Be Prepared: Not Just the Boy Scout Motto
It’s obvious that part of getting ready for your shoot is to pack your gear up. For some people this may be chore, for others a ritual. For me, it’s almost a challenge. But I’ve figured out a system for my bag(s) that I really like, so much so that my bags are almost always packed the exact same way. This isn’t new, I’ve had it this way for years. (for those that know me, yes I will be linking to “the video” again). And today I’ll share it with you.The image up top is my trusty bag, the Lowepro Computrekker AW. In the main compartment are 2 1D mk3′s, a 15mm fisheye, 24-70 2.8, 70-200 2.8 IS, and a 300 2.8 IS.
Notice the tight spacing between everything. It’s all padded, but it’s packed tightly. That’s key. No matter what bag you use, you need to remember that your equipment is inanimate. Unlike me on a coach flight, your equipment will not complain about being packed tightly, just keep the padding between it all and you’re set.
Also notice the range. A fisheye, wide and tele zooms, and a super tele, as well as 2 cameras. What couldn’t I cover with this setup? (FYI I have 4 cards total, 8 and 2 gigs, in each camera). Sometimes, I’ll keep a 16-35 2.8 instead of the fisheye.
There’s even a sleeve for a laptop. I carry a 15″ laptop. If I don’t need the laptop, I carry the same exact setup minus the laptop in a Lowepro Minitrekker AW.
In the smaller compartment, I carry an assortment of knickknacks, such as my gaffer roll, a set of 4 AA batteries, a spare battery for my camera, a sharpie, and a CF card holder. I will also carry various extras particular to my own needs such as a Tide to Go stick (I somehow always end up with BBQ sauce on my shirt), a small USB wireless mouse for my laptop, a small laptop AC adapter, a really tiny phone charger that runs on AA batteries (since my Mogul burns through batteries), and assorted cables and even a spare camera in case I need to do a remote shoot.
Again, this is what I normally have packed, even when I don’t have a shoot for a week. What’s the point of all this? Be prepared, and consider the best way to pack your bag, roller case, etc. It’s a matter of being ready to go quickly, and not worrying about where things are at the last minute. It’s also about making efficient use of your space. That setup above fits below my seat on domestic flights, and I travel coach (see why I mentioned it earlier?). I have a whole other carry-on that can fit my clothes, larger lenses, et.
Finally, it’s a matter of routine. When I pack or unpack, I already know what I want my bag to look like. This is especially useful when you are packing up after a shoot. Instead of wondering if you took something, you already know what you have, because you’re very used to having it. I even keep my lens caps in the same spot when I take them off my lenses. Routine can be very good.
So what’s your setup? What’s your routine? If you don’t already have one, consider it.
Feel free to send me images or comment with your bag and gear layouts. I’d love to see if anyone has some great ideas that I could implement into my setup, and I’m sure the rest of us would appreciate insight on bag setups.
Oh and finally, here’s the link to the video that inspired this post. That’s me, a few years back, stuffing a Minitrekker into the photography equipment of that VW Beetle at the circus where a million clowns pop out and you wonder how they all fit in there.
http://www.batteryfast.com/
a good read !