I’m lucky enough to live in a part of Northern California where there’s plenty of open space for overnight hiking trips. Until recently, I used a standard issue backpack. But with the release of the Photo Sport Pro 30L, I can now transport my photo and camping gear in the same bag, and be very comfortable while doing so.

30 liters might not seem like a lot of space, but on my last outing I was able to pack:

• Pentax K-5 DSLR, two zoom lenses and a Canon PowerShot S90
• Down sleeping bag, inflatable sleeping pad, and tent.
• JetBoil stove, 2-day supply of water, and meals
• Down vest, jacket, and extra clothes
• 10 essentials and emergency gear

The bag is designed to accommodate plenty of extra gear in the top compartment. Meanwhile, my cameras are protected in the lower camera box (that’s removable if I need more room for camping gear or want to stow the cameras in a safe place at night). Plus there are straps and buckles for attaching additional items on the outside of the bag. I typically strap my tent or sleeping pad to the bottom of the pack.

The 30 liter storage limit turns out to be a blessing on the trail because my overall weight, including food and water, was only 32 pounds for an overnight trip. And the pack is so comfortable, that I didn’t even remove it while taking breaks on the trail. (I’m usually the first guy to drop his pack.)

And what do I do once I’m on the trail? Here’s a short movie that chronicles my last overnighter with the Photo Sport Pro 30L.

Where will you explore with your Photo Sport?

Derrick Story is the Photography Evangelist for Lowepro.

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 on March 22, 2013: We have an update and a cool video from Josh to share today. Check out the Trout Unlimited blog. Watch Joshua’s video of Jose “Gia” Mondragon and the Rio Grande del Norte to learn more about these conversation efforts and the connection to place.

What kind of bag does a photographer/videographer and conservation communication specialist choose for a backcountry shoot? The Flipside Sport 15L AW.

On a recent assignment for a Trout Unlimited/Sportsmen’s Conservation project, Joshua Duplechian traveled to the Rio Grande del Norte area of northern New Mexico to document a native land user’s connection to this unique place. To tell this story, Joshua often hiked long distances on the Taos Plateau – a vast, volcanic field with grass and sagebrush mesas, forested slopes and the Rio Grande River cutting through it.

“Keeping things light and simple was, and will always be, the primary goal,” Joshua said. “With the Flipside Sport 15L AW, I was able to comfortably carry a Nikon D800, my 70-200mm 2.8, an 85mm 1.8, a 60mm macro and my 24-70mm 2.8 lenses.

I also carried neutral density filters and compact flash cards which fit well alongside of lenses. Along with that I strapped a tripod and a magic arm to the outside of the bag as well.”

Along with a full camera kit, Joshua relied on the pack to help keep him hydrated. The design includes an easy-access side pocket with space for a 1-liter reservoir and sip-tube port.

“One of the most crucial aspects of the bag was the simple ability to carry water. A lot of times I’ll sacrifice the amount of water I carry or lean on someone else to carry my water for an extra lens.

The Flipside 15L AW allowed me to carry the same hydration bladder I typically carry while mountain biking in the Colorado mountains at home”.

Shooting both stills and video was crucial for the success of this project. Joshua often fields questions from staff, chapter members and outdoor sportsmen and sportswomen about the right gear to use in the backcountry. He finds that fly fishing, hunting and photography often go hand in hand.

“In the past I’ve often cobbled together different pieces and bags in order to get my tools into the backcountry. Now, it’s all there and finally all I have to think about is getting the set of images or video to tell the story of our public lands.”

Are you passionate about a place? Have you shot images of public lands or natural places that mean a lot to you? Please share your experiences and comment here or on our Facebook page.

Editor’s note: Lowepro product developer Ryan Hetzel recently returned from a trip to Myanmar. We asked him to share what it was like getting ready for this type of ‘adventure of a lifetime’ and if the experience met his expectations. Here’s his trip report.

“As I planned a break for this winter, I decided I had a need for adventure. The chance to see a distinct and relatively fresh culture led me to Myanmar, a country recently opening up after years of rigid government control. I was curious about the effects of slowed development on this country – a little like traveling back in time to how more mainstream destinations (such as Thailand) were 10 to 20 years ago. The people of the countries I visit fascinate me, and with this trip. I looked forward to observing relatively intact traditional lifestyles.

For the trip, I took a Nikon D700 digital camera with 20-35mm lens for documentary-style photography. The wide-angle zoom allowed me to capture the landscape and people as I saw them in everyday life. The 20mm is ultra wide so I was able to include a fairly large scene easily. And the 35mm is close to what the human eye sees (closer to 50mm), so it captures a more ‘normal’ view.

I also took a Hasselblad film camera with 400 speed black and white film. I used it to create more refined images where I paid more close attention to the finer details, especially when shooting portraits with 80mm lens. This lens (around a 50mm equivalent focal length compared to my Nikon) works really well for tight portraits as well as landscape compositions.

Finding a bag that offered great protection, a perfect fit for the equipment, and also was subtle about being a camera bag was tricky. Looking around and after trying different bags, I ultimately chose the Stealth Reporter D200 AW as it fit all the gear and has a bunch of handy organization. The bag worked fantastically well; in fact it exceeded my expectations as it proved to be versatile, flexible and durable over and over during the trip. All my gear fit well with enough separate pockets to allow for great organization.

As I prepared for the trip, I considered only shooting film – no digital. Part of me wishes I did. The style of shooting that film creates for me is very rewarding. I’m drawn in to pay very close attention to every detail, and then I still don’t know if I got the shot until I develop the film. Also I spend a lot of time in the darkroom, so having more negatives to print from would have been equally rewarding. Digital is great, but black and white film images are always a closer match to how I originally saw the scene.

