Light Talks The Lens Light Life Podcast Episode 4

In our fourth episode of Light Talks, Gail and Sarina discuss packing for domestic and international travel and some tips and tricks to get around weight issues.

We also further discuss intentional constraints and motivation when lacking it in your shooting and creativity. 

Notes:

To subscribe to the magazine go to www.lenslightlife.com or to explore the community content. 

To contribute to the magazine email us on hello@lenslightlife.com or message us on Facebook or Instagram

To follow us on Instagram go to @lenslightlife 

To follow us on Facebook go to @lenslightlife

Website www.lenslightlife.com 

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:17

Yeah, I'm fishing. Good morning. Episode four of Light.

SPEAKER_00 0:22

Good morning.

SPEAKER_02 0:24

We've got an official name now.

SPEAKER_00 0:31

So it will be easy to find.

SPEAKER_02 0:33

I like it.

SPEAKER_00 0:34

I like it.

SPEAKER_02 0:37

We're separate again. We've got better sound quality this week. We're working it out. We're getting there. Episode four. We're probably gonna wrap up by about episode 10. 20 or 30. If we do. Anybody listens to us. Oh, people are listening, people are downloading it. It's very exciting. I know. I know. Um so we we've got an interesting topic to talk about today. Um, and that because we're going away next week, we're going away on a winter, uh, hopefully some snow shooting trip together, as we normally do. Um, so we thought we would talk about the perennial problem of packing your photography gear for both domestic and international, because they have very different uh requirements. So, you know, obviously plane travel, little plane travel, because I just had this uh issue with going to Tahiti and Fakarava where you literally are very constrained by your weight um and the size and um of your bag, uh, although you know, bigger international flights, it's not such a problem. But then you've also got car package, you've got power. So let's let's let's start. How do you prepare for a domestic trip?

SPEAKER_00 2:04

Um, I'm gonna work backwards because remember when we went to Italy last year and we knew we were gonna be away for a month, and it was gonna be cold, it was gonna be snowing, and I knew that every single trip I'd been on, it would be man, I forgot my beanie, or if only I bought gloves that were touch sensitive so that I could use them with on while I was using my camera. So I made a a list and added to it over a couple of months. I'm not very organized normally, and that's not my my forte, um, but I remember sharing it with you and Simone so that we actually had something to work to um and then crossing things off. And um, I wish I knew where I'd filed it because I did want to keep it and I couldn't find it for this round of packing. And because I leave Hawk's Nest today to drive down to Sydney, I've got to take everything with me. So my bags on the bed, and knowing that it's going to be snowing, I've hit clothing first because that's my my camera bag has what is has I change from my um 30 litre to the 40 litre and I put everything that I think I'm going to need in that. So cam two cameras, two bodies just in case, lenses, um, filters, everything's inside that bag, cleaning cloths, dust removal, puffery thingies, um, headlamps, anything that I think I'm going to need as part of my photography gear. So, because that bag stays pretty well packed because I'm backwards and forwards between Sydney and Hawk's Nest all the time. It it's that for me, that's not that hard. But you know, if I was out, if I was a day tripper based in Sydney and I went out with a camera and a lens, then I'd have to get my travel bag out and go through that list, which is I suppose what you're about to do. Well, you've got a few more days.

SPEAKER_02 3:53

I've got a couple more days, except I'll be in the city working, but um yeah, I I'm not sure what I know you.

SPEAKER_00 4:03

You the day you the day before go, what camera shall I take? What lenses should I take? What film camera shall I take? What drone I have should I take a drone?

