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Author Topic: Be there - nice article  (Read 3559 times)

Paulo Bizarro

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Be there - nice article
« on: February 28, 2018, 10:15:41 am »

I would like to thank Peter for a very enjoyable article. I can sympathise with much of what he writes. I am lucky enough to have a small house near one of my favourite places (Almograve area in SW Portugal coast), but I am often envious of all those campers I see shuttling between locations inside their customized vans/caravans.

I already told my wife I am getting one for retirement, not sure if she agrees though, she is not an enthusiast photographer like me:)

P.S. I recently hired a Sprinter to do some house moving, those things are great!

Kevin Gallagher

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Re: Be there - nice article
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2018, 10:25:16 am »

 Great story and photos indeed!! Peter the shots on your website are great as well, thanks for a very good article!!

 Kevin in CT
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BradSmith

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Re: Be there - nice article
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2018, 11:05:16 am »

Forget the fastest focusing, lightest, highest pixel count, best MTF curve, sturdiest,  blah, blah blah bit of equipment.  This article introduced us to probably the ONLY piece of photo equipment that ALL of us want.   We ALL want Frito!!!

The article left a big smile on my face.
Brad

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Krug

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Re: Be there - nice article
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2018, 11:15:11 am »

Me want Frito too - definitely !
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John Ashbourne
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armand

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Re: Be there - nice article
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2018, 12:09:32 pm »

Made me go on Mercedes site and configure a Sprinter. Multiple options and it stays under 50k if you do the inside arrangements. If you are alone though a regular minivan where you drop the seats on one side will give you decent room and it’s a even more conspicuous vehicle; can’t stand in it though.

Dave Rosser

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Re: Be there - nice article
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2018, 12:41:05 pm »

Very intersesting.  An acceptable "White Van Man".  (Ask any Brit about white van men  >:( ).
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TommyWeir

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Re: Be there - nice article
« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2018, 03:16:30 pm »

Really enjoyed that.   I've a pal who has customized a smaller van, fridge, gas hotplate, excellent coffee always and a place to lie down.  He uses it to surf and shoot along the Irish coastline.   So great the details of yours.

wwlee

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Re: Be there - nice article
« Reply #7 on: March 01, 2018, 07:03:01 am »

Thanks, Peter (he says sarcastically)!  Now you've fired up a serious case of wonderlust in me!  After seeing your article here, I went over to your website and got lost in your wonderful photo essays.  Sincerely...Thank you for creating this.  And beautiful photos.  Really, really nice! 

Will
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mcbroomf

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Re: Be there - nice article
« Reply #8 on: March 01, 2018, 08:49:21 am »

Nice article Peter.  Reminded me of when I owned a 4WD Ford E350 15 seater with the seats removed, insulated windows, propane heater and makeshift bed for skiing and photography

This guy configured a (very flashed out) Sprinter for photography ...
https://windinmyface.com/idx-bike.html#Sprinter_BuildOptions

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Two23

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Re: Be there - nice article
« Reply #9 on: March 01, 2018, 09:46:17 am »

Yes, great article.  My wife and I are thinking of buying a very small camper van and wander about the Great Plains (U.S.) when we retire.  It's an overlooked area with lots of interesting places and people.


Kent in SD
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MattBurt

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Re: Be there - nice article
« Reply #10 on: March 01, 2018, 10:08:08 am »

I enjoyed it too. I'd love to get something like that van one day. For now I often sleep in my Subaru, in the back of my truck, or on the ground nearby (in a tent or just on a cot in the open if it's a nice night). That is usually ok but it limits the seasons and places I can do it. I often get away from roads and my vehicle too so it wouldn't be the answer to every situation but it would surely be the answer to many.
A nice bed camper for the truck would do the trick too.

Here's a camp I made last summer when training for Kilimanjaro and also shooting the moon coming up and going down. I just slept on the grass in my bivvy sack a few miles from the car. I left the tripod set up so when sunrise/moonset was coming in the morning I just had to sit up and put the camera on the tripod.
It was fun but I was visited by a bear in the night that just sniffed around and left when I yelled at it to go away.
 
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Peter McLennan

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Re: Be there - nice article
« Reply #11 on: March 01, 2018, 10:58:05 am »

Thanks for the kudos, gang.  As you can probably tell, it was a labour of love.
If Frito has inspired anyone to "be there" more often, then we're both happy campers.


« Last Edit: March 01, 2018, 11:04:46 am by Peter McLennan »
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John R

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Re: Be there - nice article
« Reply #12 on: March 01, 2018, 01:19:36 pm »

Just read the article and then visited your site- fantastic. Love the images and the narratives. Really well done. Keep it up, Peter! Ah- what one can do with a van...sigh

JR
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danielc

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Re: Be there - nice article
« Reply #13 on: March 01, 2018, 11:11:35 pm »

Great article thanks.

I almost always hire a campervan/RV when I travel for photography now.

In Australia you have to be careful as the campervan thing has really taken off with backpackers over the past 10 years and now almost every council/government is super strict on roadside parking/camping, to the point that we were kicked out of a National Park at 11:30 p.m. and had to drive 35 minutes out of the park (for "safety") before setting up camp at the front gate and driving all the way back in at 4am for sunrise.

I like that your van is "stealthy" I think it would make a big difference, although my wife insists on a toilet/shower so I will have to see what I can do :)
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Jay Kaplan

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Re: Be there - nice article
« Reply #14 on: March 02, 2018, 09:21:52 am »

As an alternative, why not buy a truck camper? Truck campers come in all styles and sizes and you put them on the back of a pickup truck. Depending on what you want as to size will determine what size truck and camper you will need. Go to Truck Camper Magazine  -- www.truckcampermagazine.com for more information on how to determine what to get and how to determine what would be best for your need. You can take the package just about everywhere you want to go and have the ability to be there with all the comforts of home.

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Rajan Parrikar

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Re: Be there - nice article
« Reply #15 on: March 04, 2018, 02:02:55 am »

Excellent account, Peter.

ysengrain

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Re: Be there - nice article
« Reply #16 on: March 04, 2018, 05:42:19 am »

A very similar situation can be found in Lloyd Chambers blog https://diglloyd.com.
He gives fine details on the way he installed his Mercedes sprint with a lot of power supply and managing the van
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