An Information Dump

When a friend recently suggested I do an eBook, I was not immediately on board.

First, I know that they are a ton of work, with very little payoff. After all, eBooks aren’t making very many millionaires out there.

Second, I may be on the road now, but I feel like I have less “free” time now than I did when I lived in the city. And third, what the heck do I know about creating an eBook!?

“So what’s the point?” I thought to myself.

“Well, they’re a way you can give back a little,” he said. “You can reach a whole new segment of your following. The people that can’t necessarily afford the time or expense of doing one of your workshops… Or just the people who are the ‘do it yourselfers.'”

That part resonated with me. I’ve always been the “do it yourself” type. Opting to do the research myself rather than go on a workshop.

I’ve since changed a little and take workshops at least once a year when I can, because I see the benefit of working closely with others, but I still relate to this other segment of folks who follow my work.

But I wasn’t satisfied with the “old way” of doing books. I wanted this to be an experience that puts all the tools needed to get the most out of a photo trip right at the finger tips of anyone reading.

So I set out to make a fully interactive, organized information dump that people can carry right on their cell phone, on location, or read on their tablet on a flight, or simply cross-reference and research from their home computer while in the planning phase. Wherever and whenever.

I am excited to announce the first in a (hopefully) long series of National Park photography guides, The Photographic Guide To Rocky Mountain National Park.

It’s available for direct purchase and download on my website right now, and soon to be available on Amazon.

Please check it out. I’d love to know what you think. You can also download a free sample HERE.

Soon to follow, Grand Teton, Big Bend, and Yellowstone.

— Andrew

Ellen and I have hit the road full-time! We are on a mission to inspire and educate everyone on the importance of getting outside. Check out my workshops and my prints, made #ontheroad in my mobile print studio. The revenue will help propel us further and further on this great adventure. Enrich yourself and others… and feel great about it too as you’re helping to ensure our wild lands are cherished and to keep the wild spirit of the American Dream alive. Our goal is to visit all 59 National Parks in 2-4 years. LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT WE’RE DOING HERE

Want to learn photography and enjoy a guided experience? Check out my exciting, NEW workshop dates:

TELLURIDE // LANDSCAPE + MOUNTAIN LIGHT // 2016 – SOLD OUT

TELLURIDE // LANDSCAPE + MOUNTAIN LIGHT (Trip 2) // 2016 – ONLY 2 SPOTS AVAILABLE

LOCAL + PRIVATE WORKSHOP // 2016 – AFFORDABLE RATES FOR ME TO COME TO YOU

BIG BEND // LANDSCAPE + NIGHT SKY // 2017 – MOST POPULAR! 6 SPOTS AVAILABLE

LEARN PHOTO + CAMERA BASICS // DALLAS // 2016 – 20 SPOTS!

I’m excited to announce my “The Photographic Guide to Our National Parks” series of eBooks:

See what’s NEW + download your free Rocky Mountain National Park sample when it releases!

If you are interested in purchasing a “print from the road”, please check my prints for sale, or email me directly for a custom request:

Andrew R. Slaton | photographer // prints

If you are interested in licensing any of the images/ video from this post, please visit my stock agency:

Tandem Stills + Motion // Andrew R. Slaton

Image Brief // Andrew R. Slaton

For assignment work requests, please email me: andrew@andrewslatonphoto.com

Thanks for visiting AndrewSlatonBlog.com

all images and content © ARS Media, LLC 2016

random thought, travel

The First 10,000 Miles

What I Learned From Life On The Road (Part 1)

Livin’ on the road, my friend, was gonna keep you free and clean. Now you wear your skin like iron, and your breath’s as hard as kerosene.” — Pancho and Lefty, Townes Van Zandt

When we set off in June, we didn’t really know what to expect… the stories, the landscapes, the people… the many, varied obstacles.

10,000 miles in, here we are; unscathed… relatively speaking, a little dustier, skinnier. Perhaps wiser, happier? Hindsight will be the judge.