SPEAKER_02 4:11

Is it legal? Drone is no point because it's not legal. I don't know. Um so that's not gonna work. Um and I only really shoot with one camera as such, digital camera. But for me it is about what film cameras I take because that's that's exciting, and then film and all the all the things that go with that. And we're gonna try and record a podcast next week. So where do I where do we put mics and and cameras and that kind of thing? So it's all a bit um it's all a bit confusing. But yeah, I I struggle with weight, obviously. This kind of trip it's easy because it's in the car and um when not, there's no flights. But when when you're talking um travel, there's obviously for me, there's the film with the the um x-rays, um, and depending on where you're going, um, they make you put them through the x-ray machines, and and now uh the film, the x-ray machines these days are pretty good, but high ISO um films um don't work very well, so they they get affected when they go through the x-ray machine. I did have a whole lot wiped going through the Philippines. Um, they had a very old machine and they did put it through, and I used um uh it and it it was a bit of a disaster. So I when I got them processed, the three rolls that went through there got completely wiped. I'm not sure why. So that was so yeah, international travel with film is always a problem, but domestic it's domestic um it's okay. You just put them in.

SPEAKER_00 5:51

Even a tripod for international. I mean, my the the tripod I use every day is heavy and it's got a huge ball head on it. And I I did take a lightweight travel tripod on a trip and I so regretted it because I was on you know rocky terrain and it just wasn't sturdy. I I didn't feel safe. I love my camera. I would have hated the whole thing to fall you know over the edge of a cliff. So I I I generally put my tripod in my suitcase and try and hide the weight that way versus or or strap it to my back and try and sneak sneak through.

SPEAKER_02 6:27

Oh, that's what I I uh either that or I've carried it. Um you put it in your hand and planes, they they just seem to sort of ignore it.

SPEAKER_00 6:36

Um and it's a few kilos away.

SPEAKER_02 6:39

I mean, I've gone on that many international flights where I'm sure my backpack is, you know, 10, 15 kilos and huge, and I struggle to get it up into the the overhead cabin. Um, but because it's a backpack and and you sort of always say, Oh, well, it's camera gear if they ask. I've actually I've actually to be to be honest, the worst recently has been domestic quantists where they've where they've been at the where they've been at the the security gate weighing weighing carry-on luggage. So not not internationally, just domestically, which um what what is the weight limit for domestic quantists?

SPEAKER_00 7:19

I think it's seven kilos. Oh, that's not gonna work.

SPEAKER_02 7:22

No. So um I've I've I I recently um had to farm off um some gear to to cast um to say here, quick carry this. But so that's one, so now domestically it's very difficult to to do that. Um and so it's it's one of those, it's it's a real problem because when you put a computer, uh, a camera, a lens, um, you've got to put your batteries in, so you can't put them in the the check-in.

SPEAKER_00 7:56

And if you're taking your drone, they've got to be in your bag as well.

SPEAKER_02 7:59

It's very difficult. I mean, I I travelled to when when I went to to Fakarava, um, I took the mini drone because the big drone, which I wish I'd taken, um, was was light and it is so light, it's like 700 grams or something. It's it's really, really it fits in a nice little pocket in your in your backpack. It's actually very handy. Um because the the big one weighs kilos. So it's such a it's such an issue in in trying to work out what to take. I always take a lot more when I'm driving. I throw in an extra bag and an extra this, that, and the other, and and usually a few film cameras, so because I've got the the panoramas and the the X-pan and so I try and always get something with those, but it's it's so it's so difficult. And then I don't that the clothing is always an issue. This winter, this winter shooting, I've got to find my snow boots and and I don't I actually don't have any appropriate pants, so I've got to go and try and find a pants. You just reminded me of my head torch.

SPEAKER_00 9:07

Yeah. Um, we've got the pants we bought in Italy, but they're probably not gonna be a good fit at the moment, are they?

SPEAKER_02 9:13

No.

SPEAKER_00 9:14

No rats. I've still got those. Yay.

