Too many options

[Sheepdog831]

What's up guys! What we learned on our last adventure was "less is more". We brought our GoPros, Cannon Camera and everyone's cell phones. With a total of 6 in our group, we found that it was difficult to manage all that equipment with so many moving parts in overlanding. I would suggest focusing on a single device or a primary photographer. When seeing such cool new places there is no way to capture it all. But sometimes things can only truly be captured by the naked eye and taking a moment to smell the roses. What I have learned over time is to "live in the now". I hope this helps you get the most out of your adventure with your friends and family.

 

[NotGumby]

Sheepdog831, all true. Earlier I would get so caught up in planning and getting the shot that I wasn't taking in the view, really taking in the view. A lot older and a little wiser, I take my time to take it all in first. Too much gear is an issue too. Not only using it, but storing it, securing it, and keeping it charged during extended trips. One navi, one ARB fridge, two cells, one iPad, one macbook, one DSLR, one compact camera, one gopro, one drone, and one drone controller. Trying to keep all this stuff charged is becoming a real hassle.

 

[Sheepdog831]

Sheepdog831, all true. Earlier I would get so caught up in planning and getting the shot that I wasn't taking in the view, really taking in the view. A lot older and a little wiser, I take my time to take it all in first. Too much gear is an issue too. Not only using it, but storing it, securing it, and keeping it charged during extended trips. One navi, one ARB fridge, two cells, one iPad, one macbook, one DSLR, one compact camera, one gopro, one drone, and one drone controller. Trying to keep all this stuff charged is becoming a real hassle.

I'm really glad you shared that. In this day and age of social media and being a Facebook celebrity, it's easy to neglect the folks we are trying to build memories with. I want the best for our group and I see how vehicle based adventure can be a juggling act. Our adventures need to be about quality, not quantity regarding every aspect of exploring. I realized that when I was asking my daughter to manage the camera, when she was just trying to do fun kid stuff. I totally missed the mark.

 

[NotGumby]

Yep, I can relate as I think back to the times I barked orders, like a squad leader, to my wife about staging a shot. I care less about the shot now, an more about sharing the moment with her.

 

[nickburt]

It's too easy to get caught up in the organising and running of a trip, rather than just get out there and enjoy.
But, I do think, from experience, it's also too easy to forget the recording of the moment.
Many a trip of ours has holes in it's records. Be that no photos, or a journal entry never written. The only record of it is in our own internal memories.

Not sure how to resolve that, other than be disciplined about getting the photo(s) and making a note in a journal, but the key is to do it without the effort being noticed or becoming a chore.

I used to often get "moaned" at, especially by the kids when they were younger, for taking an extra few minutes to take some pictures or tap some notes into the phone or tablet, but we have all grown to appreciate that in the future, those photos or notes are what helps recreate the memory and build the family history.
The kids now appreciate that those records are priceless and we all love looking back at our old records from time to time, especially the photos, to help remember the event and to see how things have changed - especially the kids growing up.

I have the same struggle with the number of devices that need to be maintained, but over time you develop a scheme that keeps it all going - phones (self maintaining if each seat has a charge point/lead), tablet (dash mounted and permanently plugged in), cameras/controllers (charger for each type of battery, always one on charge, one in the camera and a box of charged spares and a box of to be charged spares - rotation is the key).

Everyone has a different view and perspective in any given place, so pooling everyone's records ,photos being a good example, is key to making memories. One person will see something in a completely different perspective to everyone else, one person may see something that no-one else has, so let them all take photos, or make notes, then pool them at the end (daily or when you get home, depending on the length of the trip).

But, at the end of the day, our main focus is on enjoying the moment with loved ones and good friends. Outfit and Explore.

 

[Road]

What's up guys! What we learned on our last adventure was "less is more". We brought our GoPros, Cannon Camera and everyone's cell phones. With a total of 6 in our group, we found that it was difficult to manage all that equipment with so many moving parts in overlanding. I would suggest focusing on a single device or a primary photographer. When seeing such cool new places there is no way to capture it all. But sometimes things can only truly be captured by the naked eye and taking a moment to smell the roses. What I have learned over time is to "live in the now". I hope this helps you get the most out of your adventure with your friends and family.

