Canon® EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital Field Guide

Appendix D. Traveling System Example

In This Appendix

• Camera case

• Lighting case

• Stand case

• Power cable and sandbag case

• Extras you may need

I decided to describe my basic location system, though not as an indication of what anyone else must or should carry. Everyone's approach is a bit different, and it should be. Depending on your style — whether you shoot local or travel by air a great deal, your workflow, turnaround time, budget, and type of assignments — your equipment will reflect all of these realities.

I tend to carry the same camera equipment much of the time, and vary the lighting equipment to suit the job. Equipment will vary due to the size of the shoot, of course, as well as other factors such as the color temperature of the location ambience, if the lighting ambiance is in fact going to be used — low light in particular can be overridden with a strobe. Strobes only? Kino Flo fluorescent? HMIs? Tungsten lights? So much depends on color temperature.

Both my camera case and main lighting case have built-in wheels and extendable handles. Don't underestimate the value of these features in choosing your cases! Your body will thank you at the end of each working day.

Currently I have one basic lighting case that is strobe-based, where all my lights and most of my modifiers fit. In addition to the camera and main lighting case, there's always a stand case as well as a case for power cables and sandbags. As the job gets bigger, I might add more softboxes, other reflectors, grip stands, ...