May 20, 2024 • 30 mins
In this episode of the Travel and Adventure Photography School, we dive into the art of capturing stunning photos in remote and off-the-beaten-path locations. Whether you’re trekking through dense forests, exploring rugged mountains, or venturing into deserts, this episode will provide you with practical tips, hacks, and essential gear advice to elevate your remote location photography.
Join us bi-weekly as we explore the world through the lens, uncovering hidden gems, and sharing insider tips to elevate your photography game. From capturing breathtaking landscapes to immersive cultural portraits, each episode is packed with practical hacks, creative ideas, and inspiring stories to fuel your wanderlust and unleash your creative potential.
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Find all the show notes and connect with Robert:
Website: robertmasseyphotography.ca
Instagram: @robertmasseyphotography
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
How's it going everybody.
Welcome back to the travel andadventure photography school
podcast as always.
I'm your host, Robert Massey.
And today we're going to beexploring some tips for
capturing stunning photos inremote and off the beaten path
locations as adventurephotographers, and travel
photographers.
We do have a tendency to want tojump out into the great outdoors
(00:23):
and see some amazing andbeautiful things.
And sometimes.
That means getting out wherethere's no cell phone connection
or there's not a lot of otherpeople.
And it honestly takes a lot ofwork and a lot of time and a lot
of effort to get into theseplaces.
So, what does that mean for whenyou are planning these shots,
when you are bringing gear inthere and how do you get ready
for what can be a reallyintimidating experience,
(00:44):
especially if you've never spenta lot of time in the back
country.
That's what we're talking abouttoday.
First off though.
Thank you so much for joining meand taking a few minutes to
improve your photography.
It's awesome.
That people are interested ingetting better and growing their
art and growing how they captureimages.
And I just love that.
And that's part of the reason Ireally do this.
(01:04):
So thanks for tuning in.
Thanks for being here with me.
If you are enjoying the podcast,if you are wanting to learn
about something specific orjust, you know, want to talk
about something photographyrelated, reach on out on
Instagram at Robert Masseyphotography, or you can find my
email on mywebsite@rrmsphotography.ca.
I love chatting with peopleabout all this.
So I'd be happy to hear from youand hear about.
(01:26):
What it is that you're capturingyour photography and what you
want to learn a little bit moreabout.
All right.
Let's get into our actual.
Conversation for today.
We're going to start with thepre planning process for your
remote photography, expedition.
Proper planning can honestlymake all the difference in your
photography, adventure.
So ensuring you're prepared andready to capture these
(01:49):
absolutely breathtaking shotsthat I know you're going to
capture.
Is going to make your life a loteasier.
So you can start by gatheringinspiration.
Look through photographywebsites, social media
platforms, Instagram andPinterest are amazing for this.
And photography books ormagazines.
Pay attention to locations thatcatch your eye and make a list
(02:09):
of potential shots and spotsthat you want to go and capture,
follow along with otheradventure photographers, and
look at what they're doing andhow they're capturing things in.
Don't necessary, imitate whatthey're doing and just go to the
same spots as them.
But look at the images that youlove from them and understand
what it is that catches youreye.
Is it a ton of mountain scapes?
(02:30):
Is it seascapes at underwaterphotography?
What is it that keeps drivingyou back in there?
And that's going to help informwhere you should be going for
your own photography expedition.
Personally, I can't get enoughof seeing that alpen glow on
mountain peaks that only hitsjust before sunrise or just
after sunrise.
And just seeing that beautifulorange touch, that peaks of a
(02:51):
mountain top.
And so there's some places inthe world where I really want to
go to see that and capture thoseimages and be on a mountain top
to see them.
For other people that could bedoing some scuba diving, others
that could be tracking across aremote desert has all sorts of
amazing adventure expeditionsthat you could go on.
So look into those otheradventure, photographers, what
they're capturing, how they'recapturing things and see what it
(03:13):
is that you really love aboutthe locations and spots that
they're going to.
You can use resources likeGoogle earth, travel blogs,
forums, really dive deeper intothese kinds of locations or
these activities that reallyinterest you.
And these tools can really helpyou visualize the train,
understand lighting conditionsand identify unique features or
places that you really want togo to.
And where you really want to setup to capture something.
(03:35):
Now once you've chosen a spot togo research the location,
research the activity, get toknow it inside, outside, and
backwards.
Knowing where you're going andwhat to expect is key to having
a great experience.
So spend some time studying mapsand online resources to
understand the terrain and thebest time to visit.
And honestly, make sure to bringa map with you to the location
(03:56):
you're going to so that you canalways find your way back to
camp and know your way aroundthe area.
Cell phone and downloaded mapsare great.
Things happen to electronics allthe time in the back country,
cold weather can kill batteries.
You can kill the battery, justnot realizing you're editing
photos on your phone for solong, and it can't be as
reliable as you would like it tobe.
So having an actual physical mapin front of you and knowing that
(04:17):
terrain around you.
Could literally be a life saver.
And it's a lightweight, easything to throw in a bag,
especially if you're goingsomewhere where there's not a
lot of other humans.
Now timing is crucial forgetting the best shots.
So research the best time ofyear to visit your chosen
location.
Consider the weather conditionstour seasons specific natural
events like wild flowers or fallcolors or wildlife migrations.
(04:41):
Consider what type of image thatyou really want to capture?
Being in Banff, there are somany people who show up here not
realizing that we're a mountaindestination and in the winter,
that means that our lakes freezesolid and they come here in
February expecting to be able tosee the gorgeous colors, Moraine
lake or Peyto lake in there.
Really disappointed when theyrealize.
(05:01):
It's a frozen lake that has snowon top of it.
You're not going to see thecolors, those colors aren't
going to pop through again.
Probably until the middle ofJune at the earliest.
So.
Visiting a location during theoff season can offer unique
photo opportunities and fewercrowds.
But it can mean dealing with notgetting that iconic shot We're
dealing with harsher weatherconditions for sure.
(05:23):
That can, however, also lead tosome really amazing.
Images as well.
Peyto lake, right when itfreezes, before it gets the snow
dropped on top of it looksmagical.
He gets some white trees.
You get that beautiful Wolfhead, you get this turquoise
color of the water, and then allthis white popping off and it
looks like a two-tone maybethree toned image.
(05:45):
Just because of the winterweather conditions.
That is an amazing time to goand shoot something, but you
won't get the iconic image thatyou're looking for.
So really understand when thebest time to go to each location
is to capture the image that youare dreaming about or the images
that you are dreaming about.
Now also consider how theelements of a location can tell
a story.
Interesting geological,formations, local wildlife,
(06:07):
cultural landmarks, all of thesecan add depth and context to
your photos.
Making them more engaging andmore memorable.
And as a venture photographers,it's our responsibility to
minimize our impact on theenvironment.
We spend a lot of time on ourfeet on trails in cars and
planes on bikes.
Doing all sorts of things thatactually really.
Can negatively effect.
(06:28):
The place that we're going tocapture.
And so it's really important tochoose locations that you can
practice, leave no traceprinciples.
That you are avoiding fragileecosystems and being really
mindful of your footprint andlistening to local regulations
around how you should act inthose areas to help preserve
them for.
As long as we possibly can.
(06:48):
In that same vein.
Let's talk about permits andregulations.
Many remote locations requirepermits for access, especially
if you're entering nationalparks or protected areas.
So make sure you secure thenecessary permits well in
advance and I don't just mean.
Photography permits.
I don't just mean capturingthings permits.
I actually mean the permits thatyou need to be in the back
(07:09):
country in some areas.
In some cases, this is to helpmaintain those locations.
To pay for possible helicoptersto get you out, to pay for the
monitoring and safety in theselocations.
