Budget Photography

Carry Your Gear on a Budget

Some photographers buy expensive cases and packs to carry their gear. I prefer a canvas bag and a beverage cooler. The Sinar P folds down small enough to go into the bag, upside down. The Sinar is built like a tank. The only thing it needs, is a carrying strap, and that's what the bag is for. Everything else goes into the cooler, which has a nice sturdy strap to go over your shoulder.
The beverage cooler keeps the equipment cool in summer, and warm in winter... How does it know ? Even more importantly, it looks like a beverage cooler, to anyone who might see it in the car. Some people like to flaunt the name of their camera, as a status symbol. I prefer the safety of my gear looking like nothing more than a case of soft-drinks.
If you look closely, you'll see that the camera has a Sinar Shutter on the front, and a blank home-made wooden lens board to protect the shutter blades. The Sinar Shutter adds very little weight to the camera, all things considered - but makes it possible to use barrel lenses in the field. It's generally the film-holders and large lenses which add bulk to your gear.
Note the pipe insulation on the tripod legs, held on with duct tape. Pipe insulation is very light in terms of additional weight, but vital when shooting in cold weather: it can keep your hands from freezing when you carry the tripod !

Affordable Equipment for Film Development and Washing

Some people purchase expensive custom equipment to wash their film. Nowadays, you can construct your own washer out of inexpensive and widely available materials.
A Dish Rack Film Washer costs only a few dollars. Your film just soaks, in a bunch of standing water. There is no need for a fancy syphon or drain system: Just let the film soak, and replace the water now and then. Save the water, and let diffusion do the work for you. You can use a similar technique to wash roll film too.
Photo trays are great for developing prints, but you can do things better - and cheaper - with items available almost anywhere. Plastic Food Containers are more affordable, use less chemistry, prevent scratches, and require less room. Once you try them, you will wonder why you ever used traditional "Photo Trays".
This article courtesy of: Kenneth Lee Gallery