SPEAKER_02 9:17

Excellent. No, mine uh mine excuse me, mine went to um the Brotherhood bin when um they don't fit anymore. So for a good fit, I lost weight rather than put weight on. So Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:30

I did get a tip from um I got a tip from a girlfriend um about travelling and uh and uh although they weigh your bag, they don't weigh you. So she has this vest that has all of these pockets in it, and she fills her pockets with precious lenses and things that she doesn't want to put in her suitcase. But weight-wise, I mean, you know, if you're carrying uh she shoots, I think she shoots Fuji, but or maybe Sony, but you know, if you're carrying a a big zoom, that's gonna be a couple of kilos of weight. And you don't want that sitting if you're if your limit's seven kilos, you don't want that sitting in your bag. But if you've got a vest and you've got a loose jacket over it and your vest has a couple of lenses and you know, four or five pockets, you can take some weight out of your bag. I've I've never done it, but it sounds like a really good idea.

SPEAKER_02 10:20

It's a really good idea. Another friend of mine, um, because they don't tend to weigh your handbag, they weigh and you're allowed a personal bag as well as a uh so they put their heavy lenses in the handbag and then leave everything in their their backpack, and that's another way of of of getting through. But um I've never done that either, so I need to start thinking about all these things.

SPEAKER_00 10:48

Um and might we might have that problem next year when we head to Patagonia. I think there might be some very small flights after the big one. And we may have some, we may have to think about what we're taking. Who knows?

SPEAKER_02 11:02

We'll deal with that next year. Let's talk about that. I know, I mean we can ask more questions in the meantime, something to look forward to. Maybe we'll maybe we'll refine the uh the the take on that because I still um still trying to work through my my lenses on my camera, so that that's a whole nother whole nother kettle of fish. But um it's it's because I always forget something. I always forget battery charger or um when traveling the extra um adapter or I forget the extra USB cord or I forget the cloths, the cleaning cloths. Yeah. Um I really should create a list and not do it.

SPEAKER_00 11:48

Well, which I'm ticking off my list because I've got them in the bag. So that's good. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 11:54

Yes, and memory cards, I always forget that clearing the computer um of creating space on the computer, taking a spare disk drive, all of these things um I forget.

SPEAKER_00 12:12

But again, I I'm probably lucky because having to go backwards and forwards between the two properties, when I when I leave here, I have a a backpack that I put my laptop in, I put my um all of the all of the charges that I would use for any camera and anything I would use in relation to the back to the to the actual laptop, it goes in that bag. And then what, if I'm traveling internationally, what can be left in my suitcase? That little bag goes inside my suitcase. So that sort of helps because that's the that's the tech editing post sort of side of it covered.

SPEAKER_02 12:51

What the camera? I mean what computer? You just take your computer.

SPEAKER_00 12:56

Yeah, I'm gonna take the laptop and a good fast external hard drive. Um because we're doing a podcast, I'll bring the mic as well. I'll bring my iPad. I'll bring my iPad just for the fun of it because who knows if I have a sleepless night from the excitement of shooting in the snow when the snow turns up. It's forecast. It's forecast. It is, I know, it looks good.

SPEAKER_02 13:20

So fingers crossed.

SPEAKER_00 13:22

Um I think the temperatures were like one one one two like during the day and minuses at night, so that's good.

SPEAKER_02 13:28

That's always a good sign. Yeah, hopefully. Um and when you travel also we talked about um how do you take your drone when you carry when you take your drone away?

SPEAKER_00 13:42

Uh I bought, and I think you did too, that sort of hard case that fits the body quite comfortably. And that allows you to put that into that goes into my suitcase and protects it because they're you know, they're not that strong. You wouldn't want it b banging around with your tripod. And then I um take the batteries obviously in my carry-on. And the control are generally in my bag as well.

SPEAKER_02 14:06

Yeah, the the batteries are a problem. So I I put yeah, it's um that's that weight issue.

SPEAKER_00 14:13

And they're quite large, so you can they're hard to fit in a pocket.

SPEAKER_02 14:16

They could go in the handbag. That's funny. You've got a big handbag. Um yeah, well, yes, I do, but that I'm just trying to think of what I should put in there, but um, again, we're driving for this one. But so that that's it.

SPEAKER_00 14:28

It is funny though it helps we are allowed that personal piece, and whether that's a small crossbody bag or a generous tote, it's still and a generous tote, you can put it quite a bit in.

