Stoked to get a new tool in the tool chest this week! It is the first underwater housing I have owned that has a anti reflection optical glass dome – which should solve may of the flare problems when shooting underwater. Will be kicking the tires soon on a grant for the National Geographic Society grant with Dr Chris Horrell.
Thanks to the great crew at Reef Photo & Video who help set me up with the kit. First impressions from the unboxing below!
When I started my career in photography – like so many photographers before me – I began the search for the perfect photo bag. Sadly, after nearly 20 years in the field, I can definitively say that the perfect photo bag does not exist. The good news? Perfect bags do exist for specific tasks.
For many, many years my bag of choice for photojournalism and documentary work was the Domke F-2. It’s Zen-like minimalism allowed me to carry many lenses in an extremely compact space. It also looks cool – like a bag I could imagine Robert Capa hauling around the battlefields of World War II. I love the way the thick cotton canvas molds to my body over time. Sadly, my camera does not fit into the Domke with its 80-200mm f2.8 lens attached. This is the Domke’s Achilles heel.
Think Tank Photo Speed Racer V2.0 next to Nikon with 80-400mm attached. As you can see, the bag is just tall enough to fit the lens.
Top view of the Think Tank Photo Speed Racer V2.0 next to Nikon with 80-400mm attached. As you can see, the bag is just tall enough to fit the lens.
Thank Tank Photo has solved this problem with Speed Racer V2.0. Contrary to what Think Tank advertises on their website — my camera fits in the V2.0 with either the 80-200mm f2.8, or the 80-400mm f4-5.6 attached! Throw in the luxury of a hip belt to take the weight off my shoulders, a top-access-zip for quick lens changes, a ingenious (optional) lens switch case, and it is no surprise that my Domke F-2 has been gathering dust.
A few moons ago I was riding in the bow of a small zodiac on my way to shore in the Galapagos when a wave of salt water washed over the bow – and over my bag. Thanks to the rain cover and the water repellent nylon on my Speed Racer, my camera stayed bone-dry. A feat my brave old Domke could not have accomplished.
The Domke F-2 will always hold a special place in my heart, but for photojournalism and documentary work that requires me to be quick on my feet, the Speed Racer V2.0 is my bag of choice.
My basic documentary travel kit. Think Tank Photo Speed Racer V2.0 with add-on pouch. Nikon DSLR, 17-35mm f2.8, 28-70mm f2.8, 80-200mm f2.8, phone, hat, water bottle, passport, extra battery, select filters.
Incredible video about how the wolves, re-introduced into Yellowstone National Park in 1995, have started a trophic cascade – an ecological process that starts at the top of the food chain and tumbles all the way down to the bottom – and how this trophic cascade has actually altered the rivers in the park. It is all good news and time well spent to view the video.
I was inspired by David Guttenfelder’s “Ninety Days in Ninety Seconds”. If you have ever wondered what it is like to be a photographer working on a story like this Spanish shipwreck in Panama, here is thirty days in sixty seconds. You can read the full story on National Geographic here.
A few moons ago I found myself working on a fascinating project in Panama documenting Fritz Hanselmann and his team of underwater archaeologists excavating a 17th century shipwreck. We were looking for ships belonging to the legendary English pirate Captain Henry Morgan. Morgan was on his way to sack Panama City when a storm sank five of his ships at the mouth of the Chagres River – these were the ships we were searching for – but Panama had other plans for the team. Instead of finding Morgan’s ships, we discovered a merchant ship laden with swords, bolts of cloth and other goods.
I was on the project for nearly 30 days – and out of the 30 days – had exactly two where the water was clear enough to shoot. The shipwreck was located very close to the mouth of the Chagres river, and every time it rained, the visibility underwater went to just about zero. Photographically, the project was a great exercise in patience and persistence – gearing up day after day, to be greeted with water that I couldn’t see the end of my arm in.
The great team of researchers made the days fly by, and in the end the currents worked out in my favor for just enough time to capture what needed to be captured.
Read the full story on National Geographic News – Rare Spanish Shipwreck From 17th Century Uncovered Off Panama – Photos by Jonathan Kingston.
Stoked to announce one of my images was recently featured on the Nat Geo Creative blog in the post titled A Wave of Emotion. I did not see this perfect heart shape in my camera while taking the image on the island of Molokai, Hawaii – but sure was glad I was pressing the shutter release when this happened!
A place very close to my heart – it makes up less than .1% of US land but has over 25% of the plants and animals found on the nation’s endangered species list. Please join me in helping the Molokai Land Trust save the last of wild Hawaii. I am giving away signed 12×18 prints to the first 10 people who donate $125.
UPDATE: THE CAMPAIGN WAS A TOTAL SUCCESS! HERE IS THE ORIGINAL INDIEGOGO CAMPAIGN PAGE