Sheepdog831, all true. Earlier I would get so caught up in planning and getting the shot that I wasn't taking in the view, really taking in the view. A lot older and a little wiser, I take my time to take it all in first. Too much gear is an issue too. Not only using it, but storing it, securing it, and keeping it charged during extended trips. One navi, one ARB fridge, two cells, one iPad, one macbook, one DSLR, one compact camera, one gopro, one drone, and one drone controller. Trying to keep all this stuff charged is becoming a real hassle.

Great thread starting posts, you guys - thought provoking and solution-producing.

I do a LOT of solo traveling, so don't usually have others to help record trips in visual ways or to bark orders at. I love photography in general and as a pro photog, over the years have accumulated a lot of gear. But ya know what, most of it stays put away on some trips and all I use is my phone. Phones have become so good at recording still shots, walking vids, panoramas, audio, that I often depend on it for the more moment to moment stuff. I actually really enjoy the challenge of creating pro quality images with just a phone, and it's always right there with me.

Other trips I use my gear a lot, though still haven't messed with my gopro or drone much. I'll get into using my pro camera gear so much it would drive anyone nuts who was trying to hike or camp with me, I'd be so distant and distracted and lagging behind.

Still other trips I'll intentionally not use anything. I did a trip to Chaco Canyon one time and never broke out a bit of my gear, never even used my phone (crappy flip-phones and no-screen blackberry then; I call it dino-gear), so have NO visual record of that trip. But some of the BEST memories and a trip I often talk about with more detail than other trips.

That said, when you have others with you, especially a partner or kids, it's a great thing to be able to look back on those visual records of the trip. Good points, though, about not letting it be the moment-killer and forgetting to savor the moment all for the sake of the shot or for the 'gram. Sometimes I get others into the visual recording process; let them use my pro gear and teach them something at the same time, or if traveling with kids, present a challenge that they get as many different types of leaves in photo with their phones, for example. They'll have a blast and you get to record them having a blast in cool places.

As for charging gear, yeah, it usually evolves into a workable system. I have a ton of stuff to charge and keep maintained for both camp and photography and mobile devices. Like @nickburt says, a lot of it can be charged en-route and otherwise ends up becoming part of daily routine. I set up a solar station, too, well, a deep-cycle-batteries-charged-by-solar-system station, with multiple USB outlets and 110 inverter with multiple outlets, so I can charge all the devices and batteries. I put USB and 12v outlets in multiple places, too, in both van and trailer and am thinking about wiring a dual USB outlet into my RTT for guests/family to use while sleeping.

I also charge up and regularly use a couple powercells to keep stuff charged on the go, like if I'm out on my bike all day. Very handy. I even keep one strapped behind my bike seat to power my headlight both day and night as safety precaution. Super convenient. Two of my powercells are 12,000 mAh with one USB and one 12v outlet, one is an astounding 26,800 mAh with three USB outlets. That way I have charging/maintenance capability on the go to help keep USB and 12v devices charged and running, like said bike lights, mobile devices, etc. They can be heavy, but really handy both around camp, in the tent, if your vehicle is not running and you don't want to run down its battery, and on hikes and bike rides.

I love threads like this. Sorry for going on long. Can't help it. Ha!


.

 

[Steve]

This is nothing new for me. I used to be so focused (no pun intended) on photography during family vacations, that I used to joke that I had to wait until two weeks after I got home, to see the slides of my vacation, to know where we went!

I still take too much gear, but it spends a lot more time locked in the truck.

 

[NotGumby]

It's too easy to get caught up in the organising and running of a trip, rather than just get out there and enjoy.
But, I do think, from experience, it's also too easy to forget the recording of the moment.
Many a trip of ours has holes in it's records. Be that no photos, or a journal entry never written. The only record of it is in our own internal memories.

Not sure how to resolve that, other than be disciplined about getting the photo(s) and making a note in a journal, but the key is to do it without the effort being noticed or becoming a chore.