SPEAKER_02 14:41

Yeah, you see, I see um I see photographer men always have um not all of them, but uh they often have like a man bag, a crossbody man bag that I reckon they've got a few things in there. I was listening to a uh podcast from Mark Denny once and he was talking about how he travels because he does a lot of international travel and often on small planes, and he says in his backpack he has um uh it's like an ICU, but it turns into like a man bag. So if they say to him um there's a problem, he takes that out, and that's got the important things in that he then uses as a a man bag kind of thing, and then so that's another way of doing it. And another person that I've I've heard they do have one of those sort of ICU things again, and that's got the really important things in it. And if they actually take the backpack away, the the ICU has everything in it, and it's things like charges and and other things in the bag that they're going, okay. Well, if they're taking it, they're they're taking it, and it doesn't matter if it goes, it's not the lenses and the the the camera bodies, etc. I know someone who puts camera bodies in their bag.

SPEAKER_00 15:57

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:58

That scares me.

SPEAKER_00 16:00

Me too. The especially, I mean, I've lost bags so many times before, and or they've been it up three or four days later, and you can't afford to do that on a photography trip. No, no bodies, no no camera bodies.

SPEAKER_02 16:10

Do you have insurance on your gear?

SPEAKER_00 16:12

Oh, I so do. Yeah. And I oh, and it's due for updating. Thank you for reminding me. Yeah. That in my note of things to do. Every year it changes. It's like, no, I don't need to cover that one. Best I add that. Although I've probably stopped buying gear for a while.

SPEAKER_02 16:26

Yes, I've I I have as well, funny enough. Yeah, yeah. Because we have enough. I've I'm I am sitting here looking at um probably five or six film cameras. Uh again, some of them are uh you know eighty or ninety dollars, so they're not um they're not some of them are not expensive film cameras, but they're they're so much fun and it's never I'm never sure what what film cameras to take and play with.

SPEAKER_00 16:49

So take the Raleigh.

SPEAKER_02 16:52

I always that's my it's literally my favorite camera. That's actually always in my camera bag. So that and yeah, anyway. Um, and what are you looking forward to in in our trip?

SPEAKER_00 17:07

You know, the last time we were down that way, we we've done autumn around that bright area and it's so beautiful and we've been sort of at that transition to winter, but we've not been down there when it's when there's snow on the ground and those beautiful snow gums and those hearts are covered in snow. I mean, that's what I would love to see. I'd like to get and the other thing that we've been talking about is minimalism. And I I think that that might be a a nice opportunity to find little pieces to focus on within the chaos of you know, of snow-covered forests or snow-covered um we're up in dinner plain, so that's gonna be quite interesting. Um but you maybe just paring things back a little bit. It it's not gonna be about colour, I don't think. It's more gonna be lines and geometry and and trying to trying to sort out the the chaos and trying to get a composition that works. I'm I'm looking forward to to this slowing down and hopefully getting some images that are different to what I would normally take.

SPEAKER_02 18:21

Yeah, we've we've been talking about that uh through the magazine, but also last week a little bit on the the podcast, we're talking about the intentional constraints.

SPEAKER_00 18:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:31

And we would we were talking about obviously the minimalism, and that was our challenge. We haven't been out yet because we haven't had a chance, so we're rolling that challenge into next week. But we we put I guess you put together a list of what um the intentional constraints apart from minimalism could be. And and the the list is is is is pretty it's pretty scary to be fair to be fair. So you're looking at things like texture, colour, leading lines, one subject, moving water, interior light. Interior lights are really interesting.

SPEAKER_00 19:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:15

Um, if you had 30 minutes and took could only take 10 shots and then they were going to be critiqued, what would that look like? Um and and so when you when you look at some of those things and then traveling, is that do you feel like that limits or do you feel like that actually creates a challenge? Or is that something that you're best doing where you go regularly and potentially not on a trip?

