How do you take formal portraits of 2-ton, ten-feet-tall subjects who live in the jungle and just won’t stand still for you? And how do you get all your gear to the most remote part of northern Thailand safely and in good working order?

This is the challenge Bay Area photographer Carol Stevenson has every time she travels to the Thailand to continue her multi-year project documenting the rescued street elephants at the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation. The solution – build an open air studio in the jungle and rely on Lowepro to carry the kit.

“Each trip is a bit different, depending on the time of year and the weather conditions, so the location of the studio varies,” writes Carol. “We use a bamboo framework and stretch a 38′ x 20′ foot white backdrop across the frame. With the help of the mahouts (and a passing elephant), we erect it right in the jungle. With the harsh light of the tropics, I shoot just after sunrise, usually with only an hour of good light to work with.”

“My Nikon D3 is amazing in low light conditions, and I sometimes add battery powered strobes to replicate the look of an indoor studio. Apart from the backdrop, we have to set up and break down each day, and the shoot can last for 30 days, so there’s a lot of work hauling gear around the jungle on a motor scooter and in a tuk-tuk (Thai 3 wheel taxi).”

“We also shoot in the field during the day to capture the elephants in their natural environment. So not only does the studio gear have to be easily transportable, I need on-the-go bags when I’m trying to keep up with the elephants.”

“I rely on Lowepro for three transport needs: the long haul, the daily studio schlepp, and for the ‘ease of use in the field’ shoots.”

For the long haul, the bodies and lenses go in a Pro Runner x450 AW in the cabin with Carol. The more robust equipment is in cargo in a Pro Roller x300 AW, which has accompanied Carol on more than 40 flights with no damage to her gear. The Pro Roller x300 also does double duty for the jungle studio. And she uses the Passport Sling for quick one camera/lens shoots, or a Versapack 200 AW for heavier duty field work.

“The Sling and the Versapack give me unique flexibility,” adds Carol; “if I HAD to pick a favorite, it would be the Passport Sling because of its fast and quick access to my gear. And with two Pasport Slings, one does double duty as a banana bag (for elephant bribes)”.

Carol is featured as one of our Loweprofessionals. To see more of her work, visit www.elephantphotographer.com. More details about her gear can be found at www.carolstevenson.wordpress.com.

Derrick Story is the Photography Evangelist for Lowepro.

Photographers Doug Pensinger and Ezra Shaw, both of Getty Images, made a stop at the Lowepro offices on their way to shoot Stage 1 of the Tour of California. It was a great for all of us to meet these photographers and better understand their needs as they shoot some of the most challenging images in bike racing.

Doug got his start with his first camera at age 15 and has shot every Tour of California race, plus seven Tour de France races. Knowing he was going to be riding on a motorbike to capture images for the event, I asked him how he was going to prep for this California race. “Preparing for this event isn’t easy. You have to think about weather, the elements, the athletes and the course. My camera gear is the least of my worries,” he said.

Similarly, Ezra (Doug’s partner covering the race) echoed his sentiment and added, “I try to see the course and understand where the best photos can be made. Stage 1 is rigorous—one of the toughest I’ve seen for day one—and I can’t wait to see these athletes perform.”

Keep up with Doug and Ezra as they photograph the Tour of California!

Cinematographer Howard Hall describes the book Under Antarctic Ice as “…about as close as you can come to visiting Antarctica without actually going there”. This acclaimed publication from Norbert Wu, as well as thousands of stunning images and footage captured with his unique sensibility, showcases the underwater world in locations as varied as the tropics and polar regions.

His work has appeared in thousands of books, in TV specials, films and museums. He holds engineering degrees from Stanford University, and did doctoral work at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. You’ll want to read more about this award-winning photographer and distinguished Pew Fellow of Marine Conservation—Norbert gives insightful and in-depth answers to our questions in this exclusive Loweprofessional profile.

