. ‘When it comes to an expedition or assignment, things are more critical and it often makes sense to have new equipment, which is more reliable, and to have second-hand equipment as a backup and for secondary use,’ she says.
Buying second-hand also brings environmental benefits. ‘Using MPB to purchase used camera gear is also a sustainable choice, as it gives equipment a second life instead of buying new gear, which can contribute to environmental waste,’ says Williamson. ‘MPB’s business model – buying, selling and trading used photographic and videographic equipment – makes the circular economy a reality, and we’re striving to apply circular principles in our operations as well: all of our packaging is 100 per cent plastic free; our cloud-based platform uses 100 per cent renewable electricity.’
Williamson’s advice for choosing a body is to focus on reliability and toughness. ‘Expedition photography requires a camera body that can handle extreme temperatures, humidity and rough handling,’ he says. ‘Look for a camera body that is weather-sealed, ruggedly built and reliable.’
‘Reliability is a key component of my decision-making process when selecting which kit to take,’ says Taylor. ‘My work involves spending months immersed in some of the most extreme landscapes on our planet. On a month-long expedition to climb Mount Denali in Alaska, we had temperatures that were regularly falling as low as minus 40°C. The kit needs to be able to handle extreme cold and be able to take some knocks.’
Once you’ve decided on a body, the next – and perhaps most important question – is what sort of lens(es) to pair with it. One of the most popular choices is a 24–70-millimetre zoom (preferably f/2.8). ‘The 24–70-millimetre provides a natural field of view stretching from wide-angle photography to mid-telephoto portrait length,’ explains Pavalache.
‘I actually took a deep dive into which focal lengths I was using on the mountain, in an effort to cut any unnecessary lenses from my quiver,’ says Taylor. ‘I took a look over the metadata of years of work and thousands of images to see if there was a focal length that I was using a lot. To my surprise, I was using the same range of focal lengths for around 90 per cent of my work. Realising this allowed me to strip back my kit to just the bare minimum; a freeing experience creatively (less kit to think about and decisions to be made) and it allowed me to carry less weight – always the issue for an expedition photographer. I now work almost exclusively with a 24–70-millimetre lens on the high mountains.’
And of course, vital expedition-photography kit goes well beyond just the camera and lens. ‘An expedition means remote places where you might need more battery power, which is why I always carry at least three spare batteries and ensure I have all it takes to recharge easily – for example, a universal adapter plug or battery charger that will work from a vehicle or a solar panel,’ says Pavalache. ‘As I shoot in both JPEG and RAW, sufficient fast memory cards are essential. I usually use a card reader and an external SSD to back up the images on a daily basis.’
This is high on Taylor’s list, too. ‘A good photo backup system is important so images can be backed up each day to multiple drives while on the mountain,’ he says. ‘You won’t be able to repeat the expedition, so backing up the raw material is essential. It’s time consuming – as a photographer/film-maker you have very little down time during an expedition – but essential work.’
Taylor also swears by a good tripod – ‘I love the Gitzo carbon fibre, although with camera technology and sensors becoming more sophisticated, I’m using tripods less on the mountain during the day’ – and a good bag and a pouch that enable easy access to cameras. ‘If it’s buried in your bag, you won’t stop to take it out when you’re struggling to breathe at 7,000 metres.’
It’s also important to build in an element of redundancy. ‘Take spares of everything, including the camera body,’ says Taylor. ‘Again, you won’t be able to repeat the expedition, which often involves years of time and large amounts of money to make happen, so coming back without photographs because a bit of kit has broken isn’t an option.’
But try not to go overboard. ‘The weight of kit is a constant challenge,’ Taylor says. ‘Carrying enough food for a month and the equipment needed to operate and survive, as well as the 20 kilograms of camera kit on top of that (which can be psychologically difficult when you know that everyone else is carrying less, but you still have to maintain pace and catch up after stopping to take a photograph), means you need a very high level of strength, stamina and passion for your craft.’
And remember, being a good expedition photographer goes beyond the kit you’re carrying. According to Ang, you should only take equipment with which you are well experienced. Pavalache agrees. ‘If you’re working with a new camera brand, as I did on my last expedition, it’s vital to know your equipment so well that it becomes part of your daily routine so that you can concentrate on the more creative side,’ she says. ‘If there’s a lot of good planning ahead of time, one can embrace the whole experience.’
‘The photography itself has to be instinctive, second nature,’ says Taylor. ‘You have to know your kit inside out so that you can concentrate on staying alive and operating well as part of a small team. You also have to hone your skills and fitness so as not to be a burden to the people you’re with. Very good training, lots of experience and an extremely high level of physical fitness are essential and help reduce the risks.’
And first and foremost, you need to respect local sensibilities. ‘The most significant challenges remain on the human side,’ says Pavalache. ‘If, for some reason, I’m not allowed to photograph young women, then I’ll respect that. Once, my guide, a Pakistani local, snapped an image with an old mobile phone of women yak herders talking with me. Seconds later, the one young man who was there up in the high mountains exploded into a furious rage. While travelling to remote places, I make a conscious decision to set aside all kinds of stereotypes and misjudgements I might have and embrace the way in which each remote community leads their lives. Stay open and learn!’