SPEAKER_00 19:47

So these are all things obviously that we're we we're going to discuss on the eight-hour drive, but um I think the third the 10 shots and 30 minutes is definitely not the one that we want to focus on because if we're experimenting with these, I I don't think we'll be expert immediately. But I think I think I said to you like I I went out once for a very, very early on when I first you know picked up a DSLR back in 2019, and I went out with a local photographer who sent me off and said, Okay, I want to know what you know, wander off and take photographs of texture, wander off and take photographs of leading lines. Go and show me internal light, internal lighting, and then show me how you can adjust that so that it's either bright or dim. So I had to think about what my camera could do, and at that stage it was pretty daunting because I hadn't really got my my head around the triangle. Um, but but you know, leaning lines, texture, um those those types of things were quite simple. So and and I think you know, if we're in a in a in a snowy forest environment, um, you know, those gorgeous huts, we've done them from a distance, we've done them peeping through trees, we've we've done them from the inside looking out. Yeah, all of the obvious shots, but but I think the challenge for us could be because we'll have the time, what else can we do with those? How you know, can we use, can we just look at the leading lines? Can we look at the texture? You you took some, I think, of the texture of some of the t the timber, the age timber, when we were down there last year. And those shots are lovely. You know, they're not the ones that you stick on Instagram and expect to get lots of likes because that's not gonna happen. But you know, we're photographers, we're not Instagrammers. We can we we can we can look at that that side of things. I think it could be a bit of fun and and throw it out to the other guys that are with us so that we're all looking as silly as each other doing, you know, macro shots of the side of buildings or trees, or moss.

SPEAKER_02 21:50

Moss. Maybe some fungi. I'm very obsessed about fungi at the moment. I think we talked about it last week and then you did. I did, then I talked about it the I've been talking about it a lot. I'm I really want to try and le learn how to sh shoot. Um, I'm not very good at macro, so I really want to learn how to shoot that. But um then perhaps you should pack a macro lens. I don't own one.

SPEAKER_00 22:13

No wide angle's not gonna work.

SPEAKER_02 22:17

Nope. I don't and I don't own a macro lens. I think I think not too late. No, I know. Interesting, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 22:26

I think I have you go get one and I can help, I can use it.

SPEAKER_02 22:29

No, good deal. I think um and I used to have well Mary used to have one on the Sony that she used, so there is a macro lens somewhere in my my my house, but it doesn't fit on my camera, so there's no point.

SPEAKER_00 22:52

I've got a um I I gave my I loaned my um R5 to a girlfriend who and I gave her the my zoom lens, my mid lens, and my wide angle, um, and my other bag, and she sent her away. She's away until the end of August. But I kept my my um Mark IV that I absolutely loved. And I've got a macro, so maybe and I've got batteries. So maybe I should throw that in just for just for the fun of it. It takes lovely shots.

SPEAKER_02 23:23

Why not? It doesn't matter we're in the car.

SPEAKER_00 23:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:26

Let's just put it in the truck.

SPEAKER_00 23:27

Just right, I'm gonna find it.

SPEAKER_02 23:28

Yeah, go find it. Because I I'd I'd love to try. I've never I've never the Canon macro is a beautiful lens too, as well, so we can have a play with it. I've never I've never just shot with one. So maybe that's something that we can we can try um try doing. What do you think? Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 23:51

Yeah, and we could try and get everybody else to do it as well. And if they take better shots, we'll Adrian can be in the next magazine for her shots.

SPEAKER_02 24:00

Perfect.

SPEAKER_00 24:01

That's that's a great idea. We'll let her know in advance. You could be published.

SPEAKER_02 24:06

And if you were so we we we we did a we did an interview um uh for another podcast talking about um lens light life, which is we we love talking about that. Um and one of the topics that we discussed was if you were lacking uh creativity or enthusiasm around what you were shooting, um how would you go about trying to get that back? Do you think looking at those areas that we were just discussing being the intentional constraints, or do you think that would help you with your creativity if you were lacking it or I I do.

