Earlier this year, I traveled to Sweden to research, write and photograph a feature for CNET on why electric cars are great for winter driving. It was a huge undertaking, requiring me to travel around multiple parts of Sweden and venture north into the frozen Arctic Circle. As both a journalist and a professional photographer, it was my job to not just tell the story with my words, but to capture it on camera. That meant traveling with precisely the right equipment and knowing exactly how to use it to get the shots I'd need.
From the camera gear I took with me to the difficulties of shooting on location to the thought process behind my shots, here's how I captured my story on camera.
The camera gear I used
Because I'd be traveling around Sweden, hopping on and off trains and planes and jumping in and out of taxis, I knew I needed to keep my setup lightweight. I didn't want to be burdened with a heavy backpack full of camera bodies and a myriad of lenses and accessories. Instead, I took just one camera: my new Leica Q3 43.
Shooting stills on the frozen lake. Volvo
I bought this camera for myself late last year. It combines a high-resolution, full-frame image sensor with a fixed focal length of 43mm. I love this focal length because it provides a great balance between a wide-angle view and a zoomed-in look. I often shoot on 35mm or 50mm prime lenses, so a 43mm lens that's permanently affixed to the camera is a great sweet spot for me. The result is that I had just one camera and lens to carry, keeping my pack-load down and eliminating any distracting questions in my head about which focal length to use. Instead, it encouraged me to work harder to find the best compositions.
I brought a spare battery, along with a power bank to top up the camera over USB-C if I needed to (which I didn't). The only addition to my setup was a PolarPro 135 Gold Mist filter. This provides a gentle golden haze over the images that softens the sometimes harsh details of high-resolution shots and provides a slightly filmlike aesthetic that I absolutely love, and I kept this filter on the camera almost the entire time.
To help protect my camera, I used a leather Oberwerth half case, which also provided extra grip -- helped too by a PolarPro thumb grip on the back. The half case also has a hidden pocket for an Apple AirTag, giving me a degree of extra peace of mind should my camera be misplaced. So that it was always ready to shoot, I often carried the camera around my neck using a Bowman Leather camera strap. Needless to say, for a $7,000 camera, I had my own photographic insurance for it, in case anything unlucky happened.
When the gear wasn't in use, I carried the camera, accessories and other bits and bobs in my Wandrd Prvke backpack, which provides a secure storage section for my camera equipment, along with an expandable roll top for my jacket, hat, gloves or anything else I need to take with me.
Video equipment
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