[Leica] On the road with greg Locke

[locke at straylight.ca (Greg Locke)]

Actually, BD, this is light for REAL work. If I didn't have to file from the
road I would not need the sat phone or a computer. And THAT is the killer
for the travelling journalists these days. Having to file daily or
weekly...and I should not complain as it is much easier to do today then the
"old days";

This trip I downsized from a Toshiba laptop and decide to try one of those
iPAQ's with a folding keyboard.

A number of years ago I was headed for a two week stay on an offshore oil
rig.
Everything gets weighed for the two hour helicopter trip and my Domke bag
with lenses, 2 F3's and 140 rolls of film came in at 37 pounds.  I realised
when I got the there it was impossible to shoot ANYTHING with a 300 f2.8 on
an oil rig.

The WORST trip ever, which cured me of overpacking, was a three month
assignment in Bosnia where I needed to carry a colour processing kit, enough
film for 3 months, a laptop, Nikon Coolscan and all the assorted wires,
adapters, cables needed to make it all work ...and of course the spare and
redundant bits in case of failure or loss.
Not to mention winter clothes and, OH, YEAH!, ..the camera equipment.  One
large hardshell shipping case, one large backpack, one small backpack and a
camera bag.

I knew it was a lot but it was still better then the "OLD DAYS" of having to
carry a colour enlarger and a UPI 16s drum transmitter!!!  ...so I didn't
give it much thought. Besides, it was going on a Canadian air force Hercules
so what did I care?

I CARED early one morning in Sarajevo when the message came to my little Inn
that a UN Herc had finally made it into the airport and if I wanted to get
out I have 30 minutes to get to the airport. The inn keeper was more then
happy to drive me but I soon came to realise that all my gear would not fit
into he VERY SMALL eastern European car on undetermined make.

...his family ended up with a full sized expedition backpack full of
clothes, 40 rolls of film and new pair of winter hiking boots.

My Africa Kit will be:

2 Leica M6's
21, 35, 90, 135 lenses
1 Nikon D100
1 Nikon D1X (I honestly don't expect the Nikons to be coming home)
17-35
35-70  ...have not secured a longer lens yet.
Some film (I am making arrangements for film and processing in Cape Town)
iPaq Pocket PC with folding keyboard for writing and sending digital photos
1 Change of clothes.

....with a packed photo vest, this will actually fit into a small
non-descript carry on MEC backpack which will send the airport security
goons into apoplectic fits. You should see the look on their faces when it
appears on the xray monitor.
I actually feel sorry for them because the look on their face says they now
don't have a clue how to deal with this.  But I am always helpful and
security in St. John's is now well versed in camera and optical design
theory and mechanics.

Satellite phone, clothes, more film, back up cables, batteries, tools and
pointy things and "non-essentials" go in another, larger backpack, for
checked luggage.

This seemed to work on my last trip to central Africa and wandering around
Rwanda, Congo and Kenya.

What it comes down to is that when its work, its work and you need the tools
to do the job.
The trick is to figure out the minimum you will need. It also makes a
difference if you are going to have a "base of operations" to leave stuff or
if you will have to carry everything with you every day.

When it's a holiday you have some flexibility.


Greg Locke
St. John's, Newfoundland
http://blog.greglocke.com
-----------------------------
Independent journalism from
Newfoundland & Labrador
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: lug-bounces+locke=straylight.ca@leica-users.org 
> [mailto:lug-bounces+locke=straylight.ca@leica-users.org] On 
> Behalf Of B. D. Colen
> Sent: Monday, October 04, 2004 2:03 PM
> To: 'Leica Users Group'
> Subject: RE: [Leica] WAS: Zeiss Ikon NOW: " LIFE QUOTATION" ;-)
> 
> At some point, Greg, I'd love to know what your 'required' 
> kit - the digital camera, lenses, etc., sat phone, mini-disc 
> recorder, pocket pc., etc., weigh in at. :-)
> 
> B.D.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
> [mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On 
> Behalf Of Greg Locke
> Sent: Monday, October 04, 2004 12:04 PM
> To: 'Leica Users Group'
> Subject: RE: [Leica] WAS: Zeiss Ikon NOW: " LIFE QUOTATION" ;-)
> 
> 
> ...and the corollary..
> 
> "if you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space."
> 
> ..and, Ted, just in case you getting were worried I had given 
> up the road for the easy domestic life in St. John's, I just 
> found out I'm headed to Africa in November ...with Leica's in 
> hand along with the new tools of the trade, digital camera, 
> mini-disc recorder, pocket PC and a satellite phone.
> 
> Life is a hoot!  ...if you choose to experience it to the 
> full...right?
> 
> Greg Locke
> St. John's, Newfoundland
> http://blog.greglocke.com
> -----------------------------
> Independent journalism from
> Newfoundland & Labrador
>  
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: lug-bounces+locke=straylight.ca@leica-users.org
> > [mailto:lug-bounces+locke=straylight.ca@leica-users.org] On 
> Behalf Of 
> > Ted Grant
> > Sent: Monday, October 04, 2004 12:48 PM
> > To: Leica Users Group
> > Subject: [Leica] WAS: Zeiss Ikon NOW: " LIFE QUOTATION" ;-)
> >
> > It's just to shake up a Monday morning in case some of you 
> think about 
> > taking a trip! ;-)
> > 
> > "Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well 
> > preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, 
> > shouting "...holy
> > shit...what a ride!"   ;-)
> > 
> > And a Leica in yer hand! ;-)
> > ted
> 
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