The Things We Carry

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Arkady

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Rob
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Some of you have expressed an interest, so:

The-Things-We-Carry.jpg



#1 Camelbak H2O Backpack with 3.0l water reservoir.
Also contains additional water up to 6.0l, spare ammunition, cold weather kit, US-Issue poncho-liner, cyalume chemical light-sticks, GPS, IED/mine-clearance kit, spare batteries and camera cleaning kit. Most importantly: 2prs Spare Socks!

#2 2x Nikon D3 Camera Bodies with Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 and Nikkor 70-200mm VR f/2.8 (note electrical tape to prevent loss of lens hoods - the 70-200 hood is secure by black gaffer-tape which you can't really see here).
Both cameras are secured to the carabiners you see on the body-armour.

#3 Mk6a Kevlar Composite Combat Helmet, with dust goggles and ballistic sunglasses.

#4 Spare batteries (more than you see here!)

#5 2x D900 Speedlight flash, SU800 Commander Unit, Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8. One flash carried in ammo pouch on body armour - remainder carried in Backpack.

#6 OSPREY Mk2 Ballistic Body Armour with MOLLE equipment attachment system (all those loops).

#7 Camelbak 2.0l water hydration system - clips to back of body-armour.

#8 5.56mm Enfield/H&K L-85 A2 Rifle and ammunition (2x 30-round magazines shown - battle-load is between 4 and 8).


This is the very minimum I would carry on an overnight trip or on a day-patrol...additional Utility pouch on the body-armour will contain lens cloths, a paintbrush, spare memory-cards etc.

Note that no food is mentioned - if going out for more than 3 hours a 24-hr ration-pack will also go into the backpack, split down for ease of carrying. Sweets etc go into pockets.

Clothing consists of under-armour shirt, combat trousers, desert boots, US Air-Force desert Nomex flight gloves, sweat-rag around neck and floppy-hat for when the helmet is off.

Don't ask me what it weighs, because I dread to think, but the water alone will be about 15kg...the rifle is 6kg, ammo about 4kg...

A lot, in other words...and as a bonus, we get to be creative too...:lol:
 
Thats an impressive bit of kit there sarge. Keep safe :thumbs:
 
colonel_mustard said:
Do you use filters on your lenses out there?
Click to expand...

Yep...77mm UV filters on the 24-70 and 70-200...they get replaced and binned every 3 months or so, or if they get damaged - for example by debris flung up by helicopter rotor-wash...
Can't put a filter on the other lens, so it usually stays wrapped-up unless I really need it for a specific shot.
 
Wow. Thanks for the insight. And I think a bride and groom make for pressure charged shooting. Stay safe out there
 
Weight wise I carry quite a bit as I'm usually carrying Helen's stuff too. I don't tend to carry a rifle with me though and doesn't your trailer get in the way :)
 
1. "what are you shooting with?"
2. "5.56 Nato"
Arkady. "300mm!"

don't mix-up the two sights! :)
this for recon or documentary?
 
If I was wearing/carrying that lot the nearest to creative I would get would be lift camera, point it in the vague direction of the subject, press button and hope to hell something useful showed up (in other words what I always do!) :lol:
 
Are you an army photographer? :p Might be a bit of an obvious question but I've never come across one before.
 
:lol: @ Pete,

Although - I can see why some of that kit would be relevant to weddings in surrey! :thumbs:
 
Similar kit to what I'd use on a Barnsley town centre evening Wedding do tbh - though I don't carry the rifle any more as the Police don't like it for some reason :shrug:

There's certainly some weight there too - respect - but let's not forget the point of much of that stuff isn't photography, it's about staying alive when others don't want you to :eek: and I've not yet come across that in Barnsley :)

DD
 
I suppose the police/security in London don't bother you with all that, as you are not using a tripod ;-)
 
I'm very disappointed mate. I can't see any light stands, soft boxes, brolleys, tripod, and you seem to be lacking in reach so I'd have thought you could have managed a 600/4 under your arm too... :lol:

Pete
 
Arkady said:
Yep...77mm UV filters on the 24-70 and 70-200...they get replaced and binned every 3 months or so, or if they get damaged - for example by debris flung up by helicopter rotor-wash...
Can't put a filter on the other lens, so it usually stays wrapped-up unless I really need it for a specific shot.
Click to expand...