But also it helps to allow localwildlife Rangers or local law
enforcement officials to knowthat you are back in this area
and to know you're expected toreturn on X date.
(07:32):
And if you haven't returned tobeing out of this area on X
date, Something might've gonewrong and they need to go in and
look for you.
It can actually also be a safetymeasure for you as well.
Now somebody else may also haverestrictions on drone usage.
Off-trail hiking photography insacred spaces, respect those
regulations as well.
I know here in Banff.
We have a total, no dronesallowed, unless you are working
(07:54):
directly with Parks Canada, andyou've gotten a permit from
them.
And I actually really love this.
I really hate getting to the topof a mountain and there's five
or six drones flying around andall you can hear is.
Of the drones and the soundsthat they make drone footage is
really amazing.
But it's become so accessibleand usable.
That it can actually reallyinhibit, not just the wildlife
(08:16):
and their experience and the waythey live because drones look
like predators in the sky and.
They can really mistake that andcause a lot of stress and
anxiety, the wildlife andchange.
Patterns and movement patternsand everything else, but it
also.
Inhibits the experience of otherpeople who are up there as well,
who haven't necessarily signedup to be a part of your drone
(08:36):
photography work.
So really take into account.
Where you're flying that drone,how you're flying it.
And when you're getting into allthat.
Just to be a little bit morerespectful for everybody around
you.
So.
That's our pre-planning process.
It is really important to thinkbefore you head into a location.
So that you have all the permitsand necessary access that you
need.
So you know where you're goingand what you need to get in
(08:58):
there.
Cause there's some back countryareas that you can't just pull
up to a trail head and startwalking.
You might have to.
Take a plane to a boat, to a carto drive in somewhere before you
get to start walking.
There's this could be a lot ofsteps involved in this process.
So really have to think throughbefore you can actually step out
on the trail.
(09:19):
One of the other reallyimportant things that you're
going to need to think throughis the packing essentials and
what you're going to bring withyou.
Cause packing for a rolephotography trip is a balancing
act.
You want to bring everything youneed without overloading
yourself.
Make sure you bring theessentials, clothing, food, and
shelter before leaning intoanything else.
You need to make sure you havethe right clothing.
You need to make sure you haveenough food.
(09:40):
And then a little bit.
And you have a way to stay warmif you're staying in huts along
the way.
Amazing.
Don't worry about a tent.
Maybe you need to bring a tentwith you.
Maybe you need to bring someother sort of shelter with you
as you're going.
Just make sure that you have allof those set aside in your bag
before you start getting into.
Not lifesaving things like yourphotography equipment.
Now we will get into whatphotography gear.
(10:03):
Bring with you, but there's someother non photography essentials
that can really enhance yourexperience and safety.
So like we were saying adetailed map and compass or a
GPS device are invaluable fornavigating unfamiliar terrain.
I also make sure you bring areliable flashlight or headlamp
for those early morning, lateevening shoots.
And honestly, when you just needto get up and go outside in the
middle of the night as happensbecause we're human.
(10:25):
You never know when you mightreally need that extra little
bit of light to find your wayalong a trail.
It's also wise to carry a firstaid kit.
Make sure that you bring onethat is appropriate for the type
of activity that you're doingand the potential injuries that
you can encounter.
Accidents happen.
Being prepared for thoseinjuries can make a huge
difference.
So make sure you have bandagesantiseptic, wipes, pain,
(10:46):
relievers, personal medicationsthat you need.
And also make sure that you knowhow to use all of these things
and help.
Say set a broken bone so thatyou can walk back out of an
area.
That you know how to set up asling to hold somebody's
shoulder.
These are all things that canreally help you when you're in
the remote back country and getyou out safely and back to
civilization where doctors andnurses and everybody else can
(11:07):
help you set those bonesproperly.
Now another important aspect,and this is weather
preparedness, so always checkthe weather forecast before you
head out and plan accordingly.
It's going to be reallydifficult to look forward into,
but you should have a generalidea of what the weather in that
area is like definitely beforeheading out and when you're
packing.
And then once you get there,just make sure you monitor what
the weather is doing.
So, you know, if a big storm isrolling in, or if you're going
(11:29):
to have a beautiful blue skyday, One of the best ways that
you can plan accordingly forthis is to dress in layers.
Layering allows you to adjustyour clothing, to stay
comfortable as the temperaturechanges.
Start with the moisture wickingbase layer to keep sweat away
from your skin.
Add an insulating layer, like afleece or down jacket to retain
body heat and finally bringalong a waterproof.
And windproof outer layer toprotect yourself from rain,
(11:50):
snow, and wind, because honestlyit sucks to get soaking wet and
then you get cold and sometimesyou just really can't warm up
again properly.
And one more tip on all this,inform someone about your travel
plans, share your itinerary witha friend or family member,
including your expected returntime and the route you expect to
take.
And when you expect to be ineach of those locations,
especially if you're gone.
(12:11):
For multiple nights.
This is a crucial safety measurein case anything goes wrong
while you're off the grid andyou can't necessarily message
somebody to let them knowsomething has happened.
All right.
That's your non photographygear.
Let's get into the most criticalpiece you need for your off the
grid photography shoot, which isthe gear you're bringing with
you to capture photos.
(12:33):
When you're venturing into theseremote areas, your gear can make
or break your photographyexperience.
The key is to strike a balancebetween having enough equipment
to get the shots you want.
And not overloading yourselfwith unnecessary weight.
I know, I think everyphotographer in existence has
this problem.
If I have my car with me, I willbring along lenses.
I don't even remotely use mostof the time and they're just
(12:55):
super rarely taken out of mybag.
When I'm hiking, I've done thisto myself where I've brought
along my 70 to 200 and neverpulled it out of my bag once.
But I carried a five pound lenswith me up and down a mountain
for no reason, because I'm like,oh, I might, I might use this.
So I need to have it with me.
Remote photography is a.
(13:16):
Much different experience.
You really need to consider thetypes of shots you're getting
exactly what you need to capturethose images.
And what you can actuallyrealistically bring with you
because in a lot of these cases,you are carrying everything.
So think carefully about whatyou're bringing.
First up cameras and lenses.
(13:37):
You need a versatile andreliable camera, body, this
essential.
It doesn't matter if you'reshooting DSLR or mirrorless
micro four thirds full frame.
Whatever, just make sure that itis weather sealed to handle
various elements that you mightencounter.
A lot of high end cameracompanies, their camera buddies
are very well.
Weather sealed.
They can typically take beingout in a little bit of rain,
(13:59):
being out in a little bit ofsnow, having some dirt and dust
fall on top of the camerabodies.
What makes a big difference isthe lenses.
Some really cheap lenses havezero weather sealing whatsoever.
So if water even so much justtouches them and gets into
crack.
That lens is done.
You want to make sure that thelenses you're bringing along
with you can survive in theserough elements in, in these
(14:20):
rough conditions.
So weather sealed lenses iscritical for these kinds of
situations.
Now you want to look for anoption in your mirrorless
camera, body that's lightweightand easy to move with.
That's already in the camerasystem you are using.
Just wait, you aren't buying awhole new camera set up.
And if you are doing a lot of reremote work and moving fast,
Maybe it's a great idea to buyinto a different camera system
(14:42):
because you really love thesmall lens and the small body
that they're using.
But.
Honestly, it's not the bestchoice for a large portion of
us.
Because it gets expensive to owntwo totally different camera
systems.
So.
For most of us get out there andchoose a camera body that
matches up with the system youare already using.
For Sony shooters, the A7C II orthe A7CR are the perfect combo
(15:06):
of full frame sensor,lightweight small with great
image quality.
