No matter if I am shooting at home or abroad, I know if my bag could talk it would simply say, “Thank you! Thank you for always bringing me on your adventures and getting to see some of the world’s most stunning natural beauty.”
Photo by Ryland West
There is nothing better than shooting at home, especially when home is South Lake Tahoe, California. About five months ago the board of tourism, Tahoe South, commissioned me to shoot a year-long landscape project documenting the beauty of our alpine paradise.
Photo by Ryland West
The goal was to show off Tahoe at her best and keep the shooting schedule loose. That way I could chase light and weather when both were at their prime.
Photo by Ryland West
I am a huge proponent of shooting light and fast. My motto has always been, “If I don’t need it, I don’t carry it.” This makes the Lowepro Flipside Trek 450 AW the perfect bag for me. It has the exact amount of room I need for a mix of camera and outdoor gear while I’m out shooting.
Photo by Ryland West
Below is a breakdown of my gear on a typical landscape shoot:
Camera Gear
Nikon D800E
Shutter Release Cable
Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 lens
Nikkor 70-200mm f/4 lens
Singh Ray 10 stop ND filter
Singh Ray Vari-ND filter
Singh Ray Daryl Benson ND-3 Reverse Grad
Lowepro S&F Memory Wallet 20
San Disk Extreme Pro CF Cards
Flashpoint Carbon Fiber Tripod
Personal Gear
Extra layers (varies depending on the weather)
Headlamp
Leatherman
Water Bottle
Snacks
Photo by Rachid Dahnoun
Photo by Ryland West
It is rare these days that you get more than a few days to work on an assignment let alone an entire year. The flexibility to shoot through the seasons and only be dictated by the weather (rather than your client’s deadline) has been a welcome change in the fast-paced world of commercial and editorial photography that I generally work in. It has allowed me to focus on each individual image and give each location my full attention.
Photo by Ryland West
The project is now half complete and these frames are just a few of my favorites. Enjoy!