Due to the nature of the types of productions we film, one of Ultralite’s biggest challenges is reliable power on location. We’re usually not simply trying to power one device, but multiple camera batteries, MacBooks, phones, GoPros, etc. On a recent shoot to Cayo Costa we had great success using two Arc 20W Solar Kits at our camp. These were enough to power a couple V72 laptop batteries (now available as the upgraded V88 Battery) daily. The batteries provided plenty of power for our various daily charges plus powered a USB Touchlight hanging over our workstation at night.

Arc 20W kit charging up at camp

Our primary shooting location was actually from ocean kayaks around the island but because we were able to return to camp each night, we could leave the panels lashed to our tents during the day to power the batteries. Each night after we wrapped, we could then go back and get everything charged as we slept. While the island does offer a few 110 outlets at the ranger station, it was located about a mile’s walk from our camp and was generally an inconvenience to access when we returned from production each evening.

Charging phones while taking a break from shooting

If we would have needed to charge directly while on the water, we would have used our 17 Watt Solar charging kit with a Nanuk 904 case, as it is a fully waterproof systems. While the Arc 20W kits are not, they are foldable and a bit more compact, and I personally prefer them for backpacking and carrying on planes. (You can learn how we previously used the 17 Watt Kits in Panama and the San Blas Islands here.)

Photo and words by Bud Force, Ultralite Films

Background: Ultralite Films‘ director Bud Force recently spent some time on the island of Cayo Costa off the West coast of Florida with Jose Azel, president of Aurora Photos, to capture still photography and video for Jackson Kayak, Backpacker Magazine, and Aurora Photos.

The island is still in a very natural state and looks much as it did when first discovered by Spanish explorers. Cay Costa is now a Florida state park and features a plethora of wildlife ranging from wild hogs to alligators to manatees.

You can read Bud’s complete field journal of the shoot at www.ultralitefilms.com/blog.

Where were you climbing and what were the goals of the trip?

During late summer of 2015, I hopped on a plane to Peru and made my way to the Andes. My partner was a young climber named Emily Matherly. This was her first and my fifth adventure to an area offering Himalayan style climbing on a budget albeit in a smaller range. For those of you into model trains, think of it as HO scale expeditioneering. Having climbed in the popular Cordillera Blanca, I chose to go further south to the Cordillera Huayhuash. This compact complex of peaks up to 6700 meters offers steeper, more technically difficult terrain than the Blanca. It’s also less frequented.

The goal was simple: have an immersive expedition with a friend and climb whatever looked good. In places like the Huyhuash there are countless attractive routes to climb and plenty of first ascents.

How did you choose this spot to climb?

I like the choose-your-own-adventure approach to climbing mountains as much as big expeditions with brand-name objectives. I’m kinda core when it comes down to taking the road less travelled. Things stay spontaneous and I can pick a genre of climbing whether it’s bouldering, rock climbing or icy snowy stuff. As with all the great ranges, the remote Huayhuash fits the bill.

A select handful of mountains in any given range see the most impact as visitors concentrate on a handful of established, well traveled routes. But I like first ascents. I like exploration and I like adventure. Tripping through the unfamiliar, diminishes the chance of “success,” but discovery provides unalloyed inspiration.

What electronics do you use at your base camp? What do you use them for?

Between us, Emily and I had one iPad, two iPhones, a sat phone and a digital camera. We shot pics and video with the camera; Emily used her iPad as a Kindle; I store topos, maps and reference images on my iPhone. The gps and altimeter app are important in a practical sense.

What, if any, electronics do you bring on a single day climb?

On a day out I’d my iPhone as well as the digi camera. Once again, it’s imperative to keep things charged for gps, map and altimeter. We used the Voltaic Arc 20W Solar Charger and the V72 Laptop battery (now available with the upgraded V88 Battery Pack).

The V72 came along in the pack to Advanced Base Camp, even if we didn’t bring the charging panel. The battery is light — about the weight of a thick paperback book.

