• Good hiking shoes/boots. You will spend a lot of time exploring rugged, rocky environments and in some areas the chance of a rattlesnake encounter is real.
  
• Sunscreen, lip balm, and skin lotion. Your adventure takes place in an arid climate at high altitudes. With strong ultraviolet rays and low humidity to contend with your skin can take a beating if you're not prepared. A hat and sunglasses can enhance your comfort and protection level as well.
  
• Hydration pack, canteen etc. The arid environment we will be exploring demands that you maintain your water intake. Make sure you have a way to carry plenty with you. Personally I prefer a hydration pack. Inexpensive ones are available locally if you choose to acquire one after your arrival.
  
• Layered clothing. Weather conditions are subject to change rapidly and in the course of a day we may work at vastly differing altitudes. It's helpful to have comfortable clothing that you can shed and put back on easily. Occasional sudden rain showers may occur as well. Rain gear or an extra set of dry clothes in your pack is a good idea.
  
• Tripod and/or monopod. We will definitely encounter low light and night shooting conditions and there may be wildlife and other images that demand a steady camera. A monopod that can perform double duty as a walking stick or vice-versa is definitely a welcome piece of gear on the trail.
  
• Film and/or storage media. Access to sources for developing, downloading, purchasing, etc. will be inconvenient at some times and impossible at others due to our schedule and the remote nature of some locations. Bring more memory or film than you think you could possibly shoot; trust me, you may find yourself rationing it otherwise. If you use digital storage media you may wish to bring a portable hard drive, laptop, or other device to download to.
  
• Graduated filters. In many of the locations where we will be located the contrast range between a sky with white clouds and the foreground, especially where dark volcanic rock and lava are present, is very wide. Neutral and even colored graduated filters can be a big help in bringing sky values down to an acceptable level so you don't blow out the highlights while capturing detail on the ground.
  
• Binoculars. Handy to have for wildlife viewing; observing herds of elk roaming in the Valle Grande or watching a golden eagle soar along a line of cliffs are just a few examples. A view of the milky way in a dark desert sky far from any source of light pollution can be absolutely stunning. If you don't have a good pair though, don't worry. I always carry a pair and am happy to share.
  
• Protective gear. If you choose to climb into some of the really rocky places or enter any caves you can't go wrong with any or all of the following: gloves, knee/elbow pads, and helmet. The type of gear you may already use for biking or rollerblading should suffice. The idea is to minimize injury from a slip or fall in these areas. It's also not unheard of for rocks to fall from the ceiling of a cave on occasion. Multiple light sources should also be taken into any cave environment.

Meet Jim, your guide