Did you see this great little animated film?

We caught up with TammyLynn to find out more.

So Tammy, tell us about the animation, where did you get the idea from?
I’d been wanting to do some stop animation type thing for years now but just never got around to it. It was on my mind again and I was down at the studio so I thought what the heck, I’ll shoot a few frames and see if I can make a movie with it. Putting it together in a movie was a lot harder than I thought it would be, mainly because I don’t know what I’m doing. I had fun learning and trying though.

I take it you like the Pro Roller Attaché then?
I love the bag, it is truly like having an assistant along with me who helps keep up with my gear and holds a flash gun for me now and then. The gear is just right there at my fingertips. I don’t have to hunt for a place to put my bag down, don’t have to worry about laying the bag down on wet or yucky floor. I just bend down, unzip, grab and go. If I don’t zip it back up right away it’s fine, my gear doesn’t fall out. I can grab the handle and move on quickly knowing my gear is secure. I often work out in the public where there are lots of people around, having the bag on the ground with handle extended I can grab and move quickly. Where as with other bags I have to stop, zip up, pick up and so on, it can be a pain. I much prefer grabbing and going.

What’s next for TammyLynn Photography?
I’m doing more and more private photography workshops with people and I’m working on material for group workshops, a lot of which will be mobile. I can see this bag coming in very handy for this as well.

Thanks TammyLynn!

For more information on TammyLynn check out her blog here and the London Road Studio here.

If you have shot a short film about any Lowepro product we would love to see it, so get in touch via our Facebook or Contact us pages!

Pro shooter Ed Heaton just sent us an update about his latest adventure in upstate PA. As you can see, the conditions were rather icy. Fortunately, Ed’s gear was protected in a Pro Trekker 400 AW backpack. Here’s what Ed had to say about the adventure.

As a professional landscape photographer and workshop instructor, I spend a ton of time in the outdoors. Whether it’s making images for clients, my website or creating new images to use as teaching aids, I always have my gear in my Lowepro Pro Trekker 400 AW. It’s comfortable to carry fully loaded, and I feel pretty good knowing that my gear is protected from the elements.

Ed Heaton with Lowepro Pro Trekker 400 AW

My latest adventure was a visit to Rickett’s Glen Natural Area, a national landmark that boasts a series of wild, free-flowing waterfalls, which this time of year are frozen! The 94-foot Ganoga Falls is the highest of 22 named waterfalls in Ricketts Glen State Park, and it’s one of the most scenic areas in Pennsylvania. In order to hike into the falls area in winter, you’ll need a good set of ice crampons and a solid nerve. With the mist from the falls combining with the below-freezing temperatures, it’s a winter wonderland.

Thanks Ed for the update. You look great with that backpack. Photo credit: Michael Lawrence (a friend of Ed’s).

Derrick Story is the Photography Evangelist for Lowepro.

Greg Lowe at Photokina, 2010

Greg Lowe, 1967

Folks are often curious about Greg Lowe, the original founder of Lowepro. Is he a real person or just part of the corporate story?  And if he is real, what’s he up to these days?

Greg Lowe is definitely a real person — and an amazing one at that. He is the ultimate entrepreneur, founder of both Lowepro and Lowe Alpine, an accomplished mountain climber, photographer, Adacemy Award nominated cinematographer — in other words, larger than life.

Jeff Lowe on the Eiger, 1991

Greg’s brother, Jeff Lowe, is famous in his own right. As a legendary mountain climber, he has the distinction of being the first — and only — person to climb the nearly impossible route up the very center of the Eiger Nordwand in Switzerland. The story behind this incredible feat has become legend. For nine days in the winter of 1991, Jeff’s climb was all the more amazing because he was totally alone — no partner, no assistance from ropes or bolts left by previous climbers. Near the end, out of food, wet and chilled to the bone, he underwent a transformation that literally changed his life.

Jeff Lowe in the Alps, 2010

Now, 19 years later, the brothers are teaming up to film Metanoia, an inspirational, feature-length documentary about Jeff’s life and climbs. With Greg directing and their eyes set on the late summer deadline for submissions to the Sundance Film Festival, they will soon be heading back to the Eiger to film Swiss climber Ueli Steck as he attempts to recreate Jeff’s historic climb.

Today, Jeff is confined to a wheel chair due to a rare, degenerative neurological disease. But as this project suggests, nothing has dampened his spirit. He is hard at work, raising funds to complete this project and will be right in the thick of things as the team films in Switzerland — getting back up in a helicopter to oversee the aerial shots and, in his own words, “having the most fun he’s had since the disease forced him to quit climbing seven years ago.”

So now you know. There is definitely a Greg Lowe, and he’s part of a family who continue to leave their mark  on the world.

Sam is the PR and Photographer Relations Manager for Lowepro’s Worldwide Marketing team.