SPEAKER_00 24:55

When I look at things like that, I one of the things I the weather's sunny, it's blue sky, it's absolutely perfect. Shocking for photography for the sort of shots that I like. But it made me sort of think, okay, well, why don't I try, why don't I go out and play around with like you know, maybe a 15-stop filter and really slow things down in daylight and see you know what sort of effect I get from that? Because I think with moving water, the effect could be very minimalistic and quite lovely and quite ethereal. So you know, I think it it when you think there's nothing that you can shoot because the conditions just aren't right, maybe that's not the case. Maybe thinking outside of what you normally use and looking at constraints and you know focal lengths and time, etc., could can give you a little bit of inspiration. I've got to say, I never let I always want to go out and shoot, you know me. So I just like being outside, I like being out there out outside and even when that fog came through last week and I couldn't get you to leave your house.

SPEAKER_02 25:59

It's because it was Sunday or Monday.

SPEAKER_00 26:02

I know, I know, but it was fog and it was and it was and it was 9 30 in the morning. Like it was just lovely. And when the light it wasn't it was too thick to put a drone up, but you know, that's they're shots that I wouldn't normally take, and I didn't take them for to get likes on Instagram because they are very simple and feedback.

SPEAKER_02 26:21

How did that boat go on Instagram?

SPEAKER_00 26:24

A couple of hundred? Not my best performance, not your best shot, not your best shot. But we did laugh when we said that. It came out better once I'd edited it when I showed you the screenshot and you said not my best shot. But yeah, it's we don't shoot like that, so it's no just because just because it doesn't get likes doesn't mean that we shouldn't discipline ourselves to take different types of shots.

SPEAKER_02 26:50

Oh well, I think that's the key to I mean, I I know, okay, bang on and bang on about it. I just got so bored with shooting Bronte and Quidgy and Bondi as much as I love them. I I feel like when you've got I mean, I don't think that I have the perfect shot in any scenario. Um, although I do think that some of the the beach or drone shots from Fakarava are pretty, pretty close to that from a uh an area perspective, not necessarily a shooting perspective. But um when you've got uh the most incredible sunrise um at either Kuji or Bronte and you're over the pool, if you go back and it's not that good, you you just don't feel I mean again, I know we we shooting the same place over and over and trying to find something different, but it's quite hard when you feel like you've nailed the sunrise. And so so the the passion for that becomes quite difficult. I suppose then it becomes what other things you can shoot. But now I also find going, you know, early on you go down to Bronte for the sunrise to shoot and there'd be only a couple of people. Now you go down and there's like 50 people. So it's also very hard to move around to find a spot. Um so yeah, it's it's it's one of those things that you just sort of go, oh, okay. Do I if it's not gonna be the most amazing sunrise, I'm not gonna go out. Um, which we do all the time. We look at we look at apps and we look at oh, do we go out, do we, do we stay in bed? Time is precious. So it is. But it is but it's it's one of those things we need to I need to poke myself and be a bit more enthusiastic about getting out before it gets sunrise again at 5 a.m.

SPEAKER_00 28:41

I know. Yeah, make the most of it while it's still close to seven. Although I noticed it's past five o'clock for sunset now. We're on the way to summer.

SPEAKER_02 28:48

Yes. It's on its way.

SPEAKER_00 28:51

That article from Carmel Montgomery in issue three about the intentional constraint of shooting the same location. And you know, looking at those photographs, she uh she even I would say uses she's got this fantastic lens that goes from wide angle to zoom all in one. You know, you don't have to change the lenses. So she can duck around and she can get low and she gets high and she she shoots different shots. She's zoomed in, she's way out, but she tends to shoot at the same location all the time. It was a really good article about uh the joy of being out taking photographs and she shoots with the same girlfriends and the joy of of the event and then the excitement of finding out what she's actually captured. And she she really watches. I've been with her. We went to visit Fairy Bower, and it was the worst morning, hard light, really lots and lots of people. It turned out to be the day that everybody was doing the swim, and there was just thousands of people, and she still got really cool shots. Some guy came down with his two little dogs, and they sat on the side of the pool while he went for a swim. And so she got the personal close-up shots of the dogs, you know, like glued to watching him swim up and down the pool.

