(This small article has been inspired by the
interesting and nicely done video by Take Kayo from bigheadtaco.com: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BccQl5Qq2G0 )
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| Can you see the "bag" back curve? Photo Manon Paquette |
Everybody is really curious about what, how and why
the others are doing things. And as photographers are basically curious people
(I hope so!) It is very intriguing to know what are the contents of these
magic gadget photo bags. Yes things are changing especially from the past era
of heavily loaded photographs with a plethora of equipment to be used primarily
or as backup and backup of backup.
Film
era
At the beginning of the film era it was impossible to
be certain of the final result of your photographs until it has been fully
processed and printed (or projected). So most photographers who pretend to be
serious in their involvement to the medium were sharing a certain amount of
insecurity regarding the use of their equipment. In that regard, many were
bringing with them a lot of items. Only so call “ordinary” people never care
about this and were using a single camera to register their souvenirs.
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| A camera for each different purpose! |
It brings me back to my own beginning in professional
photography as a way of living ($$$) and of doing something that I
was passionate. At that point the photo equipment and the different type of
films used have strong technical limitations. If your needs were diversified in
term of subjects or types of output generally speaking most photographers were
using at least two or three cameras bodies and an array of different fix focal
length lenses. Just reminder those emblematic magazine reporters with their Domke
bag filled with Nikon F cameras like the actor Nick Nolte into the “Under Fire”
1983 movie.
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| Lowepro Magnum First generation in gray presentation ( Web Picture ) |
For my part my Lowepro Magnum “grey” reporter bag was
including 2 Nikon F3 HP, 1 F2AS as a back up, Nikkor AI-S 24mm, 35mm, 55mm,
105mm and 300mm lenses, a Metz 45 CT1 handle flash unit, a Sekonic light meter
and many films, filters (mainly for color or contrast corrections plus the
polarized) and others little parts. My other Lowepro Magnum “blue” studio bag
was containing a Mamiya RZ67, three lenses (wide, normal and telephoto), waist
level and prism viewfinder, a Gossen exposure meter, two roll film backs, a
Polaroid back and plenty of accessories. After several years of that regime my
back had enough of all this overcharge equipment. (Small note: I was hiring an
assistant only in very specific situations on location or studio shooting)
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| I love the Fujifilm interpretation of photo evolution ( Fujifilm Corporate Advertising picture ) |
With
time I have learned that the over equipment phenomena is inducing mismanagement
of their functionalities, great fatigue and more important great loss of
photographic opportunities. You have to be selective if you
want to really take control of your creative output. Yes you can have at your
disposal a lot of different parts but you cannot use them efficiently at the
same exact moment of time. So you need to be selective and learn to better
apprehend your subject or context to photograph.
Digital
Age
What advantages the digital age has offered to us
compared to the film era. Firstly no more films had to be selected in terms of
color or B&W, or different ISO, or different final supports (Negative or
slide), or length (12, 24, 36, even 250 in 24X36mm format).
Secondly the instant verification of the output that helps
to pinpoint the good combination of adjustments to do with the equipment and …
the subject. So no more back up pictures and no more back up of back up as we
use to do.
Thirdly the super in-board post treatment will
optimize the lens performance by preventing aberrations of every type.
Fourthly even if the automation trend has started
during the last decennials of the film era, much automatic functionality such
as autofocus and auto exposure have been greatly improved in the digital age. Auto-focus
anticipation has never been so efficient although it stays a difficult task.
The same can be said for the in-board exposure metering.
So what is in the “digital” bag? For many of us a lot
less in term of equipment but as a result a lot more output and that is the
real victory over the dark ages of the film era…
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| The concept behind the Lowepro Passport sling bag (From Lower Web site ) |
My
today bag (which is also my travel bag) is very small and
light. It may or may not contain a lot a
different things depending the context I am anticipating to use it. But you
will find at least one camera device (mainly a mirrorless model equipped with a
versatile fix or zoom lens plus a small telephoto) and the indispensable
accessories such as a spare full charge battery, an additional memory card, a
lens cleaning kit, a small battery charger, my mini iPad along with the SD card
reader adapter, the ac adapter and my earphones, a small notebook, a pens, a
bottle of water, a nutritive bar, a cleaning towel and my Swiss knife if I can
find it. To fulfil all that my favourite
bag of the last 5-6 years is a Lowepro Passport, first generation. On travel I
will usually add a very small compact camera with a wide-angle zoom lens as a
backup. Sometime I will bring also very light clothing and some personal care
products for an emergency or a short stay-in. I prefer a shoulder bag for its
immediate access and its less evident showing.
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| Photo Manon Paquette |
For sure the best bag will be the one that doesn’t interfere into your activity and inspiration. So its dimension and internal content is more a personal choice. There is a multitude of interpretations on “What can be in your bag?”.
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| Photo Manon Paquette |
The other bag
But I found much more interesting to know what is in your “virtual” bag. I mean your experience, your motivation, your inspiration, your enthusiasm, your creativity, your openness, etc. As we do love photography it’s our passion that drive us to go further to find the “next” picture.
But I found much more interesting to know what is in your “virtual” bag. I mean your experience, your motivation, your inspiration, your enthusiasm, your creativity, your openness, etc. As we do love photography it’s our passion that drive us to go further to find the “next” picture.
