Split-Duty Pairing
Detroit: A lonely carousel on the shore of Lake Michigan.
Once upon a more chimerical time, I thought a job that required travel would be the coolest thing in the world. Then I grew up, got a job that requires travel, and discovered the dark side. It can be fun. It can also be lonely, exhausting, and repetitive. One reason I took up photography was to develop a mobile hobby that could serve as a diversion during my work trips. It turned out to be a good move, and I have begun to incorporate photowalks more and more in my business travel.
I don’t take my camera on every trip. I only take it when the time, location, and circumstances will be conducive to actually going out to shoot. If my time is so full with work duties that I need the few free hours to eat and sleep, I don’t need to bring my camera. If I’ll be in a hotel in the middle of nowhere with minimal transit options, or if I just don’t envision the shots I’m after in that location, the camera stays home. If it will be unsafe for me to go out and shoot alone and I don’t have backup, no camera. This way, it doesn’t just become white noise in my tote bag. When I open my bag and see my camera there, it reminds me that I saw photo potential in this particular trip, and I am more likely to get out there and do it.
The kit I take on my work trips is minimal. I originally dug out a little point-and-shoot from years ago, charged it up, and took it on a few trips. This was mainly to protect my then one-and-only DSLR from excessive exposure to the rigors of travel life. It was ok, and very compact, but it shot jpeg only and had very little in the way of exposure controls. When I upgraded my Canon T6 to a 6D Mark II, the T6 became my work trip sidekick. I hung on to my old crop-sensor 24mm pancake lens just for this use case. I have a small neoprene case that fits just around the camera and a long lens; with my pancake attached, I can fit my charger and extra batteries in the snout. If I think it will be bright, I might even whip the circular polarizer onto the lens before I pack the whole thing. It’s small enough to fit, but big enough to make its presence known and remind me why I packed it.
Norfolk: A mermaid keeps watch across the Elizabeth River.
I have the luxury of knowing where I will be and how long I will be there ahead of time (barring unforeseen snags). I check the weather and make sure I won’t be in the middle of violent thunderstorms or howling blizzards (unless that’s what I’m looking to shoot, unlikely without more gear). I assess the time of day, walkable locations, and photographic potential of the city where I’ll be. I then consider what is advisable from a security standpoint. I’m often perfectly safe to go out alone, but at other times I might want to ask a colleague to walk with me in exchange shouting them a meal. This is a pretty easy sell, as they often would like to see the area too, and I usually shoot in interesting places that most people would want to check out. When the timing aligns, I’ve even had my husband meet me for a fun guest appearance in my work life. I kind of like it when my worlds collide.
There have been a lot of fun surprises since I started doing this. One of my first photography side trips was in Duluth, Minnesota. I had a whole morning at my disposal, so I woke up early and walked from my downtown hotel toward Lake Superior. I ended up with some really great sunrise shots on my little point-and-shoot, as well as some fun photos of the old downtown buildings. I’ve had two great photowalks in downtown Detroit (both during daylight hours, once with Jay present). I’ve even been known to do a little shooting around our sacred Mothership, O’Hare Airport, just because I had my camera and some time to kill. The video banner for this blog was shot in the Terminal 1 tunnel at ORD. I may finally be mastering the art of Airport Appreciation.
Duluth: A factory overlooks Lake Superior.
Business trips can offer some fantastic pockets of time that are perfect for photography. Be thoughtful and selective when deciding to bring your camera along, and use the same resources you would when planning a purpose-built photo trip. Look at pictures of the city, make your map, and plan your time. Not only will you come home with some fantastic photos, you can savor the delicious satisfaction of having mixed business with pleasure.
