On a photo trip through southern England with the Think Tank DarkLight 14L
We got to spend six weeks in southern England. En route in the motorhome to photogenic coastal stretches, colourful English gardens and historic country houses. Always with us: the Think Tank Darklight 14L. With ever-changing use, sometimes as a photo backpack and sometimes as a daypack for carrying coats, snacks and the like. Despite its small volume, an indispensable companion in all our activities.
About Karin & Markus
Karin and Markus of Fotonomaden are a photography couple from Austria. They specialise in nature and animal photography and live out this passion to the full during their travels. In Europe, they prefer to go out with their camper van, so they can photograph flexibly. On their website, they share easy-to-understand tips on creative photography, inspiring photo locations and travel. They also run photography courses, especially aimed at women.
What photo backpack do you take with you on a six-week photo trip?
Before every trip, we ask ourselves the question: which photo backpack do we take with us? To make a good decision, we first think about what all we want to photograph. During our trip to southern England, we wanted to do everything from macro shots to landscape and animal shots. Therefore, the only option for us was a photo backpack that could accommodate a camera, batteries and different lens combinations.
Since during our photo trips we usually already know what subjects we are going to encounter, we take with us only the targeted equipment we need for that purpose. Our motto here is: less is more. This is why we prefer smaller photo backpacks, as we often cover longer distances on foot and thus spare our backs.
Why did we choose the Think Tank DarkLight 14L photo backpack?
For us, however, a photo backpack should not only carry photo equipment, but also things like a water bottle, lunch box and the like should fit inside. While there are many smaller photo backpacks on the market, you rarely find one that fits our Nikon with a 150-600 mm telephoto lens. Many small backpacks are simply too short for that. Fortunately, the Think Tank DarkLight 14L is one such exception and served us well during our trip to the UK.
Here are some places where the Darklight 14L can now tell its own stories:
Looking for bluebells at Scotney Castle
One of our first stops after the ferry crossing was Scotney Castle. As it was already almost mid-May and we were almost too late for the flowering of the bluebells, we wanted to try our luck there right away. Scotney Castle, in addition to its beautiful manor house and gardens, also offers the opportunity for an extensive walk. You walk through meadows and woods, where, to our delight, there were still lots of bluebells to be found.
How did our little photo backpack come in handy?
The Think Tank DarkLight 14L was of course also on hand and carried our Nikon, macro lens, drinking bottle, camera strap, batteries and a lunch box. On the outside of the backpack, you can attach extra pockets and the like if you want to expand it.
Long exposure at Old Harry Rocks
The coast of southern England offers plenty of breathtaking stretches. A very famous and photogenic spot are the Old Harry Rocks on the Jurassic Coast. Driving up to the car park there, you immediately notice that it is no longer a secret tip. During the day, it is a coming and going there. But if you wait patiently and leave only in the evening, the number of visitors decreases drastically.
During our visit, we decided to take a small circular walk, where we were mostly alone. Along flowering gorse bushes, we approached the subject from above.
How did the Think Tank DarkLight 14L come in handy?
In the process, the DarkLight 14L had to work hard, carrying not only our Fujifilm X-T4 but also our filter bag, tripod, water bottle, snacks and the like. The tripod took place on the left side and could be well secured with the side lashing strap. We could of course have put it in the right outer bag, but that's where our drinking bottle feels completely at home and quick access to it was more important to us.
Animals in Stover Country Park
Because we like to photograph animals - preferably in the wild - we depend on our telephoto lenses. With smaller photo backpacks, we often had to store the camera body and telephoto lens in different compartments of the backpack. Then, when you see an animal to photograph, you have to attach the two together first. As a result, you lose precious time. Therefore, we prefer backpacks where we can take out the camera with the telephoto lens directly. Fortunately, with its narrower but longer design, the DarkLight 14L makes that possible.
"Therefore, we prefer backpacks where we can take out the camera with the telephoto lens directly."
In Stover Country Park, we could photograph different birds over and over again and easily take the camera back in the backpack when we walked a bit further. Of course, with the telephoto lens attached, we could carry less other gear. Since we were concentrating purely on motifs that were further away, that was just right.
Lydford Gorge and in the gardens of Ightham Mote
However, we were not only travelling with the camera, but also took the DarkLight 14L with us on short trips to various towns and on visits to various gardens.
In doing so, the quick access from the top proved very practical. While you can also access your photo equipment and the like from the back, there is also access from the top. In the compartment in the lid, we could occasionally put one of our smartphones.
Especially when things are tighter, like during our hike in the Lydford Gorge, we found the compact size of the DarkLight 14L very practical. We could move well with it on the narrow bridges.
Our conclusion on the Think Tank DarkLight 14L
For us, a great backpack, exactly right for targeted photo trips or use during city trips. It offers space for a camera plus one to three lenses, a snack, a water bottle, a tripod and so on. The well-padded carrying straps are comfortable. The hip belt, while quite minimalist, is sufficient for day trips. The tripod can be attached to the side. With heavy tripods, this can lead to a rather one-sided load. With a light travel tripod, however, this is not a problem. So for our activities in southern England, it was a very good choice and we would definitely take it with us again.
If you've now felt like going to southern England, come along and get our tips for the best photo locations in Cornwall.