Imagine traveling all the way to Churchill, Canada — a tiny little town on the banks of the Hudson Bay, and finding connections almost every time you turn around. That’s exactly what happened on my trip there last November. In Winnipeg the  first night, I was having dinner and started talking with the two women seated next to me – only to find out they were on the same Tundra Buggy Adventure I was. As we talked a bit more, I discovered one of them, Val D’Elia is a videographer for the NY1 News and the other, Alison Wright, is a National Geographic photographer. It gets better. Alison is also working on a project with one of our featured 2011 Loweprofessional photographers, Ami Vitale, documenting the impact of climate change on women in under- developed countries. This project is sponsored by Ripple Effect Images. Watch for upcoming articles about the work they are doing. 

2009 Project Polar Bear Winners on Tundra Buggy 1: Top l-r: Sam Liest, Kaitlin O'Bryan, Miranda Vickery, Madison Vickery. Middle l-r: Rebekah Vickery, Rachael Vickery, Emily Goldstein. Front: Robert Buchanan, Sam Marsh

As we were chatting, along came one of the Project Polar Bear teams, There for Tomorrow — Emily Goldstein, Sam Leist and Kaitlin O’Bryan — from Louisville, Kentucky. The co-winners of the 2009 contest were here for their grand prize trip — a project sponsored by Polar Bears International and co-sponsored by Lowepro.

At lunch the next day, we found ourselves running into the rest of the Project Polar Bear team — The Vickery sisters: Rebekah, Miranda, Rachael and Madison — from Winnipeg. The last time I had seen any of the kids was at the awards ceremonies last April at the San Dego Zoo. It was great to see everyone — and to also find out that their projects are ongoing and the impact to their communities continues to grow.

To top it off, at dinner that night I noticed a women at the next table wearing a jacket with our Lowepro 40th Anniversary logo. I stopped by to say hello, and it turns out she had come all the way from the UK where she had found her jacket in a local camera shop. Not sure of it was Lowepro or the polar bear that prompted her to buy it — but it was great to see!

It was fascinating to experience the global reach this small, remote community had — and all because of the polar bears.

Sam is the PR and Photographer Relations Manager for Lowepro’s Worldwide Marketing team.

I have a couple memory card wallets laying around that I would love to put to good use.

I remember when I discovered my first Lowepro memory card wallet tucked inside a Classified 200 AW shoulder bag. I thought to myself, “Oh, this is neat. What should I do with it?” I didn’t really want to store my CF cards inside of it, but it seemed too cool not to use for something.

As a coincidence, recently, one of my photographer friends shared a video with me about his Photographer’s Survival Kit. These little kits contain a handful of essentials that come in handy when you’re shooting out in the field. As it worked out, my friend Stefan used a Lowepro memory card wallet to house his survival kit. It’s really clever. You might want to check out this short video that he made.

Slick, isn’t it? If you come up with something clever for these card wallets, be sure to post a comment to share with others.

Derrick is the Photography Evangelist for Lowepro.

I question that I often hear is, “how can I extend the capability of the Versapack 200 AW? Outdoor shooters are looking for places to stow their water bottles and carry extra camera gear while remaining nimble on the trail. I think a great solution is to add an Inverse 100 AW to the equation. When I use the two bags together, I call them my “dynamic duo.”

My Lowepro Dynamic Duo for day hikes: Inverse 100 AW + Versapack 200 AW.

I pack my extra jacket, lunch, and other personal gear in the top compartment of the Versapack. It also holds my maps and/or iPad in the front pocket that is protected by the buckle-down flap. My 70-200mm plus 1.4x lens goes in the bottom compartment. Then, in the Inverse 100 AW, I pack my DSLR with a mounted 24-105mm zoom, two water bottles (one on each side in the mesh pockets), first aid kit, army knife, and other small essentials.

The Inverse 100 AW fits snugly around my waist. I can wear it in the back, or bring it forward for even quicker access. If I need to get to my long lens in a hurry, I can access it through the side pocket of the Versapack without having to dismount either bag. Both have AW covers so I’m protected if the weather turns against me. And the total weight of both bags (empty) is only about 4 pounds. Together they make a powerful combination for light trail work.

Derrick Story is the Photography Evangelist for Lowepro.

Here at Lowepro in addition to loving photography, we are also big fans of technology. I’m a gear head myself and really looking forward to seeing what future products are headed our way.

You may have heard the rumors about everything from Sony’s camera lineup to all the iPad competitors. To say the least it’s going to be a super exciting show.

What will I be bringing with me? I’ll be taking my Lowepro Pro Roller Attache x50 loaded with my Canon T2i, 24-105 F4 and 50mm 1.4 lenses as well as my Speedlight 580 ex II. The Attache x50 will allow me to carry all my gear onto the flight as well as give me ample room for all my clothes.

We will be sure to follow up with what we find out and give you a first hand glimpse of what went down.

-Frank

Frank Filice is the Marketing Manager for Lowepro USA