We Are f-stop: MY Mountain GEAR with laura guillet

Customer Laura Guillet is a French outdoor photographer based in the Alps. Her passion for the mountains and outdoors made her leave Paris six years ago to be able to be in the mountains as much as possible. She shoots all mountain activities from climbing to backcountry skiing. Laura got in touch to share some of the image of the mountains she loves, and explain the gear set-up she uses to capture these shots: 

Words and photos by Laura Guillet

My favorite subject is the special atmosphere that we can experience in the outdoors. The wonderful mood we can feel while sharing a bivy in the mountains, or the kind of poetry provided by the landscapes we are surrounded by. 

To capture this, my photographic practice require lightweight but powerful equipment. I shoot on the Olympus mirrorless camera system with Zuiko pro lenses. I love their versatility, their performance even in shooting in low light and their weather resistance.

For me, being able to shoot no matter the temperatures or the weather conditions is essential. I just came back from a backcountry skiing trip in Italy. I spent few days in the Lanzo Valley where wilderness is still untouched, with no chair lifts or touristic buildings.

Skiing is a demanding activity where transporting your gear can be a living hell. I found the perfect combo with the f-stop bags. I use an f-stop Loka UL 37L. Its front pocket is perfect for carrying safety gear (avalanche shovel and probe) and  I can attach my skis and tripod on the sides of the bag while I carry an ice tool on the front. The main pocket holds the rest of my daily gear.

I carry my camera, an extra lens and spare batteries in the f-stop Harney pouch, fixed to the Loka UL's shoulder strap’s rings. Thus, my camera is well protected from snow and falls but still accessible going uphill and downhill.

The Loka UL is my favorite pack. I also use it as main summer climbing / mountaineering pack, and as my all-around pack while travelling. When I need to carry more gear for a multidays trip, I use the f-stop Sukha 70L. It allows me to carry all my camera gear and all the multi-days bivy gear but is still manageable while climbing or hiking.