The following are the first 10k miles in pictures and short stories, and what I’ve learned so far from life on the road…

We left Texas in early June, 2016 with great anticipation for the adventure before us. Besides our family and friends, the only thing left in the Lone Star State was a 75 square foot storage unit half full of our stuff. What I learned somewhere along the way in the first 10,000 is that 75 square feet is way too much.

Lesson 1. The less stuff you have, the less stuff begins to mean to you.

Our new Australian Shepherd pup, Islay (named after our favorite, peaty whisky soaked island in Scotland) was along for the ride. Living in our 200 square foot trailer with us and Colonel Bubba the cat. She is growing and learning and playing with every new mile.

She has slowly become the perfect dog for which we could’ve ever asked… you’ll see later.

2. Finding the right dog for you is nearly just as good as finding the right person.

We finally hit the mountains in record (slow) time. I’m not used to pulling a 6,000 lb. trailer and having to go 60mph. But we made it to Great Sand Dunes National Park regardless. Our first National Park of the 2-3 year 59 Park tour! We’ve been to GSDNP many times, so it felt like an old familiar friend welcoming us to this new way of life.

3. Old familiar friends are always a welcomed sight for the weary traveler.

Our first new Park, and 2nd overall was Mesa Verde. And so far, it has been the biggest shocker. We expected nothing from this relatively small National Park, and it really surprised us with its beauty and mystery.

4. No amount of familiarity can ever take the place of a new experience.

We didn’t have long to stay though. It was on to National Parks 3 and 4, Canyonlands and Arches in Utah.

These two Parks are pretty spectacular, and basically right across the highway from each other. Pretty awe-inspiring and convenient.

5. Inspiration rarely knows convenience. But when it does…. oh boy, hold on.

We started to get our “hiking legs” under us on this portion of the trip. I’m really glad we did too, because by the end of the summer we would’ve logged more than 300 trail miles from Texas all the way to Montana’s border with Canada.

The heat of canyon country sped the whole process along. 3-4 mile days quickly became 8-12 mile days as we worked our way up to the cooler mountain temps. All the while, we were dropping unnecessary pounds.

6. Hiking every day is the best way to stay in the best shape of your life. No pricey gym membership needed.

When we finally arrived at our “home away from home”, the Wind River Range welcomed us with open arms. Pinedale is the town in which I lived in 2005, and the place got in my blood. I’ve visited at least once or twice every year since I moved back to Texas, some years making the 20+ hour drive 4 times.

It would now be our home base for the Summer and Fall. I had workshops slated to happen in the surrounding areas, and we both really wanted to get out deep into the Winds, so it was the perfect “base camp”.

Soda Lake was our first “off the grid” experience. If you’re unfamiliar with what that means, it’s basically just car camping, but with four walls, a bed, a toilet, a refrigerator, and a limited supply of running water. Not too shabby really.

Ellen and I have been primitive camping all of our lives, so this was an absolute luxury.

And to look out our window and see a scene that I frequently had to travel very long distances to see… well, that proved to be priceless.

7. A spectacular view each morning has an uncanny ability to lift the spirits.

Hanging around Soda the first week was a great reintroduction to the mountain life. Every morning I would get up before dawn to watch the sun rise over the Winds. Every evening, we would enjoy our “dinner with a view”, play a game of dominoes or cards outside, and then I would go chase the sun’s last rays. Life slowed down to the basics.

During the day, our hikes grew longer and more challenging, taking us deeper into the Winds.

We headed out to one of our favorite places in the world, the Upper Green River Valley. The area is unique as it is the confluence of two ranges within the Rockies, the Gros Ventre and the Winds. grizzlies, wolves, elk, moose, eagles, antelope, and so much more call this dramatic landscape home. And we did too.

We had the time to explore new trails and scenery.

Islay was becoming quite the mountain dog, learning to cross dangerously swift rivers and creeks, negotiating boulders, swimming in high, clear mountain lakes with her crazy parents.