The big difference between thetwo is the sense of resolution.
The hosts, a 33 megapixel sensorand the, our hosts, a 61
megapixel sensor.
Outside of that.
They are very similar cameraswith similar body shapes.
For Nikon the Z50 is anincredibly small, fast crop
sensor camera.
That takes advantage of theamazing Zed lineup of lenses.
(15:31):
This is a great option.
If you're looking for somethingreally small, really fast and
really lightweight.
For full frame.
You can look at the Z5, which isa bit bigger, but it has a 24
megapixel full-frame sensor andsupports dual SD card reading,
which can be incrediblyimportant rather than just
relying on one single memorycard.
For Canon shooters, there's theR 100 or the R eight.
(15:51):
The R 100 is a crop sensor.
That is one of the latest on themarket.
While the R8 has a full frame,sensor has put into a tight,
super compact body.
For those shooting Fuji or intothe micro four thirds world.
You're lucky if those camerasare already tight, small, and
wonderful, they produce greatimage quality.
And the lenses are super tinyversus a lot of what's available
in the mirrorless world.
(16:11):
So.
If you're already there, don'tbuy anything new, go out with
the camera that you have,because it's going to be a great
option.
Now for lenses, I recommendstarting with the 24 to 70.
This is a great all around lensthat covers a wide range of
focal lengths.
You can zoom in a little bit.
You can capture sweepinglandscapes.
It's a great.
Option for kind of just aneveryday running gun shooter.
(16:33):
The 24 to 1 0 5, especially theone that Canon makes is
beautiful as well and hasamazing image quality.
It's just a little bit biggerand a little bit heavier.
And you typically can't get a2.8 option, which isn't as good
when you're starting to shoot inlow light conditions.
Especially if you want to getinto doing some
astrophotography.
So there are some limitations,but the 24 to 1 0 5 is also a
great option in here.
(16:54):
If you have the space, bring awide angle lens.
Something like a 16 to 35 or astraight 16 prime with a 2.8 or
faster f-stop to capture thoseexpensive vistas dramatic skies,
especially if you're going toget into doing some
astrophotography, having a wideangle is super helpful.
And I love shooting with longtelephoto, but in these
situations where you're carryinga lot of gear and not just
photography gear and a long.
(17:15):
Long way you'll need spacesaving somewhere.
And that's typically one of theways I start saving space is
I'll cut out my 70 to 200 or a100 to 500.
This is when it's great to havea bigger megapixel range to play
with on your sensor.
Cause you can crop in a bit morein post without losing.
Any image detail, really?
So.
Look at those pros and cons ofwhat you're bringing with you
(17:36):
and just make sure you have thelenses that you need to capture
the details that you want.
Alright, protective gear.
When you're remote areas, yourequipment is exposed to all
sorts of conditions.
Dust, rain, snow.
You name it massive wind stormsusing weatherproof bags and
covers can save your gear from aton of potential damage.
I always carry a rain cover formy camera bag and I highly
(17:57):
recommend everybody does this aswell.
You can typically buy ones forpretty much every bag in
existence, or you can buy athird-party one that ranges
across different ones.
Just make sure you've got onefor the bag you're carrying.
I also throw in small waterproofbags for things like batteries
and memory cards from when theyaren't in the camera.
Some way just to protect them alittle bit, in case a little bit
of moisture gets in, just helpsprotect them as an additional
(18:18):
layer.
And for some extended trips, itcan be impossible to fit in an
internal camera cube to protectyour gear.
And it may be riding aroundloose in the bag.
I've had to do this in my 85liter backpacking bag where my
camera just sits on top of myclothing and sits on top of the
bag.
It's just not an idealsituation, but sometimes we got
to do what we got to do to gointo the back country.
(18:40):
So think about using your extraclothing wrapped around your
lenses and your camera, body toprotect it, which honestly works
really well.
And it's a really cheap andaccessible option and you're not
bringing along something extra.
That being said.
It works well until the clothinggets dirty or wet and you can't
put your electronics on itanymore, or you lose a piece of
clothing because that doesactually happen.
(19:01):
And you all of a sudden, don'thave a sock to stick your lens
in.
So if you want something that isbuilt specifically for camera
lenses.
You can try something like theKuvrd lens cap, K U V R D, which
is a hard rubber exterior thatis water drop and puncture
resistance.
And you can wrap around aroundthe front of your lens and one
around the back of your lens.
And that way all of yourphotography equipment is covered
(19:23):
by this.
Rubber.
That basically protects it fromknocks and scratches.
You can also buy a cloth lenswraps or lens burritos, as I've
heard, some people call them toprotect your gear as well.
And these work great.
There you're not as puncture ordrop resistant as the covered
lens caps are.
But they are also a fabulousoption.
Finally something else.
Protect your gear.
(19:43):
Silica gels.
These are the little tiny do noteat packets that we get in.
Pretty much everything nowadays.
And they basically absorbmoisture so that you don't have
to worry about that getting intoyour camera equipment.
So if you have a few and you dohave a specific spot, you're
storing your camera gear.
Tossing a couple of those inwith them could actually help
prevent moisture from gettinginto your camera.
If you're going to a really dryarid area, maybe not necessary,
(20:06):
but if you're going to arainforest somewhere with snow,
somewhere where it's gonna beraining a lot.
It might be a pretty goodoption.
All right.
Power.
We've talked about this a lot onthis podcast.
I'm not going to dig in too, toomuch into it, but power.
It's crucial when we're far awayfrom civilization power is one
of those things that seemsinsanely accessible all the time
until you step onto a hikingtrail until you get into a
(20:27):
remote destination, all of asudden.
You remember, power is notalways there for you.
So make sure you pack extrabatteries, make sure you pack
extra memory cards as well.
That's critical.
Because there's honestly nothingworse than running out of power.
At exactly the wrong time.
So for extended trips, somethingbeyond a day trip, consider
bringing a portable power bankor a solar charger or both.
(20:49):
These can be lifesavers, keepingyour camera and other devices
charged when you're off thegrid.
I personally use a battery packthat can charge a camera from
Anker.
It's a bit big and bulky now, asit's getting on to be a few
years old, but it keeps chuggingalong and works perfectly for
two to three day trips.
And if you're out for longerthan that, maybe even up to a
week or two weeks, considerbringing along a portable solar
(21:11):
panel.
This way, you're not bringingalong a massive external battery
that can charge all of yourdevices for that long, But you
can bring along the one smallerbattery pack and recharge it
with solar on the go.
To do that.
You want to consider a portablesolar panel that you can hang
from your backpack or set up atcamps that you can charge your
battery or storage devices oranything like that.
While you're on the move orwhile you're hanging out and
(21:33):
resting up waiting for goldenhour to set up.
Something like the goal zeronomad is a great option for a
solar panel that you can use onthe go, but there are a ton out
there on the market.
Just make sure you do theresearch to get the one that
matches your needs.
Finally another handy tool is aGPS device.
A lot of smartphones have GPS inthem, but a dedicated GPS device
can be more reliable in moreremote areas.
(21:54):
And it can allow you to reachout to people when you don't
have cell service.
This is critical.
For when you're out somewherefor multiple days on end to be
able to communicate with peopleand let them know that you are
safe and okay.
Now remember the goal here is tobe prepared for what you want to
be doing without being weigheddown.
So priorities gear that servesmultiple purposes and is
essential for your shootingstyle.
(22:16):
And the environment that you'regoing to.
One of the other gear thingsthat you should really consider
when you're going on a remotephotography trip.
Like this is how you're going tokeep your images safe, the whole
purpose of the strip beyond theobvious wellness benefits to
being out in the back country.
And just being able to absorbnature into you.