I used to often get "moaned" at, especially by the kids when they were younger, for taking an extra few minutes to take some pictures or tap some notes into the phone or tablet, but we have all grown to appreciate that in the future, those photos or notes are what helps recreate the memory and build the family history.
The kids now appreciate that those records are priceless and we all love looking back at our old records from time to time, especially the photos, to help remember the event and to see how things have changed - especially the kids growing up.

I have the same struggle with the number of devices that need to be maintained, but over time you develop a scheme that keeps it all going - phones (self maintaining if each seat has a charge point/lead), tablet (dash mounted and permanently plugged in), cameras/controllers (charger for each type of battery, always one on charge, one in the camera and a box of charged spares and a box of to be charged spares - rotation is the key).

Everyone has a different view and perspective in any given place, so pooling everyone's records ,photos being a good example, is key to making memories. One person will see something in a completely different perspective to everyone else, one person may see something that no-one else has, so let them all take photos, or make notes, then pool them at the end (daily or when you get home, depending on the length of the trip).

But, at the end of the day, our main focus is on enjoying the moment with loved ones and good friends. Outfit and Explore.

You mentioned something many of us, who document trips in one way or another, probably have - the holes in the journal or pics. I'm somewhere in between, "one 36 exposure roll of film with 3 years of vacations on it" and "so many digital pics I have processing anxiety." Slowing down the cam has helped with enjoying the moments, and vice versa. Big gaps in the journal really suck.

With kids that really puts a different perspective on it. They are sharing the moment. Your sharing their moment. Good point!

My charing scheme is evolving as does our gear. We've tired of filming on the DSLR and Cypershot, and phone. They are fine, but lack the portability and attach-ability like a gopro. Harder to attach the others to a stick and hang it out the window. Gopro is new for us. I'll be combing the gopro threads. So if anyone has any good tips, please get them out there. Thanks!

All good points, thanks!

 

[v_man]

So if anyone has any good tips, please get them out there.

My gopro tip is to invest in a stabilizer. I use the Evo GP pro which can be found on Amazon. Stabilizing your gopro shot makes a world of difference in the watchability of a video...

 

[NotGumby]

Great thread starting posts, you guys - thought provoking and solution-producing.

I do a LOT of solo traveling, so don't usually have others to help record trips in visual ways or to bark orders at. I love photography in general and as a pro photog, over the years have accumulated a lot of gear. But ya know what, most of it stays put away on some trips and all I use is my phone. Phones have become so good at recording still shots, walking vids, panoramas, audio, that I often depend on it for the more moment to moment stuff. I actually really enjoy the challenge of creating pro quality images with just a phone, and it's always right there with me.

Other trips I use my gear a lot, though still haven't messed with my gopro or drone much. I'll get into using my pro camera gear so much it would drive anyone nuts who was trying to hike or camp with me, I'd be so distant and distracted and lagging behind.

Still other trips I'll intentionally not use anything. I did a trip to Chaco Canyon one time and never broke out a bit of my gear, never even used my phone (crappy flip-phones and no-screen blackberry then; I call it dino-gear), so have NO visual record of that trip. But some of the BEST memories and a trip I often talk about with more detail than other trips.

That said, when you have others with you, especially a partner or kids, it's a great thing to be able to look back on those visual records of the trip. Good points, though, about not letting it be the moment-killer and forgetting to savor the moment all for the sake of the shot or for the 'gram. Sometimes I get others into the visual recording process; let them use my pro gear and teach them something at the same time, or if traveling with kids, present a challenge that they get as many different types of leaves in photo with their phones, for example. They'll have a blast and you get to record them having a blast in cool places.

As for charging gear, yeah, it usually evolves into a workable system. I have a ton of stuff to charge and keep maintained for both camp and photography and mobile devices. Like @nickburt says, a lot of it can be charged en-route and otherwise ends up becoming part of daily routine. I set up a solar station, too, well, a deep-cycle-batteries-charged-by-solar-system station, with multiple USB outlets and 110 inverter with multiple outlets, so I can charge all the devices and batteries. I put USB and 12v outlets in multiple places, too, in both van and trailer and am thinking about wiring a dual USB outlet into my RTT for guests/family to use while sleeping.