8. Nothing can prepare you for both the terror and delight of the breath takingly cold experience of submerging yourself in a mountain lake.

I spent my mornings scouring the area for wildlife. And I had some luck.

From the Green River Lakes trailhead, we found many of our favorite hikes. And our favorite trail snack.

9. When in season, cherries pack the best punch of flavor and immediate energy on the trail.

We learned quickly how long our water (fresh, grey, and black) tanks and batteries could last… 4-5 days. There’s also no cell reception for 40 miles at our spot in the Upper Green. So it was time to “plug in” and reconnect with the world. We had reached our limits.

We found a little no-frills RV park near Pinedale that was part of a network we could join. For $150 a year, we joined the club, named this as our “home park” and could now stay for free, as much as we like, for the rest of the year. No electric, water, sewer bills… just free “on the grid” camping any time we needed it. All the other hundreds of RV parks across the US and Canada in this network are just $10-15 per night for us too. Best $150 we’ve spent so far.

So we plugged in and found new roads and trails to explore in the southern reaches of the Winds.

Since we could now stay plugged in for free, we knew it was a good time to do an extended backpacking trip into the Winds. 4 nights, 5 days of carrying everything needed on your back, sleeping underneath a blanket of stars, and being a part of the landscape.

So we left Gertie (the trailer) plugged in at our new “home park”, put a ton of cat food out for Colonel Bubba, and hit the trail, just in time to celebrate Independence Day. Fitting, I thought.

10. There is no better (or often more painful) way to see and experience the beauty and majesty of wilderness than on foot.

We hit Elkhart Park early and headed straight in for Seneca Lake, smack dab in the middle of the Winds. I’ve been wanting to do this trip for a decade… the infamous Titcomb Basin.

It was a moderate 8-9 miles in to Seneca the first day. Islay did amazingly well. This was her first backpacking trip, and though she’s too young to carry anything yet, she ran at least 2-3 miles for every one we did. She got to be off-leash the whole time, and she never strayed too far or got into too much trouble, and she got to sleep with us in the tent. Now this was a pretty big deal considering she’s slept in her crate every night of her life up to that point.

We made it to Seneca and set up camp. It was a beautiful spot.

But we did realize one important thing from that first day of hiking… our backpacks and shoes were way out-dated. It was going to be a painful trip.

11. The right gear is essential to a comfortable mountain backpacking experience.

I’ve known this truth deep down all my life, but I’d never done multiple extended trips so close together to really understand how important the right gear can be. We’ve also just never had the extra cash to throw at the problem. There’s always something else more pressing or important, and I don’t know if you’ve been in an REI lately, but outdoor gear is expensive!

No amount of pain at this point though was going to stop us or dampen our spirits.

12. Pain is mostly mental.

The Titcomb Basin has been called one of the most beautiful and striking places in the world. I couldn’t disagree at all. We did’t get the best weather for photography, but it was spectacular none-the-less.

Our bond grew incredibly deep on this adventure with Islay. She would wake early with me and “assist” me as I shot sunrise. During the day, she would explore right beside us.

It was perhaps here, in the Titcomb Basin, that Islay Blue became a real part of our family.

I’ve never been “that dog person”. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always loved dogs, but I never treated them like a member of the family. Well… here I am… one of “them”. Islay has become an indispensable part of our family. And all it took was a few thousand miles sitting on the center console of the truck, her quirky personality, hilarious morning antics, a few near-death experiences, and a wilderness excursion for the ages.

Ask Ellen, I’ve become a total softy when it comes to that dog. She freaking gets away with murder when she’s with me.

13. Dog people have it all figured out. :)

… to be continued…

— Andrew

Want to learn photography and enjoy a guided experience? Check out my exciting, NEW workshop dates:

TELLURIDE // LANDSCAPE + MOUNTAIN LIGHT // 2016 – SOLD OUT

TELLURIDE // LANDSCAPE + MOUNTAIN LIGHT (Trip 2) // 2016 – ONLY 2 SPOTS AVAILABLE

LOCAL + PRIVATE WORKSHOP // 2016 – AFFORDABLE RATES FOR ME TO COME TO YOU

BIG BEND // LANDSCAPE + NIGHT SKY // 2017 – MOST POPULAR! 6 SPOTS AVAILABLE

LEARN PHOTO + CAMERA BASICS // DALLAS // 2016 – 20 SPOTS!

