Traveling in Wyoming for Photographers - Part 2

When I left you last time, I suggested that staying in motels created a lot of logistical problems that made getting the best images in their finest light a more difficult task. I'd like to start exploring some other alternatives with you in this section. In the last installment, I'll share my current outfit with you and tell you how I think my travel rig will evolve.

One thing I tried several times that got me closer to the 'action' so to speak was tent camping. It was in the early days of my outdoor career. It took care of one problem, but several new issues arose. Setting up a camp was a time consuming chore, then the issue of cooking, cleanup and all things that had to do with that activity. It is fine for the camping enthusiast that has nothing much more to do than hike, sight see, or just relax and enjoy the experience. Compound that with all the equipment you must deal with as a professional photographer and things take a turn for the worse.

Security is no small issue. A professionals livelihood depends on his equipment. If a motel is not a safe place for your belongings, how secure is a tent? You can leave it in the car, but still have to use some of it at days end to download images, etc., then the repacking – still a problem as far as I'm concerned. Then comes the issue of power. Generally speaking, campsites that put you closer to where you need to be don't have AC outlets nearby. Unfortunately, we live and work with equipment that has batteries that need to charged. Consider your laptop, portable storage device ( I use an Epson P5000), external hard drives, camera batteries, portable DVD players, and the list goes on according to your personal needs. You can carry a small generator, but they are just something else to be concerned with, let alone the time use restrictions in National Parks and the need to carry and transport gasoline. If you are out for more than a couple of days you will need to address this issue. There are also restrictions about where you can tent camp in certain locations like Yellowstone. Hard sided campers are required in places like the Lake Area and Lewis Lake. Tent camping is not a good choice for the non-backpacking or back country photographer.

The next alternative that I considered was a small bumper pull trailer. My first was a 16 foot tandem axle trailer. Wow, what a step up from a tent. It had many advantages. Let me run down the list. This is very workable solution and one that a couple of my photographer friends still use to this day. First, I was able to get close to my working sites. I had most of the conveniences of a motel room in a portable package. I had hot and cold running water, a shower and toilet, a comfortable bed that I didn't have to roll up every morning, and all the facilities to carry my own food and cook it conveniently. Clean up was snap and I could stand up to dress in privacy, It was warmer and drier, and after a couple of hours setup, I was set to stay as long as I wanted with no real maintenance or security issues. I could leave my equipment locked up in security boxes so packing and unpacking was less of an issue. A generator was loaded on the truck semi-permanently so I had power on demand as well as the on-board batteries for lighting, the furnace, water pumps, etc. It was convenient and very, very comfortable to boot.

So were there any downsides to trailer life? Yes, a few of them. Here are some of the things that eventually moved me away from trailer camping. These are not big issues to my friends for the way they work, but they affected some of the things I waned to do. It wasn't always easy to find camping spots in more remote areas that were accessible to the truck and trailer. Since I like to work in the transitional seasons when weather is very fickle, muddy roads and deep snow became huge obstacles. I must say that when I got a 4WD truck that helped, but it wasn't a cure-all. To maximize the trailers effectiveness you need to pick a spot to work from and make that your base camp, otherwise you have to set up and take down the rig too frequently and you've robbed yourself of its benefits. If it was set up as a base camp, you then needed to use your tow vehicle to get to places you wanted to work. I may travel upwards of 100 miles from my base camp depending on where in the state I'm working. That is expensive. It was back then: now it would be prohibitive with the cost of fuel hitting the $5.00 per gallon price for diesel. Plus, most pickups are not the ideal vehicle for all situations you might run into as a photographer, room being a major issue for me. The bed space is normally not secure and wet conditions can create havoc.

I worked this way for years and learned to deal with some of the inconveniences, but it was a huge step up from the hassles of tent camping and the expense and distance issues of staying in a motel. Could I stop here with the recommendation of buying or renting a trailer? Absolutely. It works for many, but in the next issue, I'd like to offer up a couple of more alternatives for you to consider. Be patient, then make your decision. Each has its good points and downsides, but surely one will be a near perfect fit for you. If you considering any of these possibilities, the good news is you don't have to make a huge investment that you may not like. You can rent trailers for a short time to give it a try. You will only be out the cost of a receiver hitch and wiring for your vehicle. If you don't have a truck, you can lease a complete outfit. Give it whirl and enjoy the outdoors in all the luxury of a motel suite. It's a great life. Keep shooting. Until next time – Jerry.

PS - the first of the two images shown was of a camp we (Larry Roop and I) made when bear trapping. This was our base camp. The picture was taken near Sunlight Peak in 1982. The second image was provided by a photographer friend of mine named John Browning. His group regularly travels to the Red Desert in early spring. They use 4 wheelers for local travel. Their preferred lodging is trailer camping.