Photowalk This Way
Get to steppin’.
The photowalk. An amoeba in concept. A complex organism in execution. Sometimes that organism is a cuddly chinchilla; at other times it is a crazed chimpanzee. Usually, it is a shape-shifter. But you pull it off, and then you bask; either in the warm afterglow of special moments with your sweet little friend, or in the exhausted satisfaction of having wrestled the deranged beast to the ground. Either way, it’s a good feeling.
A photowalk comprises packing up some limited kit you can carry on your person (and/or your person’s person) and leaving your hotel, car, campsite, home, etc. with the purpose of taking photos. You know you won’t be back for hours, so you pack up everything you think you need. Then you pick it up, and it is heavy. So you reprioritize and have another crack at it until you end up with a manageable go-bag. And we’re off.
You’re going to need the right bag for the job. It needs to be just big enough to hold what you need, but small enough that you can’t pack it too heavily. I prefer a sling-style bag with one thick strap that I wear diagonally, with the bag portion on my back. I can go all day like this. It has small pockets in the front for little bits and pieces. The main compartment is home away from home for my camera and lenses. Before I go out, I attach one lens to the body (minimizing lens changes while you’re out and about keeps the dust off your sensor) and usually take one other situation-specific lens. I use my proprietary lens protection system for the idle lens, known as The T-shirt I Wore Yesterday. No extra packing, and you never forget it. When I need to swap lenses (you did bring a second one), I do it on the ground and inside my bag. You can’t drop it if it’s already on the ground.
May all your walks be as colorful as The Castro.
We all have our own preferences for how we carry our cameras. These are mine. I started with the standard neck strap, slung diagonally across my body so my camera rested on my right hip (I’m right-handed). I found I was constantly pressing the camera against my hip to keep it from bouncing as I walked. I had heard good things about the Peak Design Clutch hand strap, so I ordered one to give it a try. Then I asked it where it had been all my photographic life. I found that I could shoot one-handed (remember those pancake lenses I love so much?), and I could easily whip the camera over for vertical shots with the camera hanging from my hand. I had no qualms taking the camera out for quick shoots with the hand strap alone, but I felt like I needed an extra level of gravity insurance if I was going to walk around all day like that. I added a wrist strap to my setup, and the rest is history. Worn together, they provide a solid defense against both Newtonian physics and nefarious pickpockets.
Speaking of wearing things, where you gonna put that lens cap? Pay attention to the mechanics of your shooting style. This is informed by the equipment you have chosen. My right hand is wrapped up in my hand strap, so I use the left to remove and replace the lens cap. Some of my favorite leggings only have a pocket on the right leg, and I found myself constantly reaching across my body to put my lens cap in there. Now I always wear pants (cargo pants or leggings) with a pocket on the left leg so I can stop contorting myself. In cold climates, I opt for jackets with zip-up pockets to keep any other little fiddly bits secure. My favorite item in my winter kit? Fingerless gloves with the mitten flaps. Warm, functional, and I get to feel a little like Miss Cyndi Lauper in the 80s. Hers were lace, but let me have this.
Outside is where a lot of interesting shooting is. It’s also where the weather is. Having learned my lesson during a pop-up thundershower in Key West, I never emerge from a roofed area without a rain cover. They are too cheap and lightweight to be without. There are those who put a UV filter on every lens when they first buy it, and never take it off to protect the front element. I don’t go that far. If I’m shooting in the daytime with my 40mm, I probably have a circular polarizer on it anyway. I do have inexpensive UV filters for every size of lens I own, and I put one on if I know I’m going to be in an area with a lot of wind, sand, or sea spray. An ounce of prevention and all that.
Dust in the wind, indeed.
I’ve written previous posts about planning, so, you know, do it. Don’t spend all your time darting erratically around the city. Know your topography, targets, and transit options. If you plan your trip well and pack your kit compactly and securely, you’ll have plenty of time to fill your card with great shots without feeling like you sprinted through your trip. Balance your plan with existing in the moment. You will walk. For a long time. You will stop, you will lunch. You will walk some more. Don’t be afraid to take intermissions when they present themselves. You’re traveling; do traveler things.
Most importantly, know thyself. Think about the ergonomics of how you do what you do. Was something bugging you on your last photowalk? Were you constantly worried about damaging or dropping your camera? Did your feet or shoulders hurt? Maybe there was a piece of equipment that you hauled around and never touched (surplus, thy name is speedlight). It’s easy to get in a rut of throwing the same gear in the bag over and over. If it’s not working for you, change it. Take a moment to debrief yourself after each photowalk to reflect, revise, and refine your setup. The right way is the way that works for you and keeps you and your equipment intact and in action.