I’m excited to announce my “The Photographic Guide to Our National Parks” series of eBooks:

See what’s NEW + download your free Rocky Mountain National Park sample when it releases!

If you are interested in purchasing a “print from the road”, please check my prints for sale, or email me directly for a custom request:

Andrew R. Slaton | photographer // prints

If you are interested in licensing any of the images/ video from this post, please visit my stock agency:

Tandem Stills + Motion // Andrew R. Slaton

Image Brief // Andrew R. Slaton

For assignment work requests, please email me: andrew@andrewslatonphoto.com

Thanks for visiting AndrewSlatonBlog.com

all images and content © ARS Media, LLC 2016

random thought, travel

How To Travel All The Time… Forever

Ellen and I get asked all the time, “How do you do it?!?” With baffled looks, most people begin to wonder whether we are trust fund babies or maybe secret oil barons.

Well the truth is, neither of us come from any money at all, and contrary to popular belief, photographers and yogis really don’t necessarily make a ton of cash. So we’ve learned to be… well… resourceful.

Don’t get me wrong, we do just fine and feel so blessed to be able to do what we do and not worry about paying our bills or having enough food for our bellies… most months :) “So what’s the secret?” you may ask.

We don’t have children, spend much money on clothes, or even own a home. We have chosen to “invest” our money in experiences. True, they are fleeting, and probably we won’t be able to retire until… well… ever. But when I think about it, we would both do what we’re doing if no one was paying us, so why would we ever make a goal to retire from our passions??

Here’s the deal; we have very different priorities from most folks our age. And that’s okay. Our way is not better than the folks that prefer the security of a steady job, and making sound financial investments, and sacrificing their lives to raise children. In fact, those are all wonderful and even very noble things. But they aren’t what God has called us to in our lives. At least not yet.

So for now, we travel. And I might even venture to say we’ve gotten pretty good at it. So I’d like to share a few things that we’ve learned over the years to cut costs and keep the dream alive.

First thing’s first… once you’ve determined the where, you have to be able to calculate whether it will be cheaper to drive there, or fly and rent a car, or take public transport. It’s not as hard as it may seem. Figure out your gas mileage and divide that by your calculated total driving distance (I recommend very liberal estimates… better to over-prepare and stay under budget than the reverse), then multiply that number by the average price per gallon of gas. There’s your travel cost for driving. Sometimes even though driving may be cheaper, the amount of time (including food + lodging) ends up making it a better deal to fly. Know when to say when is too far a distance to drive. For me, there is no such thing. Except for ocean crossings! But a deal is a deal, and if I can fly for cheaper, then that’s what I’ll do.

Travel is your first major cost that you can’t really get around. It’s essentially fixed. The next few elements are more variable, depending upon your resourcefulness and desired comfort level.

Lodging is something that Ellen and I have down to a fine art. Most locations we visit we camp 6 out of 7 nights. So for our three week Pacific Northwest trip, I only budgeted for three nights in a hotel. This saves you… big time. You can expect to camp for an average of $0-35 per night, depending upon the state/ country you’re in, and what regulations they have. This info is super easy to find nowadays online. I recommend camping in undeveloped National Forest campsites as much as possible. They are free and usually the most beautiful and quiet. Developed sites usually cost between $5-20.

Camping is hands down, the best way to save money, making it possible for you to travel all the time.

Food is the next (somewhat) variable expense. We try not to eat out much on the road, as it is typically unhealthy and expensive. But it’s not always easy to travel with groceries. Especially if you elect to fly, coolers can be a hassle. But you can always pick up a $2 styrofoam cooler at Walmart, and that will give you a huge advantage when on the road.

