I wrote about fill-flash and other techniques for sorting out excessive shadows yesterday, and consequently, packed a flashgun for a family visit to a National Trust property, Baddesley Clinton in the afternoon, intending a couple of portraits of unwilling relatives. Did I use it? Of course not.
I also packed my 14mm lens, which I did use, along with my usual kit (lenses from 16mm to 85mm, spare body, the odd filter, batteries and cards), which only came into play when my daughter filled the card in her camera.
I was – as usual – grossly overequipped. But then, I have always taken comfort from the way that Rolls Royce used to specify the power output of car engines as ‘adequate’ – I like the idea of being able to cope with anything.
Photographically, I’m pretty sure that one of many roots is an article by Ron Spillman in Photography magazine, circa 1969, when he wrote about going on a cruise as a photographic tutor, alongside a Nikon-sponsored professional called Richard Tucker, who towed a wheeled case behind him, with all his kit, from fisheye to 500mm lens…
It wasn’t a long walk, and a Hadley bag carried most of the kit: it gave me a better workout than 3,500 steps might suggest. But there are times when I’ve taken extra gear and felt that it’s held me back. There’s no point in carrying an extra bag if you don’t feel able to put it down and get the kit out, as can happen in a crowded tourist spot.
Maybe it’s time to consider what we need on a given day. Sometimes the kitchen sink will be worth taking. Other times, spare cards and batteries may be enough.
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Calibrate so you can see 16 different shades:
