Mette Lampcov

Photojournalism | Last Updated: February 12, 2021

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Hi, my name is Mette Lampcov. I am a Danish photographer based in Los Angeles, California.

I work mainly on stories about how the climate crisis and environmental issues are affecting communities and people in California and the landscape around them.

This work brings me into many extreme situations, like covering the aftermath of fires, being on a boat following scientists doing research in rivers or deltas or in the high Sierras looking at dying trees… It is either very hot, wet, cold, smoky or dusty.

Climate change is a hard thing to photograph, and it’s always a challenge. Sometimes I think, why did I not choose something easier? But I feel very passionate about working on the stories: it’s me and the climate crisis and the ongoing battle to tell these important stories.

I work mostly between my Canon 5D Mark IV and my Fujifilm X-2T – it’s all to do with what kind of situation I am in.

70% of the time my 24-70mm f/2.8 lens is on the 5D and the 16mm f/1.4 lens on the Fujifilm.

If I don’t want to stand out too much or am in a new situation meeting people I tend to bring just the Fujifilm to go small and simple; if it’s more of a rough situation where I know my equipment will get banged around, I bring my Canon. Essentially I have both with me including the lenses most of the time.

I also have the Fujifilm GFX50S and it’s my special incredibly beautiful definition medium format camera with a 45mm lens. It’s my baby mostly for portraits.

I have a notepad but I mostly use Evernote on my iPhone 7s for notes, research and recordings.

A hat, scarf, sunscreen, lip balm, spare batteries, memory cards and water are with me at all times, all carried in a very fetching fanny pack, and of course sunglasses and my Adidas Terrex Swift waterproof hiking shoes, and when needed a dust mask to protect myself.

Cameras & Lenses

Canon 5D Mark IV
– 50mm f/1.2
– 35mm f/1.4
– 24-70mm f/2.8
– 70-200mm f/4
– 6 x batteries
– 4 x chargers

Fujifilm X-2T
– 16mm f/1.4
– 23mm f/1.4
– 16-55mm f/2.8
– 6 x Fujifilm batteries
– 2 x chargers

Fujifilm GFX50s
– 45mm f/2.8
– 2 x batteries
– 1 charger

Hardware & Software

An Apple MacBook Pro laptop for travel
iPhone 7s for notes and recordings
I use Lightroom and Photo Mechanic for editing, toning and captions.
G-drive hard drives – and use the EV system.
SanDisk and Lexar memory cards, I like 64GB memory cards and a Lexar card reader.

Bags

I have SKB hard case with wheels to travel with my equipment, a ThinkTank carry bag and an Eagle Creek fanny pack. I mostly travel by car to assignments so I can leave equipment in the car if I don’t need it.

I share my location via my iPhone with a group of people who know my plans and I make plans with them beforehand when I will be texting them back. My safety is important as I often go to isolated places or to new areas meeting people. It doesn’t matter what country you work in, make safety plans, ask questions and be well informed.

Looking at this long list of equipment makes me laugh – not too long ago I was packed and ready to go only to realize when I was five hours away I had left everything behind except my two cameras with lenses that I always throw on the front seat of my car. Luckily I always pack a spare battery and memory card in the camera carry bag.

It was a good lesson in being more picky about when to take a picture and not to waste battery and memory space. You only do that once… Till you do it again.

www.mettelampcov.com | @mettelampcov