If we’re driving, we bring a regular sized cooler, and keep just the essentials in our car at all times: breakfast (coffee, eggs, butter, yogurt, granola), lunch (peanut butter & honey, tortillas, chips, fruit), dinner (veggies, meat), and snacks (nuts, crackers, snack bars, water, etc.). Clearly, this kind of living is not everyone’s cup of tea. Especially in the U.S. But the fact is, many of the people of the world live this way because they have to. Sometimes I think of that fact when I’m growing weary of living out of my car, eating peanut butter and honey.

Cooking over an open fire really can be such a simple way to “spice up” your meals. Just some fresh veggies and meat (or eggs even!) will break the monotony (and unhealthy nature) of eating on the road.

And chopping wood is might fine workout, and often free fuel.

The truth about travel is that it can be really expensive. But it doesn’t have to be. You just have to have a realistic budget, a good dose of planning, and expectations to match the budget. If you desire to travel, but don’t have cash to throw around, just be truthful with yourself and manage your expectations.

Oh yeah… one more thing that’s really important… work. Most folks with steady jobs can’t just pick up and travel all the time, forever. Well, if travel is your thing, I would sincerely consider a career change. But really, nowadays, a lot of jobs can be done remotely. There’s nothing wrong with working while you travel. That’s what we do. It’s rare that we take an actual “vacation”.

So it may be worth having a sit down with the boss to see if you have the option of working remotely. Because if not, it may be back to square one. But there are a lot of ways to make a living from the road.

Travel writers, food bloggers, consultants, photographers… people are even making money from their Instagram following. If you have something to say, there are advertisers that will gladly partner with and enable you to make a decent living from the road.

All of the images in this post are from a Wyoming/ Montana/ Colorado road trip we did this summer. We partnered with Ambler, a fantastic hat company out of Canada to make it happen, and it opened my eyes to the possibilities. They’re out there.

When wanderlust takes hold, it can be insatiable. And those of us who aren’t independently wealthy need to get creative to carry out our dreams.

Don’t let life on the road intimidate you… you might find it as exciting and fulfilling as we do…

— andrew

Join me on an amazing adventure… check out my exciting, NEW workshop dates:

Big Bend NP // Night/ Landscape // 2016

Isle of Skye // S C O T L A N D // 2016

Highlands // S C O T L A N D // 2016

If you are interested in licensing any of the images/ video from this post, please visit my stock agency:

Tandem Stills + Motion // Andrew R. Slaton

Image Brief // Andrew R. Slaton

If you are interested in purchasing prints from this post, please check my prints for sale, or email me directly for a custom request:

Andrew R. Slaton | photographer // prints

For assignment work requests, please email me: andrew@andrewslatonphoto.com

Thanks for visiting AndrewSlatonBlog.com!

all images and content © ARS Media, LLC 2015

random thought, travel

Planning An Epic (International) Road Trip // SCOTLAND

Trying to plan road trip can be intimidating for the uninitiated. But planning an international road trip can be downright terrifying.

There are so many unknowns when hitting the open road in a foreign country that it can paralyze even the most seasoned traveler.

So I’d like to share a few things I’ve learned over the years about road trips, and more specifically now, road trips on foreign soil.

If you haven’t read them yet, I have created a lot of content on planning epic road trips, so if you’re new to the subject, I would recommend checking out these posts:

Planning an Epic Road Trip // Intro

Planning an Epic Road Trip // The Destination

Planning an Epic Road Trip // The Plan

Planning an Epic Road Trip // Equipped

The road to Glencoe and surrounding mountains

1. Know Your Destination

First thing’s first. Research the heck out of the country to which you’re traveling. Whether your final destination is South Sudan or Norway, put in the time and effort researching the country’s customs, laws, and even safety for drivers. If it’s a conflict zone, I would recommend having a guide/ driver, getting the max amount of insurance, or not going all together!

