Base Camp
Until now, we’ve been focused on the bare essentials that you’ll take to the summit or those that you’re carrying with you. On some expeditions, the weight taken to base camp is at less of a premium. Either a road allows vehicle traffic near the mountain or you can use burros to ferry your equipment. In this case, you can bring a bit more gear with you to use
The first thing I would add to my photo kit is a tripod. Even a cheap tripod can make an astounding difference in the clarity of your photos. Having a tripod opens up an entire new world of night photography.
You have two choices when picking a tripod. Either you can bring a full size tripod or a table top tripod. Table top tripods require you put them on some nearby large object like a boulder or a cairn to get the shot. With a full size tripod, you have more flexibility in your shots.
If you go the full size route, find a liter weight model that won’t weigh you or the burro down. At the high end, Gitzo’s Mountaineer series are extremely durable and made of light weight tripod. However, high end tripods also require heads. Markins and Really Right Stuff both make fantastic lightweight models with equally impressive price tags. A multitude of other manufacturers make cheaper alternatives that will work nearly as well.
The second thing in my bag would be a flash and wireless trigger. While this isn’t an obvious choice, a bit of off camera flash can make a critical difference in camp photos. Add a couple of nearly weightless ball bungees to your pack so you can attach the flash to tent poles or a trekking pole.
The third thing I would bring along is a telephoto lens. While I certainly wouldn’t bring a heavy telephoto zoom along when weight is a critical factor, it can be handy for photos at base camp of nearby mountains or other similar subjects. This isn’t to say I’d bring a gigantic 600mm prime, but a 70-200mm zoom can occasionally come in handy.
Further Reading
For some added information on the subject, there are a few places you can look.
Books:
Guide to Climbing Photography: While geared towards big wall climbing photography, this book has some good insights that you can adapt to your own mountaineering photography.
Mountain Light: Galen Rowell was one of the world’s best mountaineering photographers until his death in 2002. While this book doesn’t cover a lot of the technical aspects of mountaineering photography, it is a fantastic resource for getting into the head of one of the best.
Links:
Digital Photography in the Wilderness: This article is pretty old these days, but the information is still fantastic. I’ve been following Jeff Maion’s work for a few years now and his photos consistently impress me.
Strobist: A fantastic resource for learning about how to light photos. Many may question why a flash is the second luxury item I’d add to my pack, but once you take a look at some of the photos strobist followers are producing, you’ll see why.
