A glimpse into the Fire Girl camera bag while on assignment.
I fully confess to being a bit of a gear hound. Not necessarily in the sense that I buy one of everything, but in the sense that I research every aspect of a piece of equipment before I buy it. I am hard on my gear and want it to last. I’d prefer not to worry about whether the straps on my camera bag will hold when I am four miles up a mountain during a blizzard. At that point, there are other priorities.
There are only two camera bags in my kit and for the moment that’s sufficient. A Lowepro Stealth Reporter D650 makes the cut for storage, travel, and studio work. This bag is amazing – I’ve taken out the camera padding and used it as a duffel for week-long trips. The various pockets and sections work beautifully for storage and provide a secure home for everything. It looks like a business case when I am working in crowds and is inconspicuous enough not to alarm the natives.
My other bag, the “field bag” is a small National Geographic photography backpack. Just large enough to hold my camera body, two lenses, and a cleaning kit, this bag is currently sitting on the floor beside me covered in mud and clay from a trip to the river. The canvas exterior is hardy, low-profile, and takes serious punishment. Nifty side pockets are easy to access when the pack is on and adjustable straps let me play with the load if I am hiking or scrambling. This pack was my first camera bag and is still a favorite – it’s taken me from backstage at Spruce Meadows to working ranches and still continues to truck along.
It doesn’t really matter what brand or style bag you have. Make sure the camera bag will comfortably carry all you need it to. Make sure its durable enough for the intended use. And perhaps most importantly, make absolutely certain that it’s comfortable! Four hours into a working assignment that alone will be top priority. No one can concentrate on getting the shot if their camera bag is sliding around.
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