Kip’s Comments - October 27, 2023 — LadagePhotography.com

“Where is My…?” and “I Wonder…”

Two quotes are frequently heard in our house coming out of my mouth. Quote 1 is “Where is my (fill in the blank)?” Usually I have lost my wallet or keys, but often other things too. Quote 2 is “I wonder (fill in the blank)…” and usually this has something to do with utilizing something to the maximum of its capabilities or making something do more than intended. Or, as was today’s case, I wondered if I could record a hiking/photography video while carrying a long lens/camera and a short/lens camera to record both aspects - doing all without caving in under the load.

I am happy to report that my first attempt appears to have worked - maybe not to Hollywood standards - but it worked. My first big lesson learned was I need to change the frame rate on the video camera. Movement wasn’t always smooth. Lighting and white balance need constant attention too, but are workable. Likely a big challenge is staying focused on shooting still images while recording video, rather than concentrating on video and maybe shooting still images. Prioritizing is important and challenging since video requires more operator input than stills.

Even with challenges, I believe I have found a workable solution to carry a minimal amount of gear while still accomplishing my goals - in other words - stable shooting without the weight of a tripod. For backpacking and, to a certain extent wilderness paddling, that is a big deal - as in two or more pounds of a big deal.

My first attempt at a hiking video can be viewed at this link (after 10:00PM tonight). The link:

A Camera and a Hike - Ingawanis Woodlands

Following is a sampling of still images recorded while hiking and talking and watching my video efforts.