What’s a perfect platform to test out the light weight, flexibility and accessibility of our Flipside Sport AW series you might ask? Well, you might…

Always in pursuit of active adventures, our multi-skilled UK colleague Tim Sadler and his talented biker/photographer friend Tom Laws donned the Flipside Sport 10L AW and 20L AW (respectively) as they competed in the second round of the Mini Enduro bike race series. Pro photographer Charles Robertson took the great shots we’re sharing here.

For those of you not familiar with this form of mountain bike adventure, let’s describe it as a one-day, live-timed, multi-stage race for riders who like to go fast, ride hard and have fun. The May 12th race took place in the Eastridge Woods of Shropshire. Tim and Tom told us these packs worked really well and “comfortably carried camera gear and inner tubes a plenty”.

The Flipside Sport AW pack is designed with a removable camera insert (so you can use this modular functionality to pack other essentials you might use throughout the day) and a hydration-ready side pocket (so you can always have liquid refreshment right at hand).

Tell us what essentials you carry in your Lowepro bags and please share it on our Facebook page.

Photographer and filmmaker Jerry Monkman wants us to think about the significance
of natural places when we look at his imagery. For 20+ years he has devoted his work to drawing attention to New England’s streams, forests, fields, bays and other places of
natural beauty.

To date, he has created photography for more than 120 land conservation projects in
New England. And his newest documentary venture, The Power of Place, aims to
“compel decision makers to conserve iconic New Hampshire landscapes at risk due to an electricity transmission project”. To learn more about this 30-minute film, visit Jerry’s Kickstarter page.

He also leads workshops, co-authors books and runs the EcoPhotography stock and photography company with his wife Marcy. Being a conservation, adventure and travel photographer requires Jerry to get out there with his camera gear. So we had to ask him about his current go-to outdoor camera bag!

“My favorite camera bag right now is the Flipside Sport 15L AW, which I like because it carries a good amount of gear comfortably for adventure trips, and I love the ability to flip it over and access my gear while the waist strap is still connected – it’s super convenient. In a nutshell, it makes it easy to hike, ski, or bike with my gear and then quickly gain access to it when photo ops occur.”

Check out Jerry’s portfolio and look into upcoming workshops at his web site.

A few things we really like:

pop-up galleries

inventive photographers

collaboration

So when we heard the
Camera Club Los Angeles (CCLA)
embraces all three, it sparked our interest.

CCLA is pop-up gallery space for emerging and mid-career artists
who work in the photographic arts. They provide spaces for group
shows, auctions, critiques and lectures in the city of Los Angeles.

Their show “Myths” is up and running at Santa Monica Art Studios and includes the very cool and contemporary imagery from 16 artists. If you happen to be in the area, check it out – the show is on
through May 11.

We’re excited to collaborate with this eclectic group on a little photo
bag project. Can’t tell you all the details yet, but we’ll share the results soon.

In the meantime, visit the CCLA blog for a visual gallery that might delight, surprise and inspire you.

And stay tuned for more in May…

Editor’s note: Big vistas. Big peaks. Big adventures. Eminent landscape photographer Colin Prior is drawn to all three. Colin Prior is a fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, a founding member of the International League of Conservation Photographers and spends much of his life seeking out the edges of the world.

 And in May, his next photographic journey takes him to a place that has “haunted his dreams” since his first visit in 1996: the Karakoram mountain range that borders Pakistan, India and China (and home of K2, the world’s second highest peak).

Colin and a colleague are planning a series of expeditions to the range over the next four years; a project culminating in the publication of a new book in 2018. The Karakoram Project is co-sponsored by Lowepro UK, Rab and Lee Filters.

It’s just weeks until his first trip and we asked Colin how his gear preparations are coming along.

Chogolisa, Vigne Glacier. © Colin Prior

This first leg of your project must be incredibly exciting. How do you physically prepare?
I’ve been out walking in the Scottish Highlands on a fairly regular basis and whilst we have few mountains over 4000 feet, the scale is obviously much smaller than the Himalayas. However, notwithstanding this, uphill is still uphill and there is great benefit in building muscle tone which will be crucial in the rarified air of the Karakoram Mountains.

