In the ever present tug-of-war between staying close to my documentary/analog roots and the need to make a viable living with my photography one persistent dilemma has always driven me mad.

While I was Tweeting the LensPro folks, they got my gear back and the snacks I left them! Cool.

The need to keep up with constantly evolving gear.

Now, I’ve been a loyal Canon girl since the age of 10, when my dad placed an AE-1 in my hands and I never let it go. Ever. That said- it drives me absolutely ape shit to see the technology I invest in go sour every 12 months or so. I get that digital technology changes constantly- and usually for the better- but that doesn’t ease the pain I feel in my bank account every time I glance at the B & H Photo site or see the latest buzz on Twitter about a still/video hybrid. I truly want to invest in one, high-quality-ass kicking camera rig and be done with it. I take fabulous care of my gear and computers and will squeeze every possible ounce of functionality out of it until the poor device can no longer stand the mounds of duct tape holding its precious innards together.

Yes, I’m that picky about my gear.

Which is why, when faced with a camera rig that’s outdated and cumbersome, I turn to my obsessive-compulsive side and research the hell out of all possible gear scenarios that will meet all of my stringent requirements.

• Must be able to cover editorial and commercial projects with the same amount of equipment and not look like a first year photoj student.
• Must not be bogged down with too many accessories and doodads that distract me from unfolding moments- I’m a documentary photographer- technically we don’t recreate a moment when we miss it (unless my client is an ad agency- then we pretend)
• Must be fun to shoot with. This is a must. When I raise the viewfinder to my eyeball- I must feel this electric charge of creativity that surges through my body and mind and takes me into the Flow. Sorry, but most of the digital cameras on the market just don’t do this for me.
• Must not cost more than my vehicle. Seriously Leica, one day you will be mine, but until I either stop owning a vehicle, buy a shiny new one or you lower your prices- I shall have to search for alternatives.
• Oh, and as noted above, I don’t want to replace my kit in 12 months. Nope, I want at least 5 years. I don’t need 45 MegaPixels and an automatic espresso machine attached to my lens- just powerful, simple, brilliant technology please.

So, this long diatribe is the run-around to my newly found savior/solution in the ever necessary need to keep on the edge of technology for my commercial work, but also keep my documentary work simple and up to date.

Enter LensPro To Go!  

Yep, they rock. Plain and simple. They are my newest solution to a debate that has driven me batty for years. (And if you’re a Photoshelter member, you get a discount on your first rental!) I can rent the exact gear I need for the specific assignment I have and never actually leave my home (except to send it back to them- using a prepaid label for UPS).

And, they sent me a lollipop with my camera. I love them. Their customer service is fast and brilliant- and on Twitter! The camera they sent me rocked my assignment and shot circles around my massive- and ancient- 1Ds. So much so, that I had a few sad moments during my shoot, wearing both cameras and realizing that the 1Ds is about 2 shoots away from being a big old paperweight. For someone who still shoots with the film 1V and her AE-1, having a camera be totally outdate and only 6 or 7 years old depresses me.

So, I now have a solution to my dilemma and can focus on dialing in the camera kit that truly connects me with my documentary work. And sorry folks, but it’s not a Canon.

Many thanks, LensPro!!