Shoulder Hoister or Bag Stuffer?

MurrayMinchin · Nov 15, 2005

I have never met another LF photographer in the field. On tv I see them wandering around with the camera on a tripod, all set up with the lens on, and the whole works is hoisted up on the photographers shoulder...does anybody really do that?

As a creature of a temperate rainforest which has more bio-mass (bellows ripping branches) for a given area than the Amazon, and because chances are it's either raining, snowing, or dripping, I'm a bag packer. Everything gets stuffed back in the bag which then gets stuffed into a pack when I'm done.

Just curious...

Murray

bobfowler · Nov 15, 2005

I bought a couple of really neat rolling bags for some of my LF gear from Pearl's Art Supply (got one for Nathan Smith as well). I can get my Eastman 5X7, a half-dozen or so holders, an extra lens, filters, and my meter inside the main compartment. I don't like the idea of branches ripping up my bellows any more than you...

The second bag I use for lenses and holders for my Toyo monorail (which has its own hard case).

photobum · Nov 15, 2005

A good point Murray. Here in the wilds of New Jersey (we do have trees between the tank farms) I mostly bag it. The snagging of cameras is why I like working with a Crown Graphic or Horseman HD. Then I keep the camera on the tripod and everything else in a shoulder bag. When working with 5x7 or 8x10 it's always in a backpack. Any distance from the jeep and the Crown or HD goes into a daypack. So with me it's a distance/size thing.

Flotsam · Nov 15, 2005

whenever I see one of these threads come up, I just have to post this link:

Dead Link Removed

Dave Parker · Nov 15, 2005

When I shoot in the upper elevations of Glacier and Yellowstone, I do throw the whole works over my sholder and walk to the next spot, when in dense cover I take the camera off the tripod and carry in one hand and the tripod over the sholder, that way I don't have to worry about branches playing hell with the bellows.

Dave

dphphoto · Nov 15, 2005

A lot of the time I'll carry the tripod over my shoulder with the dark cloth draped over the camera, but only if I'm going short distances.
I learned my lesson when a branch literally ripped the cable release off the lens. The lens survived, but you should have seen that cable release. Luckily I had a spare. Dean

Rick Haug · Nov 15, 2005

I've done the shoulder hoist thing a time or two, for example when I had three different shots planned along a 100 foot section of creek. Normally everything gets broken down and put back in the pack when moving around between shots. Much less chance of an accident damaging gear.

David A. Goldfarb · Nov 15, 2005

Depends on how far I'm going and what the hazards are and which camera I'm carrying. Sometimes I'll carry the camera on the tripod. Other times I'll fold the tripod and carry it over my shoulder and carry the camera in the other hand. Sometimes I repack everything.

ron mcelroy · Nov 16, 2005

For me it all depends on the distance to travel. I often work in relatively small areas and will leave the camera on the tripod when moving around. If traveling very far everything gets packed.

Ron

MurrayMinchin · Nov 16, 2005

ron mcelroy said:
For me it all depends on the distance to travel. I often work in relatively small areas and will leave the camera on the tripod when moving around. If traveling very far everything gets packed.

Hi Ron,

That's a really interesting response, as I think it illustrates how differently all of us photograph. I'm only guessing here, but I bet you search until you find an area that sets your creative juices flowing, then you'll stay photographing in that one spot, and immerse yourself in the spirit of the place.

I'm a wanderer. I'll graze the landscape for hours at a time to find things that align with how I feel, take a couple images, then begin wandering for the next alignment. For every vision a different path...

Murray

John Kasaian · Nov 16, 2005

No. Never. The camera might ride on the tripod for a few feet in one direction or another while I'm setting up, but never with the tripod legs folded and carried over the shoulder. I'd probably fall over backwards!

Ole · Nov 16, 2005

I'm a backpack-packer. I'll pack the pack if I'm planning to move more than about 50m. For shorter (planned) moves I'll carry the camera and tripod upright in my hands, with the tripod legs extended. Then I just plop the whole thing down and carry on shooting.

wilhelm · Nov 16, 2005

I probably do more shoulder-hoisting than bag-stuffing. My camera is a Horseman LE, and my "bag" is a Calumet trunk, which is heavy and bulky. I could likely get away with a simple luggage cart for it, since I spend most of my time in urban settings, but, well, <mumble, mumble>.

A decent amount of the time, I'll scout a location with only a framing card and spot meter, to figure out what I'm in for. Then I'll go back to the car, load up with what I need - cam with lens on the 'pod, over the right shoulder, with a small camera bag for holders, notebook, meter, etc. over the left - and go. Some in this thread say that they shoulder-hoist with the darkcloth over the camera; I fold it a few times and put it on shoulder under the tripod, for a (very) little padding.

Carrying the LF gear like that is more fun, I think, than just a bag, because of all the "What's that crazy guy doing?" looks. The smiles and the "trying not to stare" averted eyes, it's almost like I've got my pet elephant with me... which, in a way, I do.

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