Looking back, I learned a lot about the quality of light and how big a part this plays in a successful image. While exploring ancient temples (just like Indian Jones!), I noted the nuances of light, and in my later review of images, saw dramatic differences in the outcome of these subtle changes. I gained a fair amount of confidence and efficiency in composing on the fly.  As the Hasselblad is a slow camera and people don’t necessarily have all day to wait for you to take a picture, there is need for efficiency in exposure, focus and composition. The biggest thing I forgot was the complexity of everyday life back in the US. Life on the road – especially in Myanmar – was simple, full and rich.

Now that I’ve returned to my everyday life, I’m still developing film. It’s exciting to pull the developed negatives out of the can and view them for the first time. I recount the moments and adventures I had in Myanmar and smile every time.”

Are you inspired by Ryan’s adventure? Leave us a comment and tell us about a recent photo adventure you’ve had or where you’d like to go next.

Rick Saez, Lowepro category/product manager, just returned from a trek to South Lake Tahoe to meet with a group of pros. His goal? Feedback about bag design. Here’s his report.

“I was fortunate to spend some time this past weekend in South Lake Tahoe with a group of photographers and videographers talking shop,” writes Rick. (“Yes, there was a bit of skiing too.”)

“I want to thank Corey Rich for gathering this impressive group. We had a great time in the CRP office reviewing bags and gear. I can’t divulge all the good stuff we discussed because I don’t want to give away any secrets, but we worked up some very good ideas.”

“As a bonus, I received terrific feedback on current products we have in the design pipeline. Thanks specifically to the Vail crew — Rex and Mike; Tahoe locals Chris, Dane, and Rachid; and Preta and Avery… our two pooch helpers! The photographers and videographers I met with are affiliated with Novus Select; thanks to them for making these pros available. It means a lot to have their support as we build new products.”

“It’s valuable to work in the field and see firsthand how our products are used. Some of us in the office are hobby photographers, so whenever we have the opportunity to meet with pros, we jump at the chance. These professionals make their living shooting and traveling. Seeing how they pack, organize, and even modify our bags is great. Thanks guys!”

The Lowepro Photo Hatchback 16L AW is my travel companion while covering CES in Las Vegas, NV. Even though I often use this versatile backpack for outdoor trips, it has a number of features that I love for city life too. One in particular is the removable camera box.

I store my Olympus OM-D and PEN mini camera bodies, plus 5 lenses, in the padded compartment with storm-flap closure and grab handles. During work hours at the trade show, I can easily access all of my gear. But once the day is over, I like to work with just the PEN mini and a prime lens for street shooting, leaving the rest of my equipment back in the hotel room. This is where I put that removable camera box to use.

I take the camera box out of the Photo Hatchback, with the balance of my equipment stored inside, and then secure the entire unit in the hotel safe. I don’t have to unpack the bag and fool around with individual components, because everything is already organized within the removable compartment. I’m just temporarily relocating it.

I can literally do this on my way out the door. It only takes seconds. Once I return, I unlock the safe and put the camera box back in the Photo Hatchback, and I’m ready to go back to work.

Here’s a short movie that details this entire process.

This feature has saved me a great deal of time. In the past, I had to take out individual components from my camera bag, figure out how to arrange them in the safe, then move them back. It was a real hassle. The Photo Hatchback has changed all of that.

Plus, once the camera box is removed from the Photo Hatchback, it’s a fully functional backpack that can be used for recreational activity. Bottom line, this camera bag is just as wonderful in the city as it is on the trail.

Derrick Story is the Photography Evangelist for Lowepro.

I take a lot of photos of my kids. I’m a mom to two boys. It’s what I do. My two-year-old has started to get a bit frustrated with being one of the two things I focus my camera on most. A few weeks before the holidays he said, “No pictures, Mommy!” I nearly fell down laughing. Clearly, I’ve become the paparazzi mom, but since documenting my little guys is so important, I need to figure something out.

At that point, Christmas was coming and if he wasn’t going to let me take pictures or video of him and his brother, what was I going to do? I had to think of something and fast. I’ve got it! GoPro! I could wear a camera and the little ones wouldn’t notice!

On Christmas Eve, I get the GoPro camera ready. I had done a few test shots and video of the dog, who equally has an aversion to getting his picture taken prior to Christmas Eve, but I didn’t realize the sound quality isn’t that great inside the waterproof housing, so my first thought of capturing my son’s reaction to Santa visiting our house overnight is quickly squashed. It’s too late to buy yet another accessory (The Frame) to solve my problem.

Santa is on his way. We saw his sleigh tracker and boy, that guy moves fast! There was no way we were going to clearly hear his commentary of the morning, which would clearly be cute as can be. He’s two; it’s bound to be adorable.

So, how to figure this out? Well, I roped my husband into helping. He took video with the iPhone to document the morning and I strapped the GoPro onto my chest harness for a different perspective. I also used the GoPro to do a time lapse of the gift opening, which was epic. Of course the two-year-old opened his younger brother’s presents because at 10-months old, he’s far too young to understand Santa. With the excitement of Santa, my little guys didn’t even notice the cameras.

The boys were lucky enough to receive a Zoo membership for Christmas and we used the GoPro to document the visit. I love being able to mount the GoPro to various things, including my own body to free myself up to either grab a toddler or shoot with my Canon 60D.

The Set Up

• Canon 60D with 18-200
• GoPro Hero 3 with an obscene amount of accessories
• iPhone
• Photo Hatchback 22L AW
• JOBY Ultrafit Sling Strap for women
• JOBY Tripods (2)