The Flipside Sport technical backpack can be deceptively simple in appearance. Even though it’s light and compact, the smaller of the two models can hold enough gear for a day’s work in the field. When I watched this video by adventure photographer Trevor Clark, I decided to experiment with packing my 10 liter Flipside Sport, then seeing how much it weighed. But before we get to my “alternative rig,” let’s take a look at how Trevor packed his 15 liter model.

As you’ll notice in the video, Trevor used the hydration system and tripod sleeve. Both of those features seemed essential for how he was shooting that day.

In this alternative packing, I put my hiking essentials in the hydration pocket (first aid kit, knife, snacks, lip balm, etc.), and a REI jacket in the tripod holder. Inside the backpack there’s a Pentax K-5 (great all weather DSLR) and two lenses. Plus I have stowed around the camera box: bandanas, stocking cap, and ground cloth. I carry a separate water bottle, and I use a Leki Photo Trekking Pole for a monopod as needed. The entire 10 liter kit, without water, weighed in at 8 pounds.

Two different approaches. And I’m sure there are a dozen more. So then the question is: how will you pack your Flipside Sport?

Derrick Story is the Photography Evangelist for Lowepro.

We were truly inspired to collaborate with adventure photographer and all-round-great person Trevor Clark for the launch of our newest outdoor camera pack: the Flipside Sport AW.

Trevor is based out of South Lake Tahoe, California—but with his tricked out 4×4 Sportsmobile/traveling studio drives all over North America with “a camera in my hands, smile on my face and butterflies in my stomach.”

He loves the “elemental” moments in life and captures them with a very distinctive POV. He says the Flipside Sport AW fits his working style as he likes to carry his gear on his own two legs (or via kayak, bike…you get the idea). You can read more and view Trevor’s work on his web site.

We encourage you to stay tuned to our Facebook page for more Flipside Sport AW inspiration.

Now that summer is approaching (at least for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere), it’s a great time to get outside with your camera and get on-the-go access with an active adventure backpack!

We want to thank Ian Spanier for sharing his insights in his Talent Will Only Get You So Far: the Successes and Failures of a Photographer webinar, co-sponsored with Photoflex.

If you missed the event, we’ll provide a short recap here. You can experience the webinar in its entirety in a just a few days on our web site. Please visit our Ask the Pro page for information on this, past and upcoming webinars.

Ian shared great advice on how to blend the artistry of photography with the business of photography. As a former GQ magazine photo editor turned freelance photographer, Ian knew many of the ups and downs. As he started off on his own, he made a few rules–such as never taking jobs that weren’t his strong suit: shooting weddings, kids or pets (and he rarely had to break those rules). He was reluctant, at first, to hop on the social media band wagon, but realized the exposure opportunities he could reap.

Other highlights include: renting versus owning equipment; his invoice system; reading contracts; copyrighting and insurance; sending clear and complete promotional information to potential clients; using consultants, agents, producers and studio managers; plus his go-to gear. Ian has carried Lowepro bags for many years. His current favorites are two that help get him from location A to B while traveling for assignments: Pro Roller x200 and SlingShot 200 AW.

An award-winning advertising and editorial, portrait photographer, Ian Spanier is based in Long Beach, New York. To learn more about his work and upcoming projects, please visit his site.

You’re cordially invited to join us for a webinar with professional photographer Ian Spanier on Tuesday, April 17 at 11am PDT / 2pm EDT.

Ian’s topic is Talent Will Only Get You So Far. We think you’ll enjoy and learn from this honest and revealing look into the ups and downs of getting into and remaining relevant in the photography business. He’ll cover topics from choosing assignments, to renting versus owning equipment, to utilizing social media.

Ian’s work appears in publications such as Condé Nast Traveler, Men’s Journal, Marie Claire, Muscle and Fitness, Field & Stream, Time Out NY, Psychology Today and Los Angeles Magazine.

Sign up today to reserve your complimentary spot!