The V72 charges up in less than eight hours of sun with the Arc 20W even when overcast. A charged battery can juice a phone and all the camera batteries (I used a Sony A6000 with two spares). Conditions were mild by mountain standards. It didn’t get horribly cold but down to the teens. Battery worked fine under those conditions.

Do you plan what photographs you are going to take before you climb?

On big budget trips I generally have a photographer on board. In those cases — I leave the job to the pros. The Huayhuash trip was super lightweight so I did the shooting. Unless I have a specific goal I tend to shoot on the move. Sometimes I’ll set up a shot — wait for the right light and get into position, but usually I’m climbing so my options are limited. That said, I always want to bring back enough media whether there’s an article to write or folks to help out with images.

Do you have any advice for taking good photographs while climbing?

The hardest part is to stop, get the camera out and take the photo. It can be snowing, it might be really cold and your hands are freezing.

Action tends to move fast on an alpine climb. There’s a critical sense of urgency you don’t find in other forms of climbing. It’s really hard to stop, pull the camera out of your pack, figure the framing and exposure and all that much less get an an angle. It takes some discipline. Getting your partner to stop for a shot is also hard. Most situations end up as butt shots or the second following. So–if someone’s leading a big traverse, get the camera out and milk it!

About Pete:
Pete Takeda is an elite rock, ice and alpine climber. He’s competed in the ESPN Winter X-Games and climbed in Alaska, Canada, Iceland, Peru, Mexico, Australia and Scotland. He’s led nine expeditions into the Himalayas.

Takeda is author of three books including National Geographic: Climb! and An Eye At The Top Of The World. He’s written for Outside, Men’s Journal, Elevation Outdoors, Rock & Ice, Alpinist and Backpacker. Takeda, a long-time Marmot athlete, is sponsored by Upslope, La Sportiva, PMI Ropes, and Nutriex.

An Associate Member of the Writer’s Guild of America, Takeda has written, produced and narrated outdoor films and is credited co-producer and screenwriter on two in-development features. His favorite Voltaic gear is the V72 battery and Arc 20W Panel.

 Interview with Kristin Lau

 Q: How long have you been doing documentary photography?

My inspiration for photography began in early childhood when I traveled with my family throughout Asia. I took my first film photography course in high school at the Hong Kong International School, while living and studying abroad in Hong Kong. But it wasn’t until years later after working in the financial services sector and living close to 10-years overseas, did I find my hand in photography. Over the years while living abroad, I’ve gained an understanding and deep appreciation and respect for diverse cultures and places.

In the pursuit of my passion, I’ve traveled extensively throughout South East Asia with my partner and with a camera always by my side ready to document my environment, culture and people that I encountered. With my photography, I seek out stories that raise awareness and address social, humanitarian, environmental and cultural issues to evoke positive change for the natural world and its inhabitants.

Q: How did you get involved with the SunFarmer project in Nepal?

The SunFarmer project came about through Photographer’s Without Borders (PWB), a non-profit collective of journalists, photographers, filmmakers and passionate storytellers with a mission to inform and inspire positive change by visually communicating the ways that grassroots initiatives are addressing problems in their communities. I was selected to document solar energy solutions for SunFarmer in Nepal through PWB’s global program.

Q:How do you go about determining your focus for a project of this size?

Before I pick up the camera, I enjoy seeking out new places and diving into unfamiliar scenarios where I find my way by building strong relationships with the people I end up encountering. I’ve lived in many of the world’s major cities and remote areas of Southeast Asia and it has been an invaluable experience that has become a strong influence in the way I shoot and go about determining my focus for long-term projects.

Q: What did you do to prepare yourself for the (Nepal) trip?

Of critical importance to successful assignment photography is the research you do before you book that plane ticket. The more legwork and planning done upfront, the better your images will be when you land…

There are several factors to consider when working on location and in a developing country. Not surprisingly, the first avenue of information when it comes to planning is the Internet.  I have a quick look at tourist information and government sites, travel advisory boards, official country tourism boards, news outlets for the most updated look at the country’s political standing and issues, guide books such as the Lonely Planet Guide and Rough Guides for high level country profile information, sites to see and places to stay, and travel sites like WikiTravel, VirtualTourist and Trip Advisor. It is also extremely useful to take a good look at the best time of year to hear over to your destination.