SPEAKER_02 30:08

She does beautiful work with people, and and I struggle with people in my in my shots. So if I've got people, I'd I'd I'm I'd take them out. I want to take them out. And so I think that's part of the problem. Um, people and animals, I think, kill photos, but then you look at her work and her work is better for the people. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:31

So there's another there's a constraint for you.

SPEAKER_02 30:34

Yes, people.

SPEAKER_00 30:36

Stop removing them.

SPEAKER_02 30:37

Well, stop moving myself to get them out of it. Um, I still haven't nailed the art of moving a person or removing a person uh using um Lightroom or Facebook, not Facebook, um, Photoshop. Facebook doesn't remove people, it just keeps adding people.

SPEAKER_00 30:53

Um and so Oh, I did an article in our first issue of you.

SPEAKER_02 30:58

I know and you removed me very well. Um actually, that was in the high country.

SPEAKER_00 31:03

It was.

SPEAKER_02 31:04

Um, so so I guess that's another complete way of maybe I should start going down to to Bronte again and trying to work with people rather than um now.

SPEAKER_00 31:15

Do you feel inspired?

SPEAKER_02 31:17

No.

SPEAKER_00 31:19

Not the answer of the people.

SPEAKER_02 31:21

I should, should have known. Maybe when it gets a bit warmer. I I don't know, but then it gets But then it gets crowder. I know, but then it gets crowder and then it's earlier and oh, it's just one of those.

SPEAKER_00 31:30

I'm gonna remind you, you said that in six months' time when it's sunrise at 5 a.m. 5 a.m.

SPEAKER_02 31:35

I know, I know. I've got to get through my daughter's HSC, which is this year. So once I feel like we get through that, then I'm I'm I'm I feel like I've got a little bit more space in my head, but um it's it's crazy. Um time, you know, trying to find that is very um is very hard. Even at 5 a.m. there sort of was more time than 7 a.m.

SPEAKER_00 32:01

Yeah. At least it's not as crowded.

SPEAKER_02 32:05

Look, that's true. Um but like we just said, maybe crowds are the idea. Yeah, maybe. I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 32:17

I'm I'm glad back to that. I've just my I've just flipped back to the packing thing because filters.

SPEAKER_02 32:24

I've got to remember filters. I didn't take them last time.

SPEAKER_00 32:26

They're in my camera. Yeah, they're in my I I've got some. They're in my camera back. Oh do we do we use the same? Do we use the magnetic? You use magnetic as well.

SPEAKER_02 32:34

I use Maven filters. Um I find I find them easy, but they are magnetic, yes.

SPEAKER_00 32:40

Yeah, minor case. Same thing, magnetic magnetic though they're good. Um, but I was just thinking, so I have the added predicament of um September, end of September, um I've got a business trip to the UK. And since I have to go to the UK anywhere, and Scotland is just so close, we're gonna fly fly into Edinburgh and the end of you know their autumn, which will be absolutely beautiful because Scotland is stunning that time of year. So I've got a pack for travelling in cold weather for probably ten days prior to then turning up in London and being suited and booted at a trade fair. So that's then that's like another layer of clothing and that and you can't wear the same clothes all three days because you're in the same trade fair and people see you. So yeah, that's that's another and you yeah. If if only there was international travel is hard. It is, it is. I've I've not that I'm complaining, I'll find a way.

SPEAKER_02 33:43

Yes, well, yeah, good.

SPEAKER_00 33:45

Um and I'll maybe better dressed for the photography than I am for the fair.

SPEAKER_02 33:50

Maybe. Is it cold? I mean, I haven't been to Scotland and you've talked about it, and and seeing your pictures from there, I definitely want to go. But I mean I assume it's cold at that time of the year.

