The Mountains with Manfrotto

The Mountains with Manfrotto

Manfrotto BumbleeBee Series with Thurston Photo
Freedom for Photographers Reading The Mountains with Manfrotto 6 minutes Next Chasing Slabs & Success

Manfrotto BumbleeBee Series with Thurston Photo

"Behind every powerful image, there is often a series of challenges, that had to met, in order to capture that image."

The life of a Photographer may seem like mountain top wonders and breathtaking sights, but in reality, it’s breathless moments, enduring challenges and chasing light.
We have a vision of the top, while trekking through the dark, it’s a life of anticipating the next moment to capture, and also learning to be present, in the moments that we are given. 

The most beautiful images are often the fastest fleeting, so when the light arrives, it’s important, to be equipped. With that in mind, my choice of equipment is fundamental. 

When I set out into the field, the way I manage and handle my gear is very important in order to maximise output. Whether I'm heading into the mountains on foot or heading out to sea by boat, I've tested and proven Manfrotto to be my choice selection to protect and carry my equipment. I've been using Manfrotto gear for the best part of my career now, as I've trialled and tested it and found it the most reliable and best performing in the field. When they approached me with the opportunity to represent their new line of backpacks, I was truly honoured and excited to create an adventurous story with the gear.

Thurston using the DJI Osmo

We took the gear into the heart of the Budawangs, located in Morton National Park on the South East Coast of NSW, Australia, summiting the infamous 'Castle' plateau. It's essentially a day hike but with the amount of gear we took up to capture the short films, we were travelling at pack mule speeds.. We were out in the wild for 3 full days shooting, a refreshing and soul-quenching experience. The mountains were full of life from recent rain, with water pouring from the steep rock faces, and the nights were clear, star filled and refreshing. The only downside to the trip was leaving my brother in charge of packing the food.. In which he opted for a lighter weight option.. let's just say the last day was a very challenging experience - very little food and very high output!! If you head into the mountains on a day trip, I can assure you Manfrotto gear will make the experience that much more comfortable and gratifying. Whatever you take with you though, I just encourage you to get out there, into the wild, away from screens and people; break the routine and reset the way you see your to day to day life. It's a very health thing to do!

Thurston Photo atop the Castle at sunrise in the Budawang National Park

From the mountains we headed to Belmore Falls in the Kangaroo Valley. It had just poured rain for a month prior to our visit to this normally beautiful and picturesque waterfall, however the amount of water moving over it was unbelievable! We couldn't get within 100m of the base of it without getting absolutely soaked!! The waterfall was creating its own weather, standing at the base of it was like being in a giant washing machine! One thing is for sure, we came out very much washed clean! In fact we had to give the first round win to nature and went home without any shots and a lot of wet camera gear! We returned the next day with 2 AquaTech housings a couple of umbrellas and a change of clothes.. and with persistence, we conquered it. 

Thurston standing at Belmore Falls, Kangaroo Valley.

The ProLight Bumblebee Backpack series from Manfrotto is built to accomodate my passion. The new breathable design increases comfort and makes the heat of the day a lot more manageable. My Manfrotto tripods (BeFree Carbon fibre Travel Tripod with Ball head, black - MKBFRC4-BH and 190 Go! Carbon Fiber 4-Section Tripod with Ball Head
MK190GOC4TB-BH ) easily slots into the side strap and I keep a spare lens accessible in the lens changer for when I need a quick change. Taking my heavy pack off is easy with the help of the side handle, my tripod is secure and my gear is conveniently accessible. The bag divides into two access points, so I can quickly grab my Canon DSLR from the top without taking the bag fully off or unzipping the whole thing. The internal compartments are strong and protect my gear extremely well, so if I take a fall along the track (which happens regularly) I can trust that my gear will be perfectly ok. Overall, the ProLight BumbleeBee Backpack has all the features I need to ensure my gear is safe from the elements in any kind of environment and easily accessible when I the light is on!

"It’s not the load that will disadvantage us, it’s the way that we carry it. The ProLight Bumbleebee backpack, makes carrying the gear I need, the places I travel, and the risks i choose to take, a better and more productive experience!"

When I’m out around the coast and closer to home, I often have the opportunity to pack light, so I choose the ProLight Messenger bag, it’s light and versatile design enables me to keep the essentials on me with room for additional gear to give me options. It fits my long lens plus a wide angle so I won’t miss any of those spontaneous photo opportunities.  

The New Manfrotto ProLight Series has been thoughtfully designed for photographers and enables me to focus on what I love, capturing and sharing beautiful imagery.

Watch the clip that we created for the new line of Bumblebee backpacks below: 

 

Thurston photographing landscape in the Budawang mountains with Manfrotto

The Budawang National Park

Thurston at Belmore Falls

Thurston shooting landscape photos of Belmore falls

Belmore Falls after the rain

 

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