From this information, I also prepare a concept and shot list with details on the shoot objectives, location, setting and contact list. Purchasing a local map and marking off sites and locations of importance will be extremely helpful to ensure you get the shots you need.

Q: What were some of the obstacles you had to overcome while filming in remote locations?

In Nepal, 80% of the population lack access to reliable electricity and live in the rural parts of the country. Naturally, the biggest challenge we were faced with was keeping our equipment charged and ready to shoot at all times. A few of the project sites we had on the agenda required a days worth of travel and off-road driving up Nepal’s countryside.

The Voltaic Systems 17-watt solar charger kit provided me with a great option to keep my equipment charged. The rugged, lightweight and waterproof 17-watt solar panel along with the V72 portable battery (now the upgraded V88 Laptop Battery)for laptop, DSLR camera battery, GoPro battery and tablet/smartphone charging in locations where we had direct sunlight proved extremely useful.

Q: How does travel affect what you bring to shoot?

I try to be a minimalist when it comes to things to carry while traveling on assignment. When I traveled throughout Asia for over 2.5 years, I had with me my two camera bodies – one for backup or video, a laptop for quick edits and social media updates, a cobra flash, one small softbox, tripod, transmitter/receiver, extra camera batteries, CF cards, rechargeable AA batteries and a reflector. Today, I wouldn’t go without my Voltaic Systems 17-watt solar charging kit. This is an invaluable piece of kit that I would recommend for all photography assignments and personal trips.

Q: What advice would you give to someone interested in documentary photography?

Be present, shoot in the moment and become inspired by the rich, diverse cultures of the people that inhabit the world. Everyday we are faced with environmental and societal concerns that challenge us to look inward, encourage us to re-evaluate our actions towards one another and inspire us to look closely at the world we reside in.

Be true to yourself and follow your curiosity and passion.

To view more of Kristin’s images from Nepal and project “Light for Life: Solar Energy in Nepal,” visit her website: www.kristinlau.com

Light For Life: Solar Energy in Nepal

Energy is at the forefront of most economic, environmental and developmental issues the world faces today. Reliable energy services that are clean, efficient, and affordable are fundamental to a modern quality of life and a country’s global prosperity. In Nepal, over two-thirds of the population lack access to reliable electricity. For those who have a grid connection, the average power outage is nine hours each day; during the dry season this can reach over 20 hours. In addition, many traditional energy sources are highly destructive to the environment. A lack of access to electricity prevents access to high quality healthcare, education, water and other services that are fundamental to the alleviation of poverty and an improved quality of life.

In partnership with two nonprofit organizations, SunFarmer and Photographer’s Without Borders, I had the opportunity to return to Nepal to work on my long-term mixed media documentary project on solar energy solutions in Nepal. SunFarmer is a solar engineering non-profit that installs solar energy in hospitals, health clinics, schools and agricultural sites throughout the developing world. Nearly 1.3 billion people worldwide are without access to electricity. In Nepal, a country that has endured long-term political hardship and instability, a lack of electricity remains one of the biggest barriers to its economic development and prosperity.

In order to plan my month-long return, I knew I would need a few essential items to do my job as a photographer and find a way to keep my equipment for photography and film fully charged. The site visits we worked out several months in advance included travel to remote agricultural locations, as well as regions where SunFarmer and their partner organizations were delivering disaster relief to people who lost their homes in the April 25^th and May 12^th earthquakes earlier in the year. My goal and focus was to follow the families I met, document the importance of reliable electricity and share a collective visual story that chronicles the lives of the Nepalese families and local community members throughout Nepal’s countryside.