Is the images that you weretaking and it'd be so
heartbreaking if you lost those.
(22:38):
So.
Here are a couple of tips formaking sure that you have the
images that you want when youare leaving.
Firstly, bring multiple memorycards instead of relying on a
single high capacity card.
Use several smaller ones.
This way, if that one cardfails, you won't lose all of
your images.
And make sure you rotate in yourcards regularly, especially
(22:59):
after significant shoots.
Or at the end of each day, Ireally liked the end of each day
methodology, especially I'vebeen shooting a lot throughout
the day.
That way.
If I do lose a card, I mightlose that day's worth of shots,
but I won't lose the entiretrip.
And definitely when you'relooking at what cars to bring,
considering those high qualitydurable cards that are resistant
to extreme temperatures.
And physical drops.
(23:19):
Something like the Sony toughcards are a great option for
this.
Also, if you have the optionshoot to multiple cards at once,
I know this turns into a lot ofadditional memory cards.
It literally doubles the numberthat you have to bring with you,
but this way you have a dualbackup straight from the camera.
So you're not relying on onememory card in case that one
fails you actually relying ontwo.
(23:39):
So you have double the chancesthat something will be able to
be recoverable or that you willdefinitely have those images for
you.
Now when you're flipping outcards and when you're storing
them, especially if you'reshooting on two separate ones.
Make sure that you aren'tstoring both memory cards in the
same place.
That basically defeats thepurpose of having multiple
memory cards outside of thecamera.
So you could store one set inthe top post to your backpack
(24:03):
and a nice waterproof bag.
And you store another set insidea pocket in your jacket or in a
pants pocket or something likethat.
This way, if something happensto your backpack or if God
forbid you lose it or drop itsomewhere.
You will actually still have amemory card with you because
it's on you and vice versa.
If you fall and crack thatmemory card that's in your
pocket, you still have the onethat's in your backpack.
(24:25):
So keeping them separated fromeach other is critical to making
sure that you have a good backupsystem.
Now there's also an additionalthing you can do.
And this does add gear cost andweight to your bag.
So really think carefully ifthis is the right option or if
you are okay, just running withtwo memory cards.
And that's backing up on the go.
So you could consider bringingalong a portable backup option.
(24:46):
There aren't a ton of these onthe market right now.
But there are a couple of goodways to do this.
The first is to purchase amemory card reader that plugs
into your phone and back up thecards to your phones storage.
This definitely means having aton of free space on your phone.
Or you could select specificimages and backup just the ones,
you know, that you're going towant to keep, but you won't be
(25:08):
able to back up the whole cardwithout a lot of storage on your
phone.
And you can also do this with atablet, but again, that's
another device to bring alongand another device to power.
And another one to worry aboutand take space in your bag.
Neither of which are honestlyideal solutions.
The other option is somethinglike the WD, my passport
wireless pro.
This is a small storage devicethat you can use to wirelessly
(25:28):
transfer images from your cameraor smartphone.
You can also plug in certainmemory cards into the device,
but there are some pretty heftylimitations, like the inability
to read CF express, which isbecoming a go-to memory card
format.
So you may still want to sendimages to your phone and then
wirelessly to the hard drive.
But that way again, if you'vedual shot, And then you've
uploaded some to your phone andyou've uploaded the rest of the
(25:49):
car to the.
WD my passport wireless.
You have a lot of backups goingon that ensures that you won't
lose your images withoutsomething truly catastrophic
happening.
Again, though.
That's some extra things tocarry with you, some extra
things to power and some extrathings to worry and think about.
So decide if that's the rightsolution for you before going
(26:10):
out.
All right.
I'm not going to dig into how toshoot or anything like that
while you're on your adventure.
Go.
Enjoy capture some fantasticshots and create some.
Beautiful and amazing art thatmakes you happy and makes your
heart sing.
But after you've shoteverything, it's honestly
important to do something withyour images.
I have an issue with this.
(26:31):
I'm sure every single adventurephotographer in the world has an
issue with this, where I justhave a ton of images that are
sitting on a hard drive thatI've kind of looked at, but I've
never really done anything with.
And the longer I wait, theharder it gets to go back and
look at those images because Ihave other ones I want to look
at it and more adventurous to goon.
And yeah, when you get back,just to make sure that you are
doing something with your shots.
If you go out and just capturethem for yourself.
(26:54):
I can fantastic.
Just make sure to look throughedit and at least save a few to
your phone.
So you can look back andremember all the amazing images
that you've shot better yet.
Print out your favorite threefavorites, 10 favorites,
whatever.
And hang them in your home.
That way you have a record ofthe images that you shot, the
work that you've done, and youdidn't just carry all that back
(27:15):
in there for nothing to shootimages that you've never looked
at.
And then leave them sitting on ahard drive.
It seems like a lot of extrawork for.
Literally no benefit.
Now, if you want to go beyondyour personal use, there are a
few things you can do.
For starters, the obvious shareon social media, great way for
people to get, to see everythingyou've captured.
I celebrate the images thatyou've done.
(27:35):
And if this is the route youwant to go, make sure that you
film some behind the scenesfootage to add to your images,
to create some short form video,which attracts a far bigger
audience today.
And that way more people willsee the images that you capture.
Beyond social though.
There are still some greatoptions for making money from
your work.
Before heading out, you can setup a partnership with a brand to
shoot some specific images oftheir products in locations,
(27:57):
outdoor gear companies, cameracompanies, even some food and
beverage companies will pay forpeople to show off their product
in unique spots.
Setting this up in advance canensure that you're capturing the
images they need and ensures youa little bit of money, but you
all could also shoot some ofyour gear on spec, some of their
gear on spec or on speculation,and then share it with the
(28:17):
company afterwards.
There's no guarantee, but youmay make a few extra bucks that
way basically shooting on specmeans that you haven't had a
contract with them.
They aren't hiring you to doanything specific.
You're going to shoot somethingwith the idea that they might
buy something for you.
You are speculating that this iswhat they want.
Now you could also contact thearea's tourism board and offer
(28:38):
images you have taken from theexcursion.
Again, you could arrange this inadvance.
Or shoot and share images onspeculation.
Lots of tourism boards havesmaller budgets than companies
do though.
So just keep that in mind whileyou are producing these images.
One thing.
Either way, just make sure thatyou have a licensing fee, that
you are ready to give them whenyou share the images with them.
(28:58):
If you've worked this out inadvance, amazing.
If you were just sharing imageson speculation, it saves a ton
of back and forth conversations.
Anything like that.
If you just go, this is what mylicensing fee is for these types
of rights.
This is what is for these typesof rights to share that right
off the bat.
And everybody will be a lothappier.
And make sure that you'repricing your shots fairly for
(29:19):
whatever your cost of doingbusinesses.
All right.
I think that's it for today.
That's everything I've got forshooting in remote locations
that isn't actually about thephotography itself.
Obviously the photography itselfis a huge critical component to
this.
But it's so subjective to thespace.
You're going into the imagesthat you'd like to capture.
What you are looking to capturewhy you were there, what you
(29:41):
were doing there, everythinglike that, that.
Can't get into it here.
So.
Shooting in remote locationsreally does take a bit more
thoughtfulness and pre-planning.
But it can honestly be totallyworth it.
And not just for the images, butfor your mind and your body as
well.
Getting off the pavement,getting out of the city and into
places where there are only afew other humans can drastically
(30:03):
alter your perception and boostyour own mental health and
really increase your creativity.
So get out there, if you'reinterested, plan a remote trip.
It doesn't have to be anovernight or a remote trip could
be a long day trip intosomewhere.
But just remember to plan andthink in advance.
(30:23):
All right.
