It has taken me a little bit of time to really figure out exactly what type of baggage I need to carry all of my equipment. I thought I would share some past experiences with some camera bags as well as my new experiences with some recent purchases! 🙂 I was carrying some of my bags in one day after photographing a wedding thinking to myself, why am I still carrying this bag around? I have been so accustomed to carrying it around to weddings that I did not even realize that my bags also speak to who I am! Of course!!! Definitely time to upgrade and figure out the best way to carry my equipment!
The “Portrait Bag”
THIS is the bag I use the most out of anything! It needs to be cute, functional, durable and be able to hold everything I need for a portrait session. I also will carry this into a wedding day carrying the same equipment I use for any typical portrait session which will get me through majority of the wedding day until I need specialty lenses for certain moments. For over a year, I have been using the oh so cute Kelly Moore Bag. Now, I LOVED this bag but I noticed just as the one year anniversary of me owning one approached, so did the wears and tears of it. The shoulder pad ripped apart and then the pins holding in the shoulder strap popped out leaving me with a broken bag one day leaving for a portrait session. Fortunately, I had a backup on hand so I was set that evening but after speaking with the sales people at Kelly Moore, I was left very frustrated and unhappy with their service and unwillingness to fix these issues. I had to find a replacement that is going to last me longer than a year of use. I was directed to the Ona Capri bag by SEVERAL photographers! I definitely wanted something classy, brown leather and something that can be used as a side bag for easy carrying. This Italian leather bag was PERFECT for what I needed! Great for portrait sessions and for carrying into a wedding day as my main bag. 🙂
The “Everything Bag”
This “everything bag” carries my backup equipment and specialty lenses I will only use at one part of the wedding day. I had a fuchsia Jill E bag, but after many years of use the leather has started to wear off and I have outgrown it. Too much equipment in a small bag. It was definitely time to upgrade, although I LOVED the bag! I decided to go into a different direction with this “everything bag” … honestly, it is not the cutest bag to say the least. BUT it does everything I hoped to have in a bag! The best part? The main purpose is for traveling security. I KNOW that everything I’m carrying is secured and safe inside the bag. If I ever were to have another destination wedding or whatever, I have this bag to depend on hoping on the airplane with me to keep my stuff safe … which is essential!!! I introduce to you, the Think Tank Airport Commuter Bag! I’m able to carry EVERYTHING plus more in this bag for a wedding day … my extra lenses, backup camera, all of my flashes, backup batteries, cleaning supplies, etc. Also, I don’t need to carry an extra bag for my laptop anymore because this bag has a protective compartment specifically for my laptop! Perfect! I have freed up one of my hands on a wedding day … cannot say no to that! 🙂 Even though this bag is not the prettiest, I’ll settle for dependability and functionality!
The “On the Run Bag”
This bag is meant for when I’m in one place and able to park my bags in one area of the room but don’t want to be carrying a large bag just for a couple of essential lenses, batteries and cards. More specifically for receptions. Sometimes receptions can be a bit unpredictable. I always did not like the fact that I would have to run across the room to where my bags are to switch out a lens or change out my card. I could not carry my Kelly Moore bag with me because I always felt like I would knock people down with it! Haha! I needed something that would be light, functional and slim. I finally bought a Shootsac Lens Bag! This bag is amazing for many reasons! It fits SO comfortably against my side and the fact that it hugs around me due to the flexible material it is, I don’t feel like I’m going to knock guests down during the party! I’m able to put my essential lenses, cards and even a water bottle in this bag so I can constantly be on the run … which is why I call this my “on the run bag”. 🙂 I would HIGHLY suggest getting the shoulder pad if you were to purchase this bag! I also bought a cute cover to add some personality to the black front. Although, my mom and I are already brainstorming ideas of how to make my own cute cover that is personalized. 🙂 Realistically, I keep this bag empty in my Think Tank bag until it is the reception, then I take it out, fill it up with what I need around the dance floor and I’m all set the remainder of the night!
Laptop BagÂ
Like I say above, I don’t need to carry an extra laptop bag on the wedding day now that I have a Think Tank bag, but this is the perfect bag for meetings and carrying my laptop to the library or Starbucks! I started off with using a laptop black sleeve that mac gave me when I first purchased my MacBook Pro … SO boring. Did not realize how boring it was until I thought, why don’t I have a cute laptop bag to carry to meetings? I typically carried my boring black laptop sleeve holding my MacBook Pro inside of a P31 Conference bag. I love that tote bag, but it definitely was never meant to be carried as a laptop bag … definitely time for an upgrade!!! I only just found this YESTERDAY! Wohoo! I’ve been searching for a cute laptop bag for a longggg time but was never satisfied with anything I ran into until I found this! I’ll be the first to admit that I was never the one carrying around Vera Bradley at college, but I actually fell in LOVE with this Vera Bradley laptop bag!!! Now I have a bag that has personality and is easily carried into meetings or if I need to spend the day at the library. 🙂
I’m now all set for a LONG time! 🙂 Feels like I’m getting ready for school all over again!
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