Pack Week Story
Among your recent projects or adventures, which one is your favorite and why? What’s the story behind this project?My calendar for spring/summer was so packed with adjoining shoots that it has blurred into one incredible and varied super-project. In June I photographed the launch of two new enduro mountain bikes. One project was on my home turf, launching the Norco Range with local World Cup Downhill champion Lucas Cruz, and the other was with Brittany Phelan, introducing the Juliana Roubion.
At the same time I worked locally with Arc’teryx on a fall ‘21 product shoot. By early summer the Canada/US border was opening, I was double vaccinated, and it seemed that responsible travel had become possible. I was invited to Crested Butte, Colorado, to create images for the launch of the new Yeti E160 e-bike. My first visit to Colorado didn’t disappoint, as the wildflowers were at their peak. I made a quick visit back to Canada to shoot for Audi’s Canadian Tropics campaign, as well as for the release of their new E-Tron electric sports car.
Then it was straight back to Colorado to work with Rockshox on the launch of their new smart suspension system called Flight Attendant. Back in BC, I then had the pleasure of working with a crew of female freeride mountain bikers, watching and documenting the progression in women’s freeriding at Casey Brown’s DarkHorse event.
What about that project motivated you?
The variety was stimulating, and it was both motivating and exhausting to be putting in long hours behind the lens. As always, I am rewarded by working with other creatives, brands, and athletes to make something unique.
When traveling, which f-stop bag or bags do you take, and which Camera Bag Insert or accessories do you take?
For travel, my choices in packs would again be decided by the assignment and how much weight and gear I’m going to carry on me. For ski touring, I need to ensure there is room for my safety equipment and Kashmir UL would be a good bet. I love the f-stop accessories, so I often have one large accessory pouch for my batteries and chargers, and one smaller one for cords etc. I also have at least one of the lens pouches so that I can protect a lens quickly if I need to.
Here is a look at Robin's project and images of his gear:
What’s your go-to camera setup
I am a long-time Canon shooter. I love the 1DX Mark IV for shooting action. I have recently purchased the mirrorless Canon R5. It is my go-to for anything that isn’t action -- landscapes, lifestyle and portraits.
Which f-stop pack and camera bag insert combination is your favorite and why?
My choice of pack is based on the assignment. I love the f-stop Kashmir for human-powered trips where weight matters. It is very durable considering its light weight. For MTB it is great on technical terrain, as the bag height is shorter, which allows me to look up more on the trail.
For this set-up I use the ICU. If I am not covering a lot of distance, the Anja or the Kashmir UL are my go-to. The Anja can carry the most, but the Kashmir UL can handle all the gear, and it’s wider than my torso like the Anja.