If you have questions or topicsyou'd like to cover, reach out
on Instagram atRobertMasseyPhotography.
I love to hear from people loveto chat about everything like
this.
And yeah.
Thanks again for taking sometime to grow and improve your
photography.
Now, get out there.
Go somewhere remote.
See this big, beautiful world ofours.
(30:43):
Just stay safe while you'redoing it.
All right.
Let's adventure.
Bye for now.
How's it going everybody.
Welcome back to the travel andadventure photography school
podcast as always.
I'm your host, Robert Massey.
And today we're going to beexploring some tips for
capturing stunning photos inremote and off the beaten path
locations as adventurephotographers, and travel
photographers.
We do have a tendency to want tojump out into the great outdoors
(00:23):
and see some amazing andbeautiful things.
And sometimes.
That means getting out wherethere's no cell phone connection
or there's not a lot of otherpeople.
And it honestly takes a lot ofwork and a lot of time and a lot
of effort to get into theseplaces.
So, what does that mean for whenyou are planning these shots,
when you are bringing gear inthere and how do you get ready
for what can be a reallyintimidating experience,
(00:44):
especially if you've never spenta lot of time in the back
country.
That's what we're talking abouttoday.
First off though.
Thank you so much for joining meand taking a few minutes to
improve your photography.
It's awesome.
That people are interested ingetting better and growing their
art and growing how they captureimages.
And I just love that.
And that's part of the reason Ireally do this.
(01:04):
So thanks for tuning in.
Thanks for being here with me.
If you are enjoying the podcast,if you are wanting to learn
about something specific orjust, you know, want to talk
about something photographyrelated, reach on out on
Instagram at Robert Masseyphotography, or you can find my
email on mywebsite@rrmsphotography.ca.
I love chatting with peopleabout all this.
So I'd be happy to hear from youand hear about.
(01:26):
What it is that you're capturingyour photography and what you
want to learn a little bit moreabout.
All right.
Let's get into our actual.
Conversation for today.
We're going to start with thepre planning process for your
remote photography, expedition.
Proper planning can honestlymake all the difference in your
photography, adventure.
So ensuring you're prepared andready to capture these
(01:49):
absolutely breathtaking shotsthat I know you're going to
capture.
Is going to make your life a loteasier.
So you can start by gatheringinspiration.
Look through photographywebsites, social media
platforms, Instagram andPinterest are amazing for this.
And photography books ormagazines.
Pay attention to locations thatcatch your eye and make a list
(02:09):
of potential shots and spotsthat you want to go and capture,
follow along with otheradventure photographers, and
look at what they're doing andhow they're capturing things in.
Don't necessary, imitate whatthey're doing and just go to the
same spots as them.
But look at the images that youlove from them and understand
what it is that catches youreye.
Is it a ton of mountain scapes?
(02:30):
Is it seascapes at underwaterphotography?
What is it that keeps drivingyou back in there?
And that's going to help informwhere you should be going for
your own photography expedition.
Personally, I can't get enoughof seeing that alpen glow on
mountain peaks that only hitsjust before sunrise or just
after sunrise.
And just seeing that beautifulorange touch, that peaks of a
(02:51):
mountain top.
And so there's some places inthe world where I really want to
go to see that and capture thoseimages and be on a mountain top
to see them.
For other people that could bedoing some scuba diving, others
that could be tracking across aremote desert has all sorts of
amazing adventure expeditionsthat you could go on.
So look into those otheradventure, photographers, what
they're capturing, how they'recapturing things and see what it
(03:13):
is that you really love aboutthe locations and spots that
they're going to.
You can use resources likeGoogle earth, travel blogs,
forums, really dive deeper intothese kinds of locations or
these activities that reallyinterest you.
And these tools can really helpyou visualize the train,
understand lighting conditionsand identify unique features or
places that you really want togo to.
And where you really want to setup to capture something.
(03:35):
Now once you've chosen a spot togo research the location,
research the activity, get toknow it inside, outside, and
backwards.
Knowing where you're going andwhat to expect is key to having
a great experience.
So spend some time studying mapsand online resources to
understand the terrain and thebest time to visit.
And honestly, make sure to bringa map with you to the location
(03:56):
you're going to so that you canalways find your way back to
camp and know your way aroundthe area.
Cell phone and downloaded mapsare great.
Things happen to electronics allthe time in the back country,
cold weather can kill batteries.
You can kill the battery, justnot realizing you're editing
photos on your phone for solong, and it can't be as
reliable as you would like it tobe.
So having an actual physical mapin front of you and knowing that
(04:17):
terrain around you.
Could literally be a life saver.
And it's a lightweight, easything to throw in a bag,
especially if you're goingsomewhere where there's not a
lot of other humans.
Now timing is crucial forgetting the best shots.
So research the best time ofyear to visit your chosen
location.
Consider the weather conditionstour seasons specific natural
events like wild flowers or fallcolors or wildlife migrations.
(04:41):
Consider what type of image thatyou really want to capture?
Being in Banff, there are somany people who show up here not
realizing that we're a mountaindestination and in the winter,
that means that our lakes freezesolid and they come here in
February expecting to be able tosee the gorgeous colors, Moraine
lake or Peyto lake in there.
Really disappointed when theyrealize.
(05:01):
It's a frozen lake that has snowon top of it.
You're not going to see thecolors, those colors aren't
going to pop through again.
Probably until the middle ofJune at the earliest.
So.
Visiting a location during theoff season can offer unique
photo opportunities and fewercrowds.
But it can mean dealing with notgetting that iconic shot We're
dealing with harsher weatherconditions for sure.
(05:23):
That can, however, also lead tosome really amazing.
Images as well.
Peyto lake, right when itfreezes, before it gets the snow
dropped on top of it looksmagical.
He gets some white trees.
You get that beautiful Wolfhead, you get this turquoise
color of the water, and then allthis white popping off and it
looks like a two-tone maybethree toned image.
(05:45):
Just because of the winterweather conditions.
That is an amazing time to goand shoot something, but you
won't get the iconic image thatyou're looking for.
So really understand when thebest time to go to each location
is to capture the image that youare dreaming about or the images
that you are dreaming about.
Now also consider how theelements of a location can tell
a story.
Interesting geological,formations, local wildlife,
(06:07):
cultural landmarks, all of thesecan add depth and context to
your photos.
Making them more engaging andmore memorable.
And as a venture photographers,it's our responsibility to
minimize our impact on theenvironment.
We spend a lot of time on ourfeet on trails in cars and
planes on bikes.
Doing all sorts of things thatactually really.
Can negatively effect.
(06:28):
The place that we're going tocapture.
And so it's really important tochoose locations that you can
practice, leave no traceprinciples.
That you are avoiding fragileecosystems and being really
mindful of your footprint andlistening to local regulations
around how you should act inthose areas to help preserve
them for.
As long as we possibly can.
(06:48):
In that same vein.
Let's talk about permits andregulations.
Many remote locations requirepermits for access, especially
if you're entering nationalparks or protected areas.
So make sure you secure thenecessary permits well in
advance and I don't just mean.
Photography permits.
I don't just mean capturingthings permits.
I actually mean the permits thatyou need to be in the back
(07:09):
country in some areas.
In some cases, this is to helpmaintain those locations.
To pay for possible helicoptersto get you out, to pay for the
monitoring and safety in theselocations.
But also it helps to allow localwildlife Rangers or local law
enforcement officials to knowthat you are back in this area
and to know you're expected toreturn on X date.
(07:32):
And if you haven't returned tobeing out of this area on X
date, Something might've gonewrong and they need to go in and
look for you.
It can actually also be a safetymeasure for you as well.
Now somebody else may also haverestrictions on drone usage.
