This pod is for Bekka in Germany. All right, people, we need to talk about something that's slowly breaking photographers one vertebra at a time. Yep, camera bags. I know I've talked about finding the perfect bag before in episode 152, but I keep seeing the same issue pop up. So here we are again. I'm specifically talking about the ridiculous behemoths strapped to the backs of otherwise smart humans. Look.
I'm five foot four and I weigh a buck fifteen, and I like my spine and my knees. So you'll forgive me if I look sideways at someone hauling around a 50-liter bag that looks like it was built to summit Everest while shooting a Red Bull commercial on the way up. Why are these bags so big? I'm seeing 30-, 40-, 50-liter bags. Are you carrying your gear and your assistant on your back? I don't get it.
Some of these bags weigh five to eight pounds empty because apparently your camera must be protected by some space-age, bulletproof, shark-resistant, waterproof material. What are you shooting? A documentary in a war zone? People, relax. You don't need anything like this. I get it. Manufacturers are all headed in this direction. I was just at a photo expo where I saw evidence of this.
And once again, it's because some new manufacturer out there got somebody on TikTok to get a hundred thousand likes, and now everybody's chasing that bandwagon. At the end of the day, these companies are here to sell bags, not to debate what's actually best for you. The cooler it looks, the more likely they'll make money. That's the bottom line. If you want to buy it, they're going to sell it to you. So next time you see someone on Instagram,
gushing about their amazing new bag, ask yourself, did they get it for free? I know when I get free stuff, I'm more likely to like it. And if they paid a lot for it, do you really think they're going to admit they made a mistake? Oh, hell no. Next time, take a close look at that person. Are they male, six feet tall, 30 years old, and healthy? Are you that person? I actually met someone who fit that description. He was actually very fit.
He was about five foot ten. He was about 160 pounds. And he openly admitted that he had fallen for one of these Facebook ads. And he was complaining about how heavy this bag was. And we were only two hours into the shoot. He was absolutely miserable by the end of the day. And here's something I want to know from the people who are advocating these bags on Facebook or TikTok or whatever. How far are they actually carrying the bag?
All day in the heat of Vietnam or Morocco? Can they please report back after six, seven, eight hours? Yeah, I really want to know. And finally, ask yourself, what on earth are these people doing that requires all of those little gizmos and the little pockets that come with these bags, including that elephant skin material? Let me say it loud for the people in the back. If your camera bag is heavier than your checked luggage,
you've gone too far, okay? Look, if you really need to carry all that gear, fine. Get a lighter bag or maybe put some wheels on it. Get a roller, use a cart, hire a mule. I don't care. Just don't wreck your back because you insist on bringing three camera bodies and five lenses for a casual walk in Paris. And if you're being honest with yourself, are you actually using all that gear every day? No, you're not. You want to.
You think you might, but you won't. When I'm running and gunning, I carry only what I know I'll use in a bag that's lightweight, quick to access, and comfortable. If I'm driving somewhere or won't need to walk much, I might bring more gear, but it's probably in something with wheels. If you need more because let's say you're hiking to photograph birds with a giant lens, fine, I get it, but get a real hiking backpack,
and use lens wraps or padding to protect your gear. It'll be lighter, better balanced, and actually designed for walking long distances. Which giant camera backpacks are not. One big issue I keep seeing: people are trying to use one bag to get all their stuff from home, through the airport, and to the hotel. So they buy these massive 50-liter bags that carry everything—camera gear, laptop, tablet, headphones, snacks, you name it.
And yes, I get it. You don't want to check your gear. You can't check your gear. But there's no rule that says it all has to fit in one bag. Why not split it up? Camera gear in one, personal stuff in another. Or you can even split up the camera gear, some of it going into that personal bag. This way, you'll have a smaller camera bag available when you're walking around. Again, even if you have to bring all your lenses,
you're not likely to need them all the time every day, but you will need your camera bag all the time every day. And you don't want to be straddled with one giant bulky heavy camera bag. All right, that's it. Please stop carrying these giant bags and falling for Instagram ads. I'm talking to you. I hope that was helpful. And if you want to join me for an international adventure with your camera, visit me at boundlessphotosafari.com.
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