What camera gear will you count on and how will you pack it?
I have worked with the Canon EOS system for over twenty years and will be using a 1DX and 5D Mark III and a range of lenses which will include the latest versions of the 24mm T/S, 90mm T/S, 24-70mm, 70-200mm and 300 f4. I will also carry a Linhof Technorama III with 90mm & 180mm lenses to shoot with Fuji’s Velvia 120. Both systems will be carried in a Pro Trekker 400 AW and the new Rover Pro 45L AW.

K2 and the Godwin Austin. © Colin Prior

What types of imagery do you hope to capture on part one of your journey?
The Karakoram Mountains are in my opinion, the most formidable and majestic mountains in the world and over the four-year period, it is my intention to capture images which honour and hopefully transcend these qualities. There has in reality, been very little authoritative work shot in the Karakoram and this is largely due to their inaccessibility and the political instability in the country. I look forward to the challenges ahead and to seeing the final published book – it will, without doubt, be my magnum opus.

Is there a new piece of gear that you’ll rely on for this expedition?
Without hesitation, I would say my Lowepro Pro Trekker, but there will be an equally important partner – my personal porter who will be responsible for carrying my camera equipment – it will take me all my effort, with the associated effects of altitude, to scramble up the glacier.

What do you like about your Lowepro bag(s)?
Simply, their build quality. Pro DSLR’s and lenses are heavy and they need strong, robust bags to safely transport camera equipment up glaciers and over mountains passes. The new Rover Pro 45L AW will become my ‘day-sack’ which will allow me to carry some camera equipment, water and waterproofs.

Colin Prior is a fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, a founding member of the International League of Conservation Photographers and spends much of his life seeking out the edges of the world. To see more of his work and learn about upcoming workshops and exhibits, visit his web site. And please stay tuned for updates from us – we’ll check in with Colin as his project continues.

Hello sports fans! In honor of the opening week of baseball season, we’re sharing a profile of legendary sports photographer Ronald C. Modra. Ron could easily could rest on his laurels with  impressive resume…

70 cover shots for Sports Illustrated and 23 years shooting for that publication.

Author and photographer of the critically acclaimed book: Reflections of the Game: Lives in Baseball (Willow Creek Press).

And a contributing photographer for Time, Newsweek, National Geographic and New York Magazine.

Next up for him: a book coming out this spring about 40 years shooting for Major League Baseball (with a forward by MLB Commissioner Bud Selig).

Ron’s love of the outdoors and saltwater fishing in his home state of Florida keeps him busy with a rod and a camera. We recently caught up with Ron and asked a few questions about the art of sports photography, his next projects and the lure (pun not intended…really!) of saltwater fishing.

Enjoy this exclusive profile of a very cool photographer!

Editor’s note: For many shooters, the best light is the first morning light. So it was for Robert Frase, enthusiast photographer and member of the Fort Worth Camera Club in Texas.

Robert and a close-knit group of photographer friends often meet and shoot in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. One pre-dawn morning this January, he drove to the chosen location – a waterfall at the end of the Trinity Trail. With his camera, extra lenses and gear tucked away in his Flipside 400 AW, Robert arrived first and made his way to the falls.  

As he searched for a good vantage point and crossed the footbridge, Robert took a misstep and fell off the retaining wall. As he fell, his gear was still on his back. He landed on the rocks below – a distance of 15 feet he later learned – and on top of his backpack. He never lost consciousness, but was injured. He picks up the story here:

“I landed on your Lowepro bag.  Apparently, it was the thickness and construction that prevented my head from slamming onto the rocks.  Yes, I was in pain – tremendous pain.  After the jolt of the fall, I wiggled my fingers and toes to make sure that I was not paralyzed.  As it was still very dark, I laid there until my friends arrived some 30 to 40 minutes later. I made it to the hospital, and as a precaution, the ER personnel put me in a neck brace and proceeded to check for spinal damage.  A CT scan was performed and I was informed that I had a compression fracture of my Lombard vertebrae L1 and L3, including disk bulging.  Currently, I am awaiting kyphoplasty surgery to repair the spinal fractures.

I truly believe that the Lowepro bag saved my life, protecting me from what could have been a paralyzing event, or even severe head trauma.  But I’m not yet done!  Later on, a friend retrieved my car along with my camera gear that was still in the trunk. Upon inspection, NOTHING was damaged from within the Flipside 400 AW pack — not my Canon 50D with the kit lens, Sekonic l-758dr spot meter, 8mm fisheye lens, Canon 10-22mm lens, remote cable release or Singh-Ray filters.