Off-trail hiking photography insacred spaces, respect those
regulations as well.
I know here in Banff.
We have a total, no dronesallowed, unless you are working
(07:54):
directly with Parks Canada, andyou've gotten a permit from
them.
And I actually really love this.
I really hate getting to the topof a mountain and there's five
or six drones flying around andall you can hear is.
Of the drones and the soundsthat they make drone footage is
really amazing.
But it's become so accessibleand usable.
That it can actually reallyinhibit, not just the wildlife
(08:16):
and their experience and the waythey live because drones look
like predators in the sky and.
They can really mistake that andcause a lot of stress and
anxiety, the wildlife andchange.
Patterns and movement patternsand everything else, but it
also.
Inhibits the experience of otherpeople who are up there as well,
who haven't necessarily signedup to be a part of your drone
(08:36):
photography work.
So really take into account.
Where you're flying that drone,how you're flying it.
And when you're getting into allthat.
Just to be a little bit morerespectful for everybody around
you.
So.
That's our pre-planning process.
It is really important to thinkbefore you head into a location.
So that you have all the permitsand necessary access that you
need.
So you know where you're goingand what you need to get in
(08:58):
there.
Cause there's some back countryareas that you can't just pull
up to a trail head and startwalking.
You might have to.
Take a plane to a boat, to a carto drive in somewhere before you
get to start walking.
There's this could be a lot ofsteps involved in this process.
So really have to think throughbefore you can actually step out
on the trail.
(09:19):
One of the other reallyimportant things that you're
going to need to think throughis the packing essentials and
what you're going to bring withyou.
Cause packing for a rolephotography trip is a balancing
act.
You want to bring everything youneed without overloading
yourself.
Make sure you bring theessentials, clothing, food, and
shelter before leaning intoanything else.
You need to make sure you havethe right clothing.
You need to make sure you haveenough food.
(09:40):
And then a little bit.
And you have a way to stay warmif you're staying in huts along
the way.
Amazing.
Don't worry about a tent.
Maybe you need to bring a tentwith you.
Maybe you need to bring someother sort of shelter with you
as you're going.
Just make sure that you have allof those set aside in your bag
before you start getting into.
Not lifesaving things like yourphotography equipment.
Now we will get into whatphotography gear.
(10:03):
Bring with you, but there's someother non photography essentials
that can really enhance yourexperience and safety.
So like we were saying adetailed map and compass or a
GPS device are invaluable fornavigating unfamiliar terrain.
I also make sure you bring areliable flashlight or headlamp
for those early morning, lateevening shoots.
And honestly, when you just needto get up and go outside in the
middle of the night as happensbecause we're human.
(10:25):
You never know when you mightreally need that extra little
bit of light to find your wayalong a trail.
It's also wise to carry a firstaid kit.
Make sure that you bring onethat is appropriate for the type
of activity that you're doingand the potential injuries that
you can encounter.
Accidents happen.
Being prepared for thoseinjuries can make a huge
difference.
So make sure you have bandagesantiseptic, wipes, pain,
(10:46):
relievers, personal medicationsthat you need.
And also make sure that you knowhow to use all of these things
and help.
Say set a broken bone so thatyou can walk back out of an
area.
That you know how to set up asling to hold somebody's
shoulder.
These are all things that canreally help you when you're in
the remote back country and getyou out safely and back to
civilization where doctors andnurses and everybody else can
(11:07):
help you set those bonesproperly.
Now another important aspect,and this is weather
preparedness, so always checkthe weather forecast before you
head out and plan accordingly.
It's going to be reallydifficult to look forward into,
but you should have a generalidea of what the weather in that
area is like definitely beforeheading out and when you're
packing.
And then once you get there,just make sure you monitor what
the weather is doing.
So, you know, if a big storm isrolling in, or if you're going
(11:29):
to have a beautiful blue skyday, One of the best ways that
you can plan accordingly forthis is to dress in layers.
Layering allows you to adjustyour clothing, to stay
comfortable as the temperaturechanges.
Start with the moisture wickingbase layer to keep sweat away
from your skin.
Add an insulating layer, like afleece or down jacket to retain
body heat and finally bringalong a waterproof.
And windproof outer layer toprotect yourself from rain,
(11:50):
snow, and wind, because honestlyit sucks to get soaking wet and
then you get cold and sometimesyou just really can't warm up
again properly.
And one more tip on all this,inform someone about your travel
plans, share your itinerary witha friend or family member,
including your expected returntime and the route you expect to
take.
And when you expect to be ineach of those locations,
especially if you're gone.
(12:11):
For multiple nights.
This is a crucial safety measurein case anything goes wrong
while you're off the grid andyou can't necessarily message
somebody to let them knowsomething has happened.
All right.
That's your non photographygear.
Let's get into the most criticalpiece you need for your off the
grid photography shoot, which isthe gear you're bringing with
you to capture photos.
(12:33):
When you're venturing into theseremote areas, your gear can make
or break your photographyexperience.
The key is to strike a balancebetween having enough equipment
to get the shots you want.
And not overloading yourselfwith unnecessary weight.
I know, I think everyphotographer in existence has
this problem.
If I have my car with me, I willbring along lenses.
I don't even remotely use mostof the time and they're just
(12:55):
super rarely taken out of mybag.
When I'm hiking, I've done thisto myself where I've brought
along my 70 to 200 and neverpulled it out of my bag once.
But I carried a five pound lenswith me up and down a mountain
for no reason, because I'm like,oh, I might, I might use this.
So I need to have it with me.
Remote photography is a.
(13:16):
Much different experience.
You really need to consider thetypes of shots you're getting
exactly what you need to capturethose images.
And what you can actuallyrealistically bring with you
because in a lot of these cases,you are carrying everything.
So think carefully about whatyou're bringing.
First up cameras and lenses.
(13:37):
You need a versatile andreliable camera, body, this
essential.
It doesn't matter if you'reshooting DSLR or mirrorless
micro four thirds full frame.
Whatever, just make sure that itis weather sealed to handle
various elements that you mightencounter.
A lot of high end cameracompanies, their camera buddies
are very well.
Weather sealed.
They can typically take beingout in a little bit of rain,
(13:59):
being out in a little bit ofsnow, having some dirt and dust
fall on top of the camerabodies.
What makes a big difference isthe lenses.
Some really cheap lenses havezero weather sealing whatsoever.
So if water even so much justtouches them and gets into
crack.
That lens is done.
You want to make sure that thelenses you're bringing along
with you can survive in theserough elements in, in these
(14:20):
rough conditions.
So weather sealed lenses iscritical for these kinds of
situations.
Now you want to look for anoption in your mirrorless
camera, body that's lightweightand easy to move with.
That's already in the camerasystem you are using.
Just wait, you aren't buying awhole new camera set up.
And if you are doing a lot of reremote work and moving fast,
Maybe it's a great idea to buyinto a different camera system
(14:42):
because you really love thesmall lens and the small body
that they're using.
But.
Honestly, it's not the bestchoice for a large portion of
us.
Because it gets expensive to owntwo totally different camera
systems.
So.
For most of us get out there andchoose a camera body that
matches up with the system youare already using.
For Sony shooters, the A7C II orthe A7CR are the perfect combo
(15:06):
of full frame sensor,lightweight small with great
image quality.
The big difference between thetwo is the sense of resolution.
The hosts, a 33 megapixel sensorand the, our hosts, a 61
megapixel sensor.
Outside of that.
They are very similar cameraswith similar body shapes.
For Nikon the Z50 is anincredibly small, fast crop
sensor camera.
That takes advantage of theamazing Zed lineup of lenses.
(15:31):
This is a great option.
