More From The Shore

I travelled light on this vacation. For me, that means no tripod (sinful) and no 300mm f/2.8 lens. Everything else goes and is packed in a Lowe Pro Trekker backpack-style camera bag that I carry with me everywhere.

My tripod, while carbon fiber and fairly compact for its size, was an investment and I don't let it out of my sight. Meaning, I won't pack it in checked luggage and I am not sure if I would be allowed to hand-carry it on the plane. So, on trips made by plane I am sans tripod. Not the best of situations. I use Gitzo legs (tripod) with a Really Right Stuff BH-55 head. Tony Sweet recommended this combination to me some time ago while I was a student in one of the many classes he conducts every year.

At the time, I was lugging around a Bogen aluminum tripod with a center column and a 3-way tilt panhead. I'm not sure if everyone knows what I am referring to here, but that thing was a beast. Before Tony convinced me otherwise, I thought I had the best combination going. Don't get me wrong, the current combination that I use was a fairly expensive investment. But as Tony wisely told me, you will have a system that will never require replacement or upgrade. So true, unless it comes up missing which is why I don't take it on plane trips. Speaking of center columns on tripods, the Gitzo doesn't have one. The BH-55 mounts directly to the legs. That's the only way to roll. It creates a much more stable base. Another wise Tony Sweet comment, "Why put a monopod on top of a tripod?" Excellent point.

The image above was taken from a parking lot looking toward the shore. That's a beach umbrella in the background.