For up to date travel safety info, check out The U.S. State Dept. Website. Also, your local AAA office has a massive wealth of resources when entering into the initial planning phase. You can also obtain your international driver’s license from AAA for $15. It’s generally not necessary, but could definitely come in handy in certain places, so why not.

the road to Glen Afric, Scotland

2. Know Thyself :)

Be honest with yourself. Set yourself up for success and a good time. If you’re the type of person that get’s stressed and loses it when road tripping in the States, your style may not be to hit the open road in a foreign land. And that’s okay! There are plenty of fantastic options for travel that don’t include the adventure (or headache, depending on how you look at it) of renting a vehicle, driving on the other side of the road, navigating round abouts and/or one lane, windy paths, and mapping routes in a different language.

Wildflowers in spring bloom along the east coast of Scotland

3. Prep, prep, prep

There is so much prep work that goes into any road trip, much less a trip to a different country… much less a road trip in a different country! Here are a few things I know will help.

Call your car insurance company to see if you are covered in foreign countries… typically you are not, so I would go ahead and get secondary insurance either through the car rental agency or through a trusted international travel insurer. There is nothing worse than having an accident. Oh wait, yes there is! Having an accident while on vacation. Trust me, it’s worth the extra cash!

Get all the necessary maps, and actually look at them before you’re in the driver’s seat! Make sure you can adequately read the maps. They may be in a foreign language. But don’t just look for the English maps, because it may confuse you even further when you’re on the ground… The local signage will often not include the English :)

Learn a few key phrases of the local language. You’re definitely going to have to stop for directions at some point (just get over it). And I cannot tell you how much of an icebreaker it is to at least try to speak to folks in their native language. They always appreciate it, and often, people speak enough English that you can communicate with one another, albeit primitively.

Leave your itinerary open for minor changes. Definitely have a master route planned. And book a few hotels ahead of time in key spots you know you’ll visit. But don’t create such a rigid itinerary that you’ll annoy any travel buddies to death or even miss out on unexpected opportunities or adventures! That’s what travel is all about, after all.

the cliffs near dunnet head

the main road through Dunnet

The River Abhainn An Lethuillt with wildflowers and dramatic morning light and clouds

The Northern edge of the Totternish Range on skye

A dramatic sunset over he Isle of Harris from Rubha Hunish

*Other Highly Recommended Preps:

Call your cell phone provider and consider a temporary international plan ahead of time. If for nothing other than texts and data, this might be the way you want to go. You can communicate with family and friends cheaply and easily via text, and use your data to navigate and locate yourself or hard to find destinations.

Know what size car you need! You may not have as much gear as me, and I would always recommend getting the smallest, most fuel efficient vehicle possible… just make sure you have enough room! Most other countries do not have the huge cars and roads we have in the U.S., and gas prices can be way more expensive. The smaller the car, the better. I find there are many more “tight squeezes” while driving over seas. It’s also common to have to pay a lot more for automatic transmissions. If you’re comfy with manual, save the money and go manual. However, be aware that the stick shift may be on the left side instead of what we’re used to on the right. Be a smart, savvy traveler!

A Renault Captur hatchnack navigating the dirt trails of Dunnet Head

Along with currency, be prepared to convert gallons to liters. If you’re like me, you’re thrifty, and you track every dollar when you’re traveling. Well, in case you were unaware like I was the first time, the rest of the world works on the metric system, so it can be a bit confusing when you’re trying to figure out how much gas mileage you’re getting, when everything is in liters per kilometer. There’s an app for that! Actually several. Find the one that works for you.

Don’t forget your chargers and cords. Nearly all cars you’d drive will have the traditional “cigarette lighter” outlets you’re used to. This could be your best (or only) way to charge your devices!

Use google maps, or other software like it, to plan your route ahead of time. And now with smart phones, you can take it with you to help along the way. This was our route in Scotland…

The Quiraing

A855 leading up to Storr and the dramatic Totternish Range on the Isle of Skye

Moon and stars as cars passing on A82 near the River Etive

There is so much beauty out there to see, and often times, the only way to see it is behind the wheel. So don’t be afraid, just educate yourself, use every resource possible before and during, and get out there to find your adventure!