I knew that we would have little to no access to electricity in these remote areas and that we would need a way to harness the sun’s energy to power our equipment. For my project, Voltaic Systems provided me with their 17-watt solar charger kit that was perfect for the job. This kit combines a rugged, lightweight and waterproof 17-watt solar panel with the V72 portable battery (now available as the V88 Battery)for speedy laptop, DSLR camera battery, GoPro battery and tablet / smartphone charging in all locations where we had direct sunlight to use the 17-watt panel to power the portable battery.  During the evenings and on the road when we had no direct sunlight access, we were able to use the stored power from the V72 portable battery to keep all of our devices charged for the next day’s shoot. The accessories and various charging cradles supplied by Voltaic Systems allowed for a very mobile charging station inside our four-wheel drive, outdoors on site and inside the guesthouses we stayed at. This setup provided a great back-up solution for us on the road while traveling across Nepal’s countryside.

On location shooting with the Voltaic Systems 17-watt solar charging kit has allowed me and my teammates to continue running our camera batteries down with peace of mind that we would always have a way to power our equipment for the next day’s shoot. On average, we spent one to two days at each solar site and would need enough power to run through four to five interviews with a run time of 5 minutes to 15 minutes and a 30 minutes to an hour portrait session at the end. We needed to keep two camera bodies charged at all times with spare batteries ready to go. I had with me my Canon 5D Mark III as my main camera and Fuji XT-1 as backup and second camera. We ran through three to four batteries each day on average.

As Nepal continues to struggle with the effects of the natural disasters and political instability, renewable energy is providing both light and hope for a nation of people renowned for their resilience.

Learn more about Kristin’s trip, including more photos and gallery display locations here.

In Kristin’s Bag:

• Voltaic Systems V72 portable battery and 17-watt solar panel
• Canon 5D Mark III Camera Body
• Canon EF L series 24-70mm f/2.8 lens
• Canon EF L series 16-35mm lens
• FujiFilm X-T1 Camera Body
• FujiFilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R prime lens
• FujiFilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R prime lens
• Fuji Fujinon XF 50-140mm F/2.8 LM OIS WR
• Profoto Softbox RFi 3” Octabox
• Profoto RFi Speedlight Speedring
• Portable Lightstand
• Canon 430EX II Speedlight
• Hanel transmitter/receiver
• Manfrotto 222 joystick head
• Sennheiser G3 Wireless lavalier
• Zoom H4N External Recorder
• Vanguard Alta Pro 264 Tripod
• inReach DeLorme SE 2-way satellite communication device
• Extra camera batteries, AA batteries, CF Cards, SD Cards, and chargers
• Laptop, Hard Drive, USB Stick
• Lens filters / Lens cleaning kit
• First Aid kit
• Dry Bag
• Notepad / Pen
• Waterproof shell / towel
• Bug Spray
• Super Glue / Duct Tape / Electrical Tape
• Head Lamp

Post by Voltaic ambassador, Bozeman-based photographer Jason Thompson @_jt_photo

My DAM Process

A fairly common question I’ve received in my inbox since returning from India  is my process for backing up my assets as well as what gear I use for charging equipment.

There is a lot of information out there on archiving your assets and those that have been doing it along time have a system in place that works for them. I’ll add my two cents though and maybe offer up one or two ideas that you might find helpful.

My field kit has evolved a fair bit over the last year or so. The reason being is weight. Most of what I do involves me carrying my kit. So if there is an opportunity for me to upgrade equipment that is lighter or transfer faster or recharges quicker I’ve tried to make those upgrades lately. Currently my kit for asset management and solar equipment includes:

Voltaic 20W solar panel

Voltaic V72 Laptop Battery (now available as the V88 Battery)

Voltaic Arc 20W Solar Charger Kit

Voltaic Canon LP-E6 USB Charger

LaCie Rugged Raid – 4TB Thunderbolt x2

DAM Process

My latest photo assignment project was this past fall, a 6 week climbing expedition into the Garhwal Himalayas in India. I shot about 85% stills and 15% video – I was shooting with a Canon 5D III and a Sony Alpha a7RII – I shot with the Sony most of the time. I used the Canon mostly for time lapses.