SPEAKER_00 34:01

Yeah, it is. Like puffers all the time, and it's I think it I don't know how warm it gets in the middle of summer, but yeah, it's getting it's heading towards winter, and in winter obviously it would be you know really snowing. We're going a little bit earlier than last year, so I'm hoping the fair dates changed. Oh no, last year we went we take a trip onto the end of the fair, and this time we're doing it before, so maybe a couple of weeks earlier. So it's still autumn, but maybe it won't be quite so cold. But then you never know. October and the fair was always October in the UK, and I've never once gone and the weather's been nice, it's always been cold, and Scotland's colder.

SPEAKER_02 34:41

I'm I've got it on the list to go.

SPEAKER_00 34:43

I know, I know. Come next year.

SPEAKER_02 34:45

Maybe it's you're going this year. You you did say come this year, but obviously HSE is right right at that time, so um staying firmly put. But then, you know, my youngest is off, so who knows? Next year we could do a lot more.

SPEAKER_00 34:59

Next year we'll be doing New Zealand every quarter just to make sure she's okay.

SPEAKER_02 35:03

Well, that's if she goes to New Zealand. So that's the plan, but I know she wants to, so we'll see. Um but an empty nester, which will be a bit bit scary. Um, and then I have no excuses to get up at 5 a.m. to go shoot with you. Um would be the dogs. Oh my dogs, yeah, they're actually behaving. I've got one barking in the back garden at the moment because I've locked her out, but um that that you can't hear her, so that's quite good. She's only 90 kilos, so she's only little. Um so tell me, what are you um apart from hoping that there's some snow, what are you looking forward to the most about next week? Just apart from spending five days with me.

SPEAKER_00 35:40

But um I um the reason that we've done trips with Jeff Freestone in the past is that we both love the way that he shoots, love his images. So I'm he always shares uh his knowledge so freely. And I think because this is a very small group and I really want to make sure I get the absolute most out of what he shows us. I I think I I I think I'm gonna just put what I what I know in the uh on the back burner and be very, very open to uh listening to everything he suggests and taking on board everything that you know that that he that he throws our way. He's um I love the little editing but we we lose I mean when we did those shoots for autumn, they they were images I'd never I'd I'd not only not taken images like that, but I'd never edited that softly. And his he so I'm looking forward to not only being out there and hopefully snow and getting some of those beautiful snow gums um and those gorgeous hearts and some light. Um I really am looking forward to being able to sit down afterwards in a nice warm environment and either around the table like we do, sharing, you know, sharing best practice and yeah, I feel the same.

SPEAKER_02 37:05

I think most of I can't I can't add any more to that other than the exact getting away and shooting for a few days is always um high. What indulgence is that? Yeah, I know it's high on the the list of wannabos.

SPEAKER_00 37:18

So hopefully you won't have one of those conference calls where remember last time you had to do that call downstairs and I delivered wine on it.

SPEAKER_02 37:25

Yes, I do I do have a couple of things that I'm gonna need to do, but we'll we'll see how we go.

SPEAKER_00 37:30

Not too many. Uh the joy of being a lawyer.

SPEAKER_02 37:32

Yes, the joy of having to uh to work to to pay for the photography habit. That's what we call it. The day job that pays for the habit. Um well, Gail, thank you for again for episode four. It's been it's been lovely having another chat.

SPEAKER_00 37:48

I love the way that you interview me, and I don't really have next time. Maybe I should interview you and make your job easy.

SPEAKER_02 37:54

Maybe we'll see. Maybe that's okay. Um, maybe next time. Well, I think we're away next week, but we're gonna try and record while we're away because that's always fun. Sound might be a bit of an issue, but that's all right. Uh, and then we're we're recording some with some special guests um that we're lining up, so it won't be just us, which is probably gonna be more exciting for people to hear from some some other things. Um, and then we'll we'll go from there. But enjoy your week away. Um, drive safely, and we'll see you next week. Thanks for listening.