All in all, try to have that good blend of laid back/ adventurous mixed with some detail oriented/ planner, and your trip will be glorious. Oh yeah, and be a courteous driver… it goes a long way… just about everywhere. **Just don’t ask my wife if I am one… she’ll probably lie and say I am, fingers crossed behind her back. :)

— andrew

P.S. If you’ve learned anything during your travels that you think might be helpful to others that I’ve left out, please let us know in the comments!

Take your photography to the next level… check out my exciting, NEW workshop dates:

Isle of Skye // S C O T L A N D // 2016

Highlands // S C O T L A N D // 2016

Big Bend NP // Night/ Landscape // 2016

If you are interested in licensing any of the images/ video from this post, please visit my stock agency:

Tandem Stills + Motion // andrew r. slaton

If you are interested in purchasing prints from this post, please check my prints for sale, or email me directly for a custom request:

andrew r. slaton // photographer // prints

For assignment work requests, please email me: andrew@andrewslatonphoto.com

Thanks for visiting AndrewSlatonBlog.com!

equipment review, instructional, photography, travel, writing

planning an epic road trip // equipped

“The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.”

Ansel Adams

Equipment

It cannot be said enough… the equipment is only as good as the photographer using it. With that said, I am a lover of gadgetry and get really excited when I have the opportunity to learn a new tool that will help me achieve better, more consistent results with my imagery.

So for this trip, Canon is sending me the 5D MK III, TS-E 17mm, and the new Speedlite 600EX-RT to evaluate and review here on the blog…

I know the MK III is not very new anymore, but I’m excited to put it to the test in one of North America’s most extreme environments. And I am really looking forward to spending some quality time with Canon’s widest and highest rated tilt-shift lens, and the newest Speedlite technology.

But regarding other equipment, and being prepared for a trip such as this, I have had to plan accordingly, with weather as the biggest “x” factor.

From dry bags and applying scotch guard to as much as possible, to purchasing mosquito netting for my head, I have tried my best to think it all through. I will be bringing multiple rain covers no doubt.

Check out this video that explains a bit more, and see some of the gear that will (hopefully) get me through the extreme conditions…

“Never forget that all the great photographs in history were made with more primitive camera equipment than you currently own.”

Brooks Jensen

To know what equipment to bring and what to leave behind, I think carefully through my shot list. What tools will I need to give myself the best chance to achieve each image? Only experience helps me determine that with any accuracy. And the more you shoot, the more confident you’ll be when practicing this.

It’s a very obvious, yet important part of the planning process. There’s nothing worse than arriving on location after days of driving, only to realize you so wish you had brought that second tripod, or the 2x extender.

Don’t rush through this step, or chances are, you’ll be frustrated later…

— andrew

“There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept.”
Ansel Adams

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

If you are interested in learning more about photography, taking your art to a new level, and/ or Big Bend photography tours and workshops, please check out my new workshop dates:

B ig Bend Photographic Tour/ Workshops 2013-2014

More Destination Photo Tours/ Workshops 2013-2014

If you are interested in licensing any of the images/ video from this post, please visit my stock agency:

Tandem Stills + Motion // andrew r. slaton

If you are interested in purchasing prints from this post, please check my prints for sale, or email me directly for a custom request:

andrew r. slaton // photographer // prints

For assignment work requests, please email me: andrew@andrewslatonphoto.com

Thanks for visiting AndrewSlatonBlog.com!

andrew slaton | blog

travelogue and visual catharsis of a nomadic photographer

Tag Archives: behind the scenes

An Information Dump

The First 10,000 Miles

What I Learned From Life On The Road (Part 1)

How To Travel All The Time… Forever

Planning An Epic (International) Road Trip // SCOTLAND

planning an epic road trip // equipped

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What I Learned From Life On The Road (Part 1)

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