If you're looking for somethingreally small, really fast and
really lightweight.
For full frame.
You can look at the Z5, which isa bit bigger, but it has a 24
megapixel full-frame sensor andsupports dual SD card reading,
which can be incrediblyimportant rather than just
relying on one single memorycard.
For Canon shooters, there's theR 100 or the R eight.
(15:51):
The R 100 is a crop sensor.
That is one of the latest on themarket.
While the R8 has a full frame,sensor has put into a tight,
super compact body.
For those shooting Fuji or intothe micro four thirds world.
You're lucky if those camerasare already tight, small, and
wonderful, they produce greatimage quality.
And the lenses are super tinyversus a lot of what's available
in the mirrorless world.
(16:11):
So.
If you're already there, don'tbuy anything new, go out with
the camera that you have,because it's going to be a great
option.
Now for lenses, I recommendstarting with the 24 to 70.
This is a great all around lensthat covers a wide range of
focal lengths.
You can zoom in a little bit.
You can capture sweepinglandscapes.
It's a great.
Option for kind of just aneveryday running gun shooter.
(16:33):
The 24 to 1 0 5, especially theone that Canon makes is
beautiful as well and hasamazing image quality.
It's just a little bit biggerand a little bit heavier.
And you typically can't get a2.8 option, which isn't as good
when you're starting to shoot inlow light conditions.
Especially if you want to getinto doing some
astrophotography.
So there are some limitations,but the 24 to 1 0 5 is also a
great option in here.
(16:54):
If you have the space, bring awide angle lens.
Something like a 16 to 35 or astraight 16 prime with a 2.8 or
faster f-stop to capture thoseexpensive vistas dramatic skies,
especially if you're going toget into doing some
astrophotography, having a wideangle is super helpful.
And I love shooting with longtelephoto, but in these
situations where you're carryinga lot of gear and not just
photography gear and a long.
(17:15):
Long way you'll need spacesaving somewhere.
And that's typically one of theways I start saving space is
I'll cut out my 70 to 200 or a100 to 500.
This is when it's great to havea bigger megapixel range to play
with on your sensor.
Cause you can crop in a bit morein post without losing.
Any image detail, really?
So.
Look at those pros and cons ofwhat you're bringing with you
(17:36):
and just make sure you have thelenses that you need to capture
the details that you want.
Alright, protective gear.
When you're remote areas, yourequipment is exposed to all
sorts of conditions.
Dust, rain, snow.
You name it massive wind stormsusing weatherproof bags and
covers can save your gear from aton of potential damage.
I always carry a rain cover formy camera bag and I highly
(17:57):
recommend everybody does this aswell.
You can typically buy ones forpretty much every bag in
existence, or you can buy athird-party one that ranges
across different ones.
Just make sure you've got onefor the bag you're carrying.
I also throw in small waterproofbags for things like batteries
and memory cards from when theyaren't in the camera.
Some way just to protect them alittle bit, in case a little bit
of moisture gets in, just helpsprotect them as an additional
(18:18):
layer.
And for some extended trips, itcan be impossible to fit in an
internal camera cube to protectyour gear.
And it may be riding aroundloose in the bag.
I've had to do this in my 85liter backpacking bag where my
camera just sits on top of myclothing and sits on top of the
bag.
It's just not an idealsituation, but sometimes we got
to do what we got to do to gointo the back country.
(18:40):
So think about using your extraclothing wrapped around your
lenses and your camera, body toprotect it, which honestly works
really well.
And it's a really cheap andaccessible option and you're not
bringing along something extra.
That being said.
It works well until the clothinggets dirty or wet and you can't
put your electronics on itanymore, or you lose a piece of
clothing because that doesactually happen.
(19:01):
And you all of a sudden, don'thave a sock to stick your lens
in.
So if you want something that isbuilt specifically for camera
lenses.
You can try something like theKuvrd lens cap, K U V R D, which
is a hard rubber exterior thatis water drop and puncture
resistance.
And you can wrap around aroundthe front of your lens and one
around the back of your lens.
And that way all of yourphotography equipment is covered
(19:23):
by this.
Rubber.
That basically protects it fromknocks and scratches.
You can also buy a cloth lenswraps or lens burritos, as I've
heard, some people call them toprotect your gear as well.
And these work great.
There you're not as puncture ordrop resistant as the covered
lens caps are.
But they are also a fabulousoption.
Finally something else.
Protect your gear.
(19:43):
Silica gels.
These are the little tiny do noteat packets that we get in.
Pretty much everything nowadays.
And they basically absorbmoisture so that you don't have
to worry about that getting intoyour camera equipment.
So if you have a few and you dohave a specific spot, you're
storing your camera gear.
Tossing a couple of those inwith them could actually help
prevent moisture from gettinginto your camera.
If you're going to a really dryarid area, maybe not necessary,
(20:06):
but if you're going to arainforest somewhere with snow,
somewhere where it's gonna beraining a lot.
It might be a pretty goodoption.
All right.
Power.
We've talked about this a lot onthis podcast.
I'm not going to dig in too, toomuch into it, but power.
It's crucial when we're far awayfrom civilization power is one
of those things that seemsinsanely accessible all the time
until you step onto a hikingtrail until you get into a
(20:27):
remote destination, all of asudden.
You remember, power is notalways there for you.
So make sure you pack extrabatteries, make sure you pack
extra memory cards as well.
That's critical.
Because there's honestly nothingworse than running out of power.
At exactly the wrong time.
So for extended trips, somethingbeyond a day trip, consider
bringing a portable power bankor a solar charger or both.
(20:49):
These can be lifesavers, keepingyour camera and other devices
charged when you're off thegrid.
I personally use a battery packthat can charge a camera from
Anker.
It's a bit big and bulky now, asit's getting on to be a few
years old, but it keeps chuggingalong and works perfectly for
two to three day trips.
And if you're out for longerthan that, maybe even up to a
week or two weeks, considerbringing along a portable solar
(21:11):
panel.
This way, you're not bringingalong a massive external battery
that can charge all of yourdevices for that long, But you
can bring along the one smallerbattery pack and recharge it
with solar on the go.
To do that.
You want to consider a portablesolar panel that you can hang
from your backpack or set up atcamps that you can charge your
battery or storage devices oranything like that.
While you're on the move orwhile you're hanging out and
(21:33):
resting up waiting for goldenhour to set up.
Something like the goal zeronomad is a great option for a
solar panel that you can use onthe go, but there are a ton out
there on the market.
Just make sure you do theresearch to get the one that
matches your needs.
Finally another handy tool is aGPS device.
A lot of smartphones have GPS inthem, but a dedicated GPS device
can be more reliable in moreremote areas.
(21:54):
And it can allow you to reachout to people when you don't
have cell service.
This is critical.
For when you're out somewherefor multiple days on end to be
able to communicate with peopleand let them know that you are
safe and okay.
Now remember the goal here is tobe prepared for what you want to
be doing without being weigheddown.
So priorities gear that servesmultiple purposes and is
essential for your shootingstyle.
(22:16):
And the environment that you'regoing to.
One of the other gear thingsthat you should really consider
when you're going on a remotephotography trip.
Like this is how you're going tokeep your images safe, the whole
purpose of the strip beyond theobvious wellness benefits to
being out in the back country.
And just being able to absorbnature into you.
Is the images that you weretaking and it'd be so
heartbreaking if you lost those.
(22:38):
So.
Here are a couple of tips formaking sure that you have the
images that you want when youare leaving.
Firstly, bring multiple memorycards instead of relying on a
single high capacity card.
Use several smaller ones.
This way, if that one cardfails, you won't lose all of
your images.
And make sure you rotate in yourcards regularly, especially
(22:59):
after significant shoots.
