Back in August or so, I sent Bellamy a submission for his In Your Bag feature. Due to the long wait list, it was finally posted just last week. Admittedly, a bit has changed in the last six months in regards to my “camera” bag. I am doing my best to simplify moving forward and I have finally found my ideal 35mm rangefinder. More on that and the contents of my current bag in a near-future post. For now, feel free to go check out the original feature here at his website, or read the same excerpt copied below:
Admittedly, it has been a long time since I have used an *actual* camera bag. For the past few years, I have been choosing a camera off the shelf and tossing it in the backseat of my car just to have the security blanket of having a camera with me always.
To carry everything, I have a tote-style bag from Muji. It fits my daily essentials quite well. So, whether I am working on my dissertation, going to work, shooting photographs, or want to read a novel, then I never have to change or grab different bags.
As a doctoral student, I need a bag that can carry both my necessities for coursework as well as photography. I have also been trying so hard to scale down on the amount of gear in my possession. My life has been very on-the-go for as long as I can remember and I need to simplify it as much as I can. While I enjoy, and appreciate all types of cameras, it seems that ones that are super portable with incredible build and image quality suit me the best.
I have the Contax T3 with me virtually every single day. I carry this camera as if it is an extension of myself. For everything that I used to use my phone for photography wise, I now use the Contax. Since I am aware that I am shooting on film, it makes me frame and compose even the most mundane shots that I find have some potential to be interesting images.
The Mamiya 6 is another camera that doesn’t really need an introduction, but it is my second daily shooter more often than not. The 6×6 format requires me to think a bit differently. Sometimes, I find that the square format fits certain scenes better or puts a better emphasis on a composition than 35mm.
I am still looking for my perfect 35mm rangefinder. The Leica CL I currently own is a great camera, but it’s not scratching the itch for me. So, the hunt continues for my ideal (and affordable) M-mount rangefinder.
I always carry a notebook both for my daily thoughts as well as coordinating calendar dates, and the like. Additionally, for the past eight months, I have carried a different Murakami novel as well. I have been sort of blasting through his body of work to find reprieve from my busy days while also attempting to make sense of everything in my late-twenties. I am currently reading Pinball, 1973, but 1Q84 is a favorite of mine.
All in all, my camera bag is not as much of a camera bag as it is the essential thing(s) I need to get through my day-to-day.
I’d like to thank Bellamy for the chance to showcase my bag and all of you for taking the time to check it out. Thanks so much.
dylan barnes | blog 