I also charge up and regularly use a couple powercells to keep stuff charged on the go, like if I'm out on my bike all day. Very handy. I even keep one strapped behind my bike seat to power my headlight both day and night as safety precaution. Super convenient. Two of my powercells are 12,000 mAh with one USB and one 12v outlet, one is an astounding 26,800 mAh with three USB outlets. That way I have charging/maintenance capability on the go to help keep USB and 12v devices charged and running, like said bike lights, mobile devices, etc. They can be heavy, but really handy both around camp, in the tent, if your vehicle is not running and you don't want to run down its battery, and on hikes and bike rides.

I love threads like this. Sorry for going on long. Can't help it. Ha!


.

Solo travling - no tossing the camera to the passenger seat yelling "get that shot, get that shot!" As a pro and solo traveller you must be organised and disciplined when it comes to shooting. Otherwise, I imaging you'd be missing some shots. Like you, I have not worked with the gopro much. We still have a few months before our next bigger trip to learn.

Games with the kids is a great idea.

On the road, we have a dual battery in the LC with a 220v inverter and two 12v plugs. we also carry a goal zero extreme 350 power pack with inverter. Often, I run the goalzero off the LC's inverter, and have most items drawing from the goalzero.

I could do a weekend trip without anything to record or log. No way for the longer ones.

 

[Road]

Solo travling - no tossing the camera to the passenger seat yelling "get that shot, get that shot!" As a pro and solo traveller you must be organised and disciplined when it comes to shooting. Otherwise, I imaging you'd be missing some shots. Like you, I have not worked with the gopro much. We still have a few months before our next bigger trip to learn.

Games with the kids is a great idea.

On the road, we have a dual battery in the LC with a 220v inverter and two 12v plugs. we also carry a goal zero extreme 350 power pack with inverter. Often, I run the goalzero off the LC's inverter, and have most items drawing from the goalzero.

I could do a weekend trip without anything to record or log. No way for the longer ones.

Yeah, being organized/disciplined about my gear and shooting, when I shoot, is a fun challenge too, for me. Just like all my other gear in the van or trailer, I actually get excited some mornings knowing I'm going to pull all my gear out and organize things, make it easier to use, easier to find. Then I'm far more likely to use it when the urge arises.

I LOVE having kids along on adventures and think there are always ways to include them on both decision-making and implementation of plans. I'd love to lead a kids workshop on photography or video making. They can be so creative and I usually learn something myself when trying to teach kids something.

As for trips and not recording anything or even having a way to record things, I agree, short trips yeah, longer trips, I just want my gear with me so I have more options, but:

 

[nickburt]

You mentioned something many of us, who document trips in one way or another, probably have - the holes in the journal or pics. I'm somewhere in between, "one 36 exposure roll of film with 3 years of vacations on it" and "so many digital pics I have processing anxiety." Slowing down the cam has helped with enjoying the moments, and vice versa. Big gaps in the journal really suck.

With kids that really puts a different perspective on it. They are sharing the moment. Your sharing their moment. Good point!

My charing scheme is evolving as does our gear. We've tired of filming on the DSLR and Cypershot, and phone. They are fine, but lack the portability and attach-ability like a gopro. Harder to attach the others to a stick and hang it out the window. Gopro is new for us. I'll be combing the gopro threads. So if anyone has any good tips, please get them out there. Thanks!

All good points, thanks!

I have thousands of photos and hours of Gopro video that have never been processed properly, or have only been part processed looking for one particular shot, or two mins of video.
You're right - "processing anxiety" - but, because I file by date and location, if I need to find something in particular, it is relatively easy to get to. I tend to be able to remember which shots are worth going back to for more work at a later date, make a note somewhere to go back to a particular hour of the day for a specific shot.
It annoys me more to be sat on camp in the evening thinking "I wish I'd got a shot of xxxxx" than to be sat there thinking "I've got hours of reviewing to do when I get home".