p.1 #1 · War Photographer Jonathan Alpeyrie Shares His Camera Gear Packing List
AI Summary -
Jonathan Alpeyrie, a veteran photojournalist, shares his essential gear and experiences from over two decades of covering conflicts worldwide, including in Ukraine, Syria, and Gaza. He emphasizes a minimalist approach to packing and discusses the evolution of his equipment and techniques, from traditional film cameras to modern digital setups and even his phone for video.
Here's a breakdown of the key topics:
Introduction to War Photojournalism (0:34-1:29): Jonathan introduces himself and explains his philosophy of embedding himself in historical moments to bring human experiences to the public. He highlights his 20 years of experience, covering 15 conflicts, being injured twice, and even kidnapped.
Essential Camera Gear (1:29-5:48): He details his preference for Canon cameras, always carrying two bodies for reliability. He exclusively uses a 50 f1.2 prime lens for its light-capturing ability and emphasizes shooting in manual mode to hone his skills. He also discusses the importance of composition over exotic angles and the sensitive approach to photographing death.
Memory Cards and Editing Workflow (5:48-8:50): Jonathan stresses the importance of only carrying two memory cards, one as a decoy in case of arrest to protect his photos. He takes very few photos to avoid extensive editing and believes in anticipating the shot before pressing the shutter. He also shares a valuable lesson from an editor about limiting photo submissions to 20 images.
Ballistic Vest and Safety Measures (8:50-11:20): He presents a lightweight, discreet ballistic vest from a Colombian company, designed for agility rather than heavy protection. He recounts two injuries he sustained in Ukraine, highlighting the risks involved in war photography.
Kidnapping Experience in Syria (11:20-13:58): Jonathan vividly describes his harrowing experience of being kidnapped and tortured in Syria, emphasizing the psychological toll and how it impacted his perception of risk in conflict zones.
Camera Bag and Discretion (13:58-17:21): He uses a small, sturdy bag that makes him appear like a tourist, enabling him to blend into the environment and remain discreet, which he considers crucial for safety in dangerous areas.
Cellphone for Video (17:21-18:15): Jonathan explains his recent adoption of using his iPhone to capture small videos to complement his photo essays, especially for active scenes where still photography might not fully convey the moment.
Nikon F100 Film Camera (18:15-19:26): He showcases his old Nikon F100 film camera, which he used at the beginning of his career. He explains how shooting with film (limited frames, no instant feedback) forces photographers to be more deliberate and enhances their vision.
1950s Rolleicord Camera (19:26-21:08): Jonathan presents a vintage 1956 Rolleicord medium format camera, emphasizing its unprecedented film quality. He describes its unique top-down focusing mechanism and the challenge of working with only 12 frames per roll.
WWII Portrait Book (21:08-22:12): He shares his book featuring portraits of over 225 World War II veterans from 62 different nationalities, a project he started in 2004.
Challenges of War Photojournalism (22:12-22:55): He concludes by discussing the competitive nature of war photojournalism and the increasing difficulty for young photographers to succeed in the field due to new technologies and local talent.
p.1 #2 · War Photographer Jonathan Alpeyrie Shares His Camera Gear Packing List
Interesting, but a lot of things I find puzzling:
- he shoots the EF 50/1.2 because he likes shooting in darker conditions, but 99% of the images shown are taken in full sun it seems;
- again, he shoots that 50mm mostly (though he mentions carrying other lenses) but you wonder how he could get far enough away from several of the scenes depicted;
- he says the images can’t be replaced (cameras can), but seems to only use two memory cards, one to shoot on and one to quickly replace it as a decoy in case they take his camera;
- he says he charges his battery right away when back at his hotel because otherwise he drains his batteries, but he also says he shoots very little.
Nothing against him, but the interviewer should have caught that stuff.
Interesting to gearhead me that he uses the original Canon strap and left the Domke brand on his bag. Also that he says any camera will do (though I assume he wants dust protection).
And amazing to me that he shoots manually in a high-pressure war zone and that he uses one prime lens, which must mean he sometimes can’t get a shot that would earn him money.
And on a different note, I was just granted a test period to submit news images to Alamy stock agency and they too limit your submission to 20 images per event (unless it’s red carpet stuff or so).
p.1 #3 · War Photographer Jonathan Alpeyrie Shares His Camera Gear Packing List
johnvanr wrote:
Interesting, but a lot of things I find puzzling:
- he shoots the EF 50/1.2 because he likes shooting in darker conditions, but 99% of the images shown are taken in full sun it seems;
- again, he shoots that 50mm mostly (though he mentions carrying other lenses) but you wonder how he could get far enough away from several of the scenes depicted;
- he says the images can’t be replaced (cameras can), but seems to only use two memory cards, one to shoot on and one to quickly replace it as a decoy in case they take his camera;
- he says he charges his battery right away when back at his hotel because otherwise he drains his batteries, but he also says he shoots very little.
Nothing against him, but the interviewer should have caught that stuff.
Interesting to gearhead me that he uses the original Canon strap and left the Domke brand on his bag. Also that he says any camera will do (though I assume he wants dust protection).
And amazing to me that he shoots manually in a high-pressure war zone and that he uses one prime lens, which must mean he sometimes can’t get a shot that would earn him money.
And on a different note, I was just granted a test period to submit news images to Alamy stock agency and they too limit your submission to 20 images per event (unless it’s red carpet stuff or so). ...Show more →
Yeah, a few puzzling aspects. One of the most puzzling is what you mentioned about the giant Domke label on the bag. That's the first thing I'd take off if I wanted to look unobtrusive. Granted, a lot of non-photographic people might not know what Domke is, but it's still one of the oldest and most recognizable camera bag brands out there. I also don't use branded camera straps, though that's more out of a desire not to be a walking billboard. A camera strap, whatever it's design, will always obviously look like a camera strap so not much point trying to disguise that fact IMO.
The 50m choice is indeed a bit strange. I love 50mm, but if I were to have just one prime for that sort of PJ work it would be a 35mm. Wide enough for closer shots, and you can still crop should you need to get closer to the subject. Shooting on manual is less puzzling. I tend to shoot on manual a lot of the time, but always use auto-ISO to give me plenty of flexibility should the lightning change suddenly. Manual is not hard to manage if you're in one place for a while and your subjects are similar -- decide what sort of DoF you want, and the lowest shutter speed you can get away with to freeze any movement there might be, then just let auto-ISO decide how much light the camera needs for those parameters.
The other aspects you mention are less puzzling to me. I always change batteries when I get downtime even if they're only half-used, for example, because doing so in the field is a massive PITA and potentially dangerous in his case. And batteries drain even if you don't take shots -- just focusing without taking anything or using the screen/EVF to view images/settings will drain them pretty quickly, too, as will never having the camera sleep because you need instant access at all times. On a recent PJ-like gig I had the cameras set to be always on and it was amazing how fast the batteries drained just to be ready on the draw.
p.1 #4 · War Photographer Jonathan Alpeyrie Shares His Camera Gear Packing List
Nearly half (43%) of the journalists slain in the past 12 months world wide were killed in Gaza by Israeli armed forces. The IDF specifically targets journalists and holding a camera is foolhardy. Definitely the most dangerous job to have of any.
