35mm Iceland

     If you’ve read any of my ‘ top ten bikepacking tips ' articles for Berghaus you can bet your bottom dollar I talk about saving weight. However, just like most politicians I’m ashamed to say I don’t always practise what I preach…unfortunately for me that doesn’t mean extravagant tax cuts, a second estate in the country or some kinky sex scandal…it means I secretly burden myself with unnecessary weight …ugh the shame! I know I know I’m a piece of work, but before you throw me on the fire hear me out.

     I invest every penny I earn into my life of adventure and that includes the best lightweight gear I can afford. However, when it comes to photography my gram saving goes out the window and very quickly camera gear becomes the heaviest aspect of my pack list. I guess for me photography goes hand-in-hand with bikepacking and I’m totally in love with the process of riding out into the wilderness in pursuit of the ‘ shot ’. The Canon 5D mkiii is a superb camera and I’ve been blown away by the image quality, but I still feel that digital cannot compete with the magic of film. Thus, the Leica M6 came along for the ride in Iceland and didn't dissapoint ( the collapsible Elmar lens meant it fit perfectly in the front pocket of my Carsick Designs Handee Randee for easy access ). Moreover, the M6 became a lifeline during the last few days of the ride when my 5d batteries died.

N.B. The conditions in Iceland were extreme and I probably should’ve done more to keep the Leica warm/dry. Consequently, the optics appear to have steamed up at points giving some of the photos a hazy appearance so apologies for that ( lesson learnt ).

I want to say a huge thank you to the team at Digitalab for developing all my film. If you're looking for a company you can trust to develop your work then look no further. They work with some amazing photographers and produce some stunning imagery, check out their site: www.digitalab.co.uk