I love this time when we’re halfway between spring and summer. The weather is great, the snow is (mostly) gone from town, and the time to plan trips is upon us. I’m headed off to Europe for two weeks during the end of May, so I probably won’t get another newsletter out until June. 

 

I’ll be taking my bike over and, our plan is to ride over the Alps from Germany, through Austria into Italy. I’ve chosen what I feel is a worthy route, the picturesque Otzal valley in Austria and over the 8,117’ high Timmelsjoch pass, which is the highest pass that crosses through the Tryol region into Italy. I have no idea if it’s snow free this time of year, but I foresee a pretty good adventure no matter what happens.

 

 

Lowepro has just released the brand new Photo Sport 30L AW, and after extensive testing, I’ve decided that it’s the best backcountry ski and mountain photo back that I’ve ever used.

 

You see, when I visited the Lowepro shop during my California bike trip last fall, they actually sent me home with a finished prototype. In fact, I’m pretty sure that I was the first photographer to get my hands on this pack, and since I’ve been using it continuously for over five months, I’ve probably logged more miles, more vertical feet and more turns with the Photo Sport 30L AW than anyone else.

 

What I love about the Photo Sport 30L is that it fits enough gear for a full day of backcountry skiing, or a light overnight, AND it fits most a DSLR with a large telephoto zoom lenses, like an 80-200mm, or my new favorite, the new Nikon 70-200mm f/4G VR. In fact, I used the pack with this camera lens combo all winter during every single backcountry ski day this season.

 

In addition to ample space for food, clothing and a hydration bladder, it will also fit a shovel and other essential items that don’t fit inside most smaller photo packs. It’s also got side belt pockets, a mesh back panel that easily sheds snow, a shove-it pocket, a decent size top lid and ice axe/trekking pole loops. Like I said, the perfect backcountry ski and mountain pack. 

 

The new Photo Sport 30L AW is available now at B&H Photo, Amazon and other photo retailers. As one of my readers, you can get a special 20% discount if you buy directly from the Lowepro store. Just click this link and use discount code LP20 in your shopping cart and you’ll get the savings on any items that you buy. (US customers only)

 

 

 

I’m excited to announce that the Spring 13 issue of my Dan Bailey Photo Quarterly Journal is now out. It features recent tear sheets, a collection of new work and info about upcoming publications and events. 

 

It also contains highlights from a selected personal project. This issue's project features aerial Alaska mountain photography, which I shoot from the open window of my little yellow 1947 Cessna 120. 

 

Check out my Spring 13 Journal here or download it to read later. It's a relatively small PDF file and a quick read, since it's mostly photographs, so you can view it on your phone or mobile device if you wish. It's a great way to stay updated about the kinds of work that I'm shooting lately and see who's using it.

 

 

David duChemin and the folks at Craft and Vision have just released the third quarterly issue of PHOTOGRAPH, their awesome digital magazine. This issue features some great article and imagery by photographers such as Martin Bailey, Nicole S. Young, Kevin Clark and more. I think that PHOTOGRAPH is well worth the price, it’s a beautifully done piece that’s sure to inspire and educate. Get issue 3 of PHOTOGRAPH here.

 

 

While we’re on the subject of David DuChemin, check out his great post on backing up your digital files. We all take for granted that this computer stuff works, but sometimes it conks out. Wouldn’t it be a disaster if you lost a large selection of your favorite images? You don’t want to even think about that, do you? Then back it up.

 

 

The fun continues with my new Fujifilm X20. After going through the nearly 1,200 photos that I shot with it during my week-long ski trip, and the few hundred frames that I made during my Kichatna Spires aerial photography flight last month, I’m even more in love with it than ever before. I can’t wait to see what kind of photos I’ll get with it during my upcoming Europe rip. 

 

 

 

I also just got a brand new Nikon P7700 that I get to try out for a month. Perfect timing with the whole bike trip thing… I’ve been curious to check out the P7700 for awhile, and after just shooting a few shots with it the other day, it seems like a fun little camera. A real benefit to using the Nikon compacts is that they work with Nikon’s CLS lighting system and play nice with SB-700s and SB-910s. I’ll be posting my P7700 review at Photo.net when I get back, so stay tuned for that.

 

Also, check out my post, 4 Tips for Shooting With Compact Cameras to see how to get the most out of your compact.

 

 

My main display for serious photography editing and processing is the 24” Dell U2410. It’s got great clarity, color reproduction, wide gamut and best of all, it’s pretty affordable. When I bought mine last year, it costs over $500. However, Dell has dropped the prices on these, and every model in the line has been reduced. The 24” is now around $399. That’s a very good price for a high quality IPS monitor. The 27” version is only around $875. 

 

 

As always, enjoy the posts and thanks so much for reading. I hope that you’ve got great plans for the rest of May, and with June quickly approaching, I also hope that you’ve got some great ideas for exploring the outdoors with your camera. Ideas are endless and they’re everywhere, so pull some out of the air and let yourself be inspired with some cool trip ideas or some great new photo excursions.

 

Please share this newsletter with your other photographer friends!

 

See you again in June.

 

Take care,

 

Dan

 

 

 

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