I would dump my cards each night onto a folder on my desktop (11” MacBook Air). Take the first Rugged Raid named “Backup 1” and transfer folder onto the HD. I would then transfer the same folder from the desktop onto the second Rugged Raid named “Backup 2”. So at this point I have 3 identical backups. Desktop, and 2 Hard drives, technically a fourth if you can’t the card that hasn’t been reformated yet.

It took 3-4 minutes to copy a 64GB card onto the Rugged Raid Thunderbolt. Surprisingly quick.

Any editing I do in the field I have designated the Rugged Raid “Backup 2” to do this editing on.

I leave the identical folders on my desktop as a third backup.

If there is an opportunity not to reformat my cards I will leave them to provide an additional backup. I also use a small pelican case to store the HD. It fits both 4TB Rugged Raids perfectly.

Additionally, if there is an opportunity for the 2 Hard Drives to travel separately I try to take advantage of that. For instance if an athlete is flying on a separate flight I will send one HD with them and simply have them send the drive to me when they get home.

That is more or less my DAM process.

Charging

I recently switched solar panel brands. I came upon Voltaic Systems some time ago and found that the products were significantly lighter. Again for me weight matters. The folding solar panels have stood up in inclement weather. Leaving them out in both rain and snow they have performed surprisingly well, often times pulling some solar in that weather.

The V72 Laptop Battery (now available as the V88 Battery) has been a really nice addition. The sleekness of it is sweet and packs super well. On a full battery charge I can charge my MacBook air 3 times. On a perfectly sunny day it took 4.5 hrs to charge a V72 Laptop Battery (estimated at 5-5.5 hours for the new V88 Battery). A snowy or cloudy day it seemed to be taking anywhere from 8 to 10 hrs.

Hope this paints a little better picture for anyone looking for more information or ideas on DAM processes in the field.

To share his adventures with friends, family, and sponsors – Kedyn took along one of our famously tough 17 Watt Kits with a custom Nanuk waterproof case. Even with the temperate rain forests and cloudy days, Kedyn was able to keep his Nikon D810 and D7100 powered up and ready to capture the beauty of the Northern Lights and more.

We’re happy to be a part of Kedyn’s journey and wish this inspiring young photographer the best in his next adventure. To read more about Kedyn’s adventure and to see more photos visit his blog here.

To help make the photo shoot possible, Neil took along our 17 Watt Kit to charge up his DSLR, MacBook, and DJI Phantom Drone. Here’s what Neil had to say about his experience:

“Earlier this year my friends at Deutsch NY took me along with them to Africa to shoot 2 projects for Water is Life.  In the Omo Valley in Southern Ethiopia there are limited options for charging cameras and computers and since I was shooting stills and video, I was chewing through batteries.  Luckily there is plenty of sun and I had a 17 Watt Voltaic kit to keep all my gear juiced.   Below are some behind the scene photos from the trip and here is a link to an article about the Water is Life project.”

Please take a moment to donate to WaterIsLife’s work to provide clean water, sanitation, and hygiene solutions to those in need. You can read the entire article here.

She used the Fuse 10W solar laptop charger to keep her Canon 5D Mark II and 2012 MacBook Pro charged.

Here are some of the great photos Christine sent us from the highlands, glens, and moores of Northern Scotland.

Perfect place for a nap!

Plan out your next adventure by visiting our Hike, Camp, and Climb with Solar Guide.

He says, “All of these photos are what I call ‘solar end to end’ meaning the camera batteries, laptop & iPad were charged prior to heading into the field for a day of shooting. Mostly because I wanted to prove to myself it could be done as I aim to become a more un-tethered photographer. The downloading, editing and uploading of these photos to my site were also all run on that same power source. No AC power was used at all!

Another key aspect for me in using this pack is it allows me to fire up my laptop and ‘proof’ photos on the spot without the worry of a power source. Having my 17in screen available to me while on location is a huge win. Now I can confirm I got the exact shot I wanted in larger resolution rather than rely on the back of a small LCD screen. This is huge!”

Or read our guides on solar charging your MacBook or camera.