THE TOOLS HE USES
Considering he’s a photographer for whom the journey is so
important, it may be surprising to learn about the equipment
Koegel chooses. In an age when photographers en masse are
downsizing to smaller and lighter kits, he has made the opposite
choice: a medium format digital system. “It sounds stupid,” he
says, “but once you know what they can do, it’s tough to get
back to another camera.”
Koegel uses the Phase One IQ4 150-megapixel achromatic
digital back on a Phase One XF camera body, occasionally
switching to a Cambo WRS technical camera. Cumbersome
as it may seem, this atypical choice actually provides fur-
ther evidence of the photographer’s devotion to experience.Ireland. “I think everyone has a certain desire to look at
something new, right? And I think it can energize us. I think
it can be exciting, going to a place that you’ve never been.
I try to go to somewhere new every year, at least one new
location, but then I really ask myself, ‘Is this exciting enough?
And if it’s, you know, a seven out of 10, I happily go back to
an earlier place. I think a lot of landscape photographers
might have a bucket list that’s like, you know, 50 countries.
I’d actually happily rather go to 10 countries but do
them in-depth. I find that once you skim the surface, it’s
exciting. And you get some good shots, but it’s much more
interesting to go deeper and go there a second time, a third
time. And I’d rather go back than find a new place. You find
new places when you go back, too.”
³ Phase One IQ280 with Cambo WRS camera, 23mm
Rodenstock HR lens. Exposure: 480 secs., ƒ/8, ISO 50.
52 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com