As it seems the Nikon lenses arent as 'weatherproofed' as the Canon ones, how do you keep them clean\dust\debris free?
and What sort of Sensor cleaning kit do you have?

Oh, and it al looks extremely clean, have you just arrived recently?
 
Forgot to mention that if I'm going out for more than 3 days I have to take my editing suite (Dell Inspiron 1550 lappy + 1Tb HDD) with me plus a BEGAN satellite uplink to transmit images...
So a Bergen full of kit extra - sleeping-bag, bivvi-bag, mozzie net, desert smock, more water, more food etc etc etc...
 
Arkady said:
Forgot to mention that if I'm going out for more than 3 days I have to take my editing suite (Dell Inspiron 1550 lappy + 1Tb HDD) with me plus a BEGAN satellite uplink to transmit images...
So a Bergen full of kit extra - sleeping-bag, bivvi-bag, mozzie net, desert smock, more water, more food etc etc etc...
Click to expand...


Hah... :suspect: ...thought you were travelling rather light when I saw the OP Rob... :shrug:


:naughty:



Be safe m8... ;)





:p
 
Arkady said:
Forgot to mention that if I'm going out for more than 3 days I have to take my editing suite (Dell Inspiron 1550 lappy + 1Tb HDD) with me plus a BEGAN satellite uplink to transmit images...
So a Bergen full of kit extra - sleeping-bag, bivvi-bag, mozzie net, desert smock, more water, more food etc etc etc...
Click to expand...

Can you not split that with someone else....
 
In forest gump he was given the advice "RUN FOREST". I don't think it is going to work really is it?

Anyway seriously. Keep safe.:thumbs:
 
darrenb said:
As it seems the Nikon lenses arent as 'weatherproofed' as the Canon ones, how do you keep them clean\dust\debris free?
and What sort of Sensor cleaning kit do you have?

Oh, and it al looks extremely clean, have you just arrived recently?
Click to expand...

Actually, Nikons are a lot better sealed - I have personally seen Pro-Canon equipment up and die out here (2006, Summer, +60C daytime temps) while my Nikon kit soldiered on without a murmur...
I have accidentally dropped Nikon D2x cameras and lenses totally underwater during a river-crossing on exercise and used them in the worst weather salisbury plain had to offer this July (remember all that rain? I was soaked through to my socks every bloody day for ten days straight - great desert-training that was!)

I use Eclipse cleaning products for sensors and optics and a variety of toothbrushes, paintbrushes, towels and face-cloths to clean the exteriors...
The reason they look clean is because (surprise, surprise) I clean my kit after every job...funny old thing. Must be the soldier in me or something...

These cameras and lenses have been in-theatre for three months...I signed them off the previous Brigade Photographer who got them new back in June.

First job here:
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=169434
 
Rob,

Did you join the army as a photographer or did you become a photographer after joining?
 
cowasaki said:
Rob,

Did you join the army as a photographer or did you become a photographer after joining?
Click to expand...

You can't do this job as a direct entrant - at least 5 years of front-line service (infantry, tankies or other 'teeth-arms') is required.
I was Queen's Regiment, then PWRR (on amalgamation with the Royal Hampshires) and now am cap-badged RLC (Really Large Corps).
Any Army phot will tell you what cap-badge he used to be - that's because the RLC does nothing for us...we're even on the lower pay-band, to ensure that it's vocational...chefs get paid more than I do...lol

Out in Dec 2010...that'll be 24 years combined service for me...
 
Arkady said:
You can't do this job as a direct entrant - at least 5 years of front-line service (infantry, tankies or other 'teeth-arms') is required.
I was Queen's Regiment, then PWRR (on amalgamation with the Royal Hampshires) and now am cap-badged RLC (Really Large Corps).
Any Army phot will tell you what cap-badge he used to be - that's because the RLC does nothing for us...we're even on the lower pay-band, to ensure that it's vocational...chefs get paid more than I do...lol

Out in Dec 2010...that'll be 24 years combined service for me...
Click to expand...

My brother has just done his 22 years in the RAF, I nearly joined them too but failed the eye sight test to be a pilot (good job too as I would probably have crashed by now when someone ran into me!). I nearly switched to MP as an officer but decided against it all in the end!
 
No tripod?

lol.

That`s some kit, and to think I whinge a bit with what I carry for a days shoot...
 
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