Or at the end of each day, Ireally liked the end of each day
methodology, especially I'vebeen shooting a lot throughout
the day.
That way.
If I do lose a card, I mightlose that day's worth of shots,
but I won't lose the entiretrip.
And definitely when you'relooking at what cars to bring,
considering those high qualitydurable cards that are resistant
to extreme temperatures.
And physical drops.
(23:19):
Something like the Sony toughcards are a great option for
this.
Also, if you have the optionshoot to multiple cards at once,
I know this turns into a lot ofadditional memory cards.
It literally doubles the numberthat you have to bring with you,
but this way you have a dualbackup straight from the camera.
So you're not relying on onememory card in case that one
fails you actually relying ontwo.
(23:39):
So you have double the chancesthat something will be able to
be recoverable or that you willdefinitely have those images for
you.
Now when you're flipping outcards and when you're storing
them, especially if you'reshooting on two separate ones.
Make sure that you aren'tstoring both memory cards in the
same place.
That basically defeats thepurpose of having multiple
memory cards outside of thecamera.
So you could store one set inthe top post to your backpack
(24:03):
and a nice waterproof bag.
And you store another set insidea pocket in your jacket or in a
pants pocket or something likethat.
This way, if something happensto your backpack or if God
forbid you lose it or drop itsomewhere.
You will actually still have amemory card with you because
it's on you and vice versa.
If you fall and crack thatmemory card that's in your
pocket, you still have the onethat's in your backpack.
(24:25):
So keeping them separated fromeach other is critical to making
sure that you have a good backupsystem.
Now there's also an additionalthing you can do.
And this does add gear cost andweight to your bag.
So really think carefully ifthis is the right option or if
you are okay, just running withtwo memory cards.
And that's backing up on the go.
So you could consider bringingalong a portable backup option.
(24:46):
There aren't a ton of these onthe market right now.
But there are a couple of goodways to do this.
The first is to purchase amemory card reader that plugs
into your phone and back up thecards to your phones storage.
This definitely means having aton of free space on your phone.
Or you could select specificimages and backup just the ones,
you know, that you're going towant to keep, but you won't be
(25:08):
able to back up the whole cardwithout a lot of storage on your
phone.
And you can also do this with atablet, but again, that's
another device to bring alongand another device to power.
And another one to worry aboutand take space in your bag.
Neither of which are honestlyideal solutions.
The other option is somethinglike the WD, my passport
wireless pro.
This is a small storage devicethat you can use to wirelessly
(25:28):
transfer images from your cameraor smartphone.
You can also plug in certainmemory cards into the device,
but there are some pretty heftylimitations, like the inability
to read CF express, which isbecoming a go-to memory card
format.
So you may still want to sendimages to your phone and then
wirelessly to the hard drive.
But that way again, if you'vedual shot, And then you've
uploaded some to your phone andyou've uploaded the rest of the
(25:49):
car to the.
WD my passport wireless.
You have a lot of backups goingon that ensures that you won't
lose your images withoutsomething truly catastrophic
happening.
Again, though.
That's some extra things tocarry with you, some extra
things to power and some extrathings to worry and think about.
So decide if that's the rightsolution for you before going
(26:10):
out.
All right.
I'm not going to dig into how toshoot or anything like that
while you're on your adventure.
Go.
Enjoy capture some fantasticshots and create some.
Beautiful and amazing art thatmakes you happy and makes your
heart sing.
But after you've shoteverything, it's honestly
important to do something withyour images.
I have an issue with this.
(26:31):
I'm sure every single adventurephotographer in the world has an
issue with this, where I justhave a ton of images that are
sitting on a hard drive thatI've kind of looked at, but I've
never really done anything with.
And the longer I wait, theharder it gets to go back and
look at those images because Ihave other ones I want to look
at it and more adventurous to goon.
And yeah, when you get back,just to make sure that you are
doing something with your shots.
If you go out and just capturethem for yourself.
(26:54):
I can fantastic.
Just make sure to look throughedit and at least save a few to
your phone.
So you can look back andremember all the amazing images
that you've shot better yet.
Print out your favorite threefavorites, 10 favorites,
whatever.
And hang them in your home.
That way you have a record ofthe images that you shot, the
work that you've done, and youdidn't just carry all that back
(27:15):
in there for nothing to shootimages that you've never looked
at.
And then leave them sitting on ahard drive.
It seems like a lot of extrawork for.
Literally no benefit.
Now, if you want to go beyondyour personal use, there are a
few things you can do.
For starters, the obvious shareon social media, great way for
people to get, to see everythingyou've captured.
I celebrate the images thatyou've done.
(27:35):
And if this is the route youwant to go, make sure that you
film some behind the scenesfootage to add to your images,
to create some short form video,which attracts a far bigger
audience today.
And that way more people willsee the images that you capture.
Beyond social though.
There are still some greatoptions for making money from
your work.
Before heading out, you can setup a partnership with a brand to
shoot some specific images oftheir products in locations,
(27:57):
outdoor gear companies, cameracompanies, even some food and
beverage companies will pay forpeople to show off their product
in unique spots.
Setting this up in advance canensure that you're capturing the
images they need and ensures youa little bit of money, but you
all could also shoot some ofyour gear on spec, some of their
gear on spec or on speculation,and then share it with the
(28:17):
company afterwards.
There's no guarantee, but youmay make a few extra bucks that
way basically shooting on specmeans that you haven't had a
contract with them.
They aren't hiring you to doanything specific.
You're going to shoot somethingwith the idea that they might
buy something for you.
You are speculating that this iswhat they want.
Now you could also contact thearea's tourism board and offer
(28:38):
images you have taken from theexcursion.
Again, you could arrange this inadvance.
Or shoot and share images onspeculation.
Lots of tourism boards havesmaller budgets than companies
do though.
So just keep that in mind whileyou are producing these images.
One thing.
Either way, just make sure thatyou have a licensing fee, that
you are ready to give them whenyou share the images with them.
(28:58):
If you've worked this out inadvance, amazing.
If you were just sharing imageson speculation, it saves a ton
of back and forth conversations.
Anything like that.
If you just go, this is what mylicensing fee is for these types
of rights.
This is what is for these typesof rights to share that right
off the bat.
And everybody will be a lothappier.
And make sure that you'repricing your shots fairly for
(29:19):
whatever your cost of doingbusinesses.
All right.
I think that's it for today.
That's everything I've got forshooting in remote locations
that isn't actually about thephotography itself.
Obviously the photography itselfis a huge critical component to
this.
But it's so subjective to thespace.
You're going into the imagesthat you'd like to capture.
What you are looking to capturewhy you were there, what you
(29:41):
were doing there, everythinglike that, that.
Can't get into it here.
So.
Shooting in remote locationsreally does take a bit more
thoughtfulness and pre-planning.
But it can honestly be totallyworth it.
And not just for the images, butfor your mind and your body as
well.
Getting off the pavement,getting out of the city and into
places where there are only afew other humans can drastically
(30:03):
alter your perception and boostyour own mental health and
really increase your creativity.
So get out there, if you'reinterested, plan a remote trip.
It doesn't have to be anovernight or a remote trip could
be a long day trip intosomewhere.
But just remember to plan andthink in advance.
(30:23):
All right.
If you have questions or topicsyou'd like to cover, reach out
on Instagram atRobertMasseyPhotography.
I love to hear from people loveto chat about everything like
this.
And yeah.
Thanks again for taking sometime to grow and improve your
photography.
Now, get out there.
Go somewhere remote.
See this big, beautiful world ofours.
(30:43):
Just stay safe while you'redoing it.
All right.
Let's adventure.
Bye for now.
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