We Took a Disposable Camera Backpacking in Yosemite | A Photo Essay

In the front of every backpacker's mind is a concern for weight. Savings are celebrated in mere ounces or grams, rather than pounds. Each item scrutinized and second-guessed.

If you've ever repackaged toothpaste or called it a night with a stuff sack full of dirty clothes as a pillow, you understand the struggle. And you can then imagine how being a photographer in the backcountry presents a dilemma.

Forget pillows and toothpaste all together. To even begin offsetting the 54.86 ounces of our typical camera setup, we would need to start making real sacrifices.

Last summer that dilemma presented itself. Haul the extra weight on a 25 mile trek, up 6,770 feet of elevation? Or leave it behind and miss the opportunity for some spectacular close up photos of Half Dome?

Sure, we could have invested in a much smaller and lighter camera setup. But we thought of something more fun: two disposable Fujifilm cameras.

Twenty seven hit or miss shots each.

Net weight: 6.34 ounces.

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There's a pressure in the modern world to capture every moment digitally.

'Pics or it didn't happen.'

As creators, that seeps into our daily lives to an uncomfortable degree. It's looming over us every time we exit the van to explore a new trail. A nagging urge to bring along the camera wherever we go. Because, well, what if we don't this time? Surely that'll be the day we get perfect lighting and an unforgettable view.

Of course, the ridiculous irony of it is that if the views are so unforgettable, why do we need to photograph them?

So much of our work revolves around documenting what we do. Which is why we feel a tension any time the camera is left behind.

And with blurred boundaries defining what we call work and free time, that tension easily spills over, invading our personal lives.

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Setting out into the backcountry and leaving the camera behind was, therefore, about more than just weight. It was a tiny little rebellion against the digital world that increasingly wants to encroach on our lives.

An act of rebellion that clearly didn't succeed.

After all, here we are blogging about it.

Turns out there's a balancing act we're still trying to perfect.

Besides, shooting on a disposable camera is just a fun time. It forced us into a whole different perspective as we hiked. Choices were made more carefully, compositions more selective, even, dare we say, more artistic.

Those little palm sized green boxes helped us stay in the moment. Rather than giving into the tunnel vision that can come with staring down a lens, taking the same shot over and over, we made our choice, clicked the shutter, then enjoyed the view.

Best of all, we came away with a unique set of photos that we love. They're perfectly imperfect. Complete with flaws, such as the occasional fingertip poking into the frame, poor lighting, and a grainy sense of nostalgia.

We didn't fully escape the urge to document our trips and post them online.

But we stretched a few creative muscles that we wouldn't have otherwise. And it sure did feel good to shed those extra pounds.

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