Thank you for making a superb product. You have a customer for Life!”

Robert, we hope you are feeling better and thank you for sharing your Unbelievable Story. (We included one of Robert’s dramatic, black & white images of El Capitan here and hope he gets back to shooting soon!)

Editor’s note: Lots of brides-to-be say ‘I do’ – as in, I do want you to document my wedding – to internationally acclaimed South African photographer Brett Florens. He enjoys a highly successful career in wedding, commercial and fashion photography. And his editorial portrait work includes sessions with famous South African personalities such as Desmond Tutu, FW de Klerk and cricketer Jonty Rhodes.

Brett’s distinctive photographic style has earned him the honors of being selected as a Nikon® Wedding Photographer and a best-in-field exhibitor at the world’s largest, biennial imaging show, photokina.

We caught up with Brett right before his departure for WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International). He’ll be a featured presenter of “Weddings Meet Fashion” (his image made the cover of this year’s show brochure!) and a visitor to our booth to meet and greet attendees. So stay tuned for information on that by checking in on our Facebook page. For now, enjoy his tips on traveling with gear and the art and business of wedding photography.

P.S. If you’re at WPPI, stop by booth #727 and say hello. We’re giving away a some very cool prize packages each day at the show and online – one includes Brett’s “Modern Wedding Photography” DVD. Not at the show? Not a problem. You have a chance to win online. Stay tuned to our blog next week!

What do you like about working with Pro Messenger AW and Pro Roller Lite AW bags?
When shooting destination assignments, I often find that I am working on the beach or in a field or forest. I can then pack the Pro Messenger with one body and one or two essential lenses, without having to carry all my heavy gear around with me. The Pro Roller Lite is the ideal bag for a wedding photographer; the amount of gear you can pack in it, is impressive. The design is upmarket and suits my brand image. The ergonomics of the bag are very smooth and it is very sturdy, which is important in protecting all the expensive camera gear.

Your workshops and assignments take you all over the world. How do you prepare before you set out?
Two days beforehand, final confirmation with models, hair and make-up and venues are done, either by phone or email. If it’s a wedding, I confirm with the bride or the wedding coordinator on times and venues. Airline seats are also confirmed the day before.

I have been traveling to do workshops and destination weddings for a few years now and have the process of packing for shoots down to a fine art. My cabin baggage is comprised of the Pro Roller Lite 250 (containing all my camera gear). I then pack my Pro Messenger, which also goes on with me into the cabin. In this bag I don’t carry any camera gear, only my travel docs, iPad and toiletries. Then, once I arrive, I have the option of working out of either bag.

My Elinchrom Ranger RX gets safely packed into a Pelican case that is checked in. I take a minimum amount of clothing and this is packed last into the Pelican case. My wife Andrea runs through a checklist with me to confirm that I’ve got all the important documents, clothing and equipment with me! (Watch Brett packing his gear below.)

You’re a featured presenter at WPPI. What do you enjoy about teaching your craft?
Wow, this is huge for me. I have wanted to present at WPPI for a while now and I was asked to present my lecture on drawing inspiration from other photographic genres. My lecture is titled “Fashion Meets Weddings”. I love being able to share my ideas with like-minded people and it such a satisfying feeling when I see the delegates becoming more enthusiastic about their photography as a result of my teaching. I find it incredibly rewarding when I receive messages from people who have attended my workshops or presentations, about the positive influence I have had on their careers. I also enjoy listening to other educators, picking up on tips and techniques from them that will help my business.

Wedding photography is a big business these days and the competition is growing. How do you keep your creative approach fresh and relevant?
My style of wedding photography is very fashion/editorial based. I look to fashion magazines such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and successful fashion photographers for inspiration. Fashion is always changing, and by following the lighting and posing trends in the fashion world, I keep my work current and relevant.

A few extra travel tips from Brett:

1. Book an extra day or two on an assignment; it leaves time to explore and shoot for yourself.
2. Fully charge AA batteries the day before; they generally take longer to charge.
3. Pack a pair of cotton pajamas for a long flight; change them in the restroom — they’re much more comfortable to sleep in than jeans.
4. Wear extra layers of clothes to save on baggage weight allowances; layering helps with that — smart wedding trousers on first, then jeans, T-Shirt, smart shirt and then a jacket.