Know your enemy
What is lens mould? Well, your lenses are a sealed element, but they are not completely sealed and moisture can creep into the sturdiest of seals. Mould can grow in any damp and warm environment, as is seen in how badly it affects houses over the years. If you live in an area that is particularly humid during the summer months then you have to take extra care to make sure you don’t see the dreaded spiders legs.

As you can see from the lens above, the streaks across the elements in the lens can be ruinous. Mould and haze can attack any equipment and often creeps up on you without you noticing. This lens had haze all the way through the lens, which made the lens soft and cloudy. This effectively ruins the lens as not all lenses can be recovered from this horror.
Sometimes it it is not haze or cloudiness, but what can be be described as a filigree of fine marks across one or more of the elements of the lens. If this happens you really are buggered, as this is usually not financially viable to repair. Only on the most expensive lenses would you consider it, and even then it may not be possible.
What I am basically getting at is, you don’t want this. Not at all. So, whatever you can do to avoid this the better. Spending a small amount of money could save you a great deal of money in the long run.

Bags are not your friend
Camera bags are brilliant, I have loads of them and cannot live without them. But your camera bags friendship is decidedly conditional. They will protect your gear from the elements and carry things with ease, but they will not help protect your gear from the effects of heat and moisture.
One thing that you can do to help yourself is use silica gel packs in your bag. Keep a couple of them handy in each bag. They cost practically nothing and can save you from grief.
But the best thing you can do is get your gear out. When you get home it is terribly tempting to put your bag down, forget about it and look at cat videos on the interwebs. This is not going to do you any favours though. Your bag may be damp, or retain the moisture from the heat of the day. It is then going to sit in the heat of your house.
The effects of this may not be immediately apparent, but over time they will be. So better safe than sorry, get your gear out of the bag and get it somewhere safe.

Poor thing, the haze is obvious

Wiping away all your troubles
So, you have got your gear out of your bag, now what? Well, it wouldn’t hurt to clean it. You don’t have to do a full strip down, but giving it a once over to make sure that there is nothing untoward is going to help you later. Make sure you use a decent cloth to do this. I personally like the Mobile Cloth mobilecloth.com I have found these to be really really efficient at cleaning your gear. I shouldn’t need to tell you to make sure you have a decent blower, and not one of those crappy little ones with a brush on the end. In fact, stay away from brushes, they can get debris on them and wipe that on the lens.
Get some decent lens cleaning solution too and some paper wipes. Do not use kleenex, it is too rough and will leave marks. Use proper lens paper, which will not mark your lenses. As I have said, spend a little to save a lot, so don’t be cheap and skimp on these vital items.

Keep them dry, keep them safe

Once you have cleaned up any problems and you have made sure that there are no invaders hiding in your gear, you need to keep everything somewhere that is safe and dry. Under the stairs in the cupboard is not going to cut the mustard I am afraid, I cannot count the number of times people have pulled a bag out of a cupboard for me to look at and we have found everything covered in fungus.

If you have spent a lot of money on your gear, then you owe it to yourself and your gear to get one of these, a humidity controlled cabinet. Like a humidor for your gear. It will keep everything at between a peachy 35% to 45% humidity without any trouble. You can get them in a load of different sizes. I am not joking when I say I have seen one guy with 25 of the 120 liter ones full to the gills with gear.
An interesting fact is that Leica (and several other brands) prefer to be kept at about 43-44% humidity. The internal seals dry out if they are too dry and the grease can also dry. You have to think in the long term about these items. So having somewhere to keep your bits is great. It is also nice to have a James Bond style showcase of of your favourite gear.
One of these cabinets can go for about $200 for the smallest size up to about $1000 for one of the big boys.
But what about if you don’t have a ton of cash and a bundle of fancy cameras? Well, you can still do this on a budget.
Get yourself one of those big plastic tubs and put some silica gel inside. Some camera shops will sell plastic tubs which have a humidity gauge in them as well, which is a great alternative if you don’t want to break the bank.
I cannot stress how important some decent storage is for your gear. It will save you no end of headaches in the long run.

All is not lost

If you are careful and you look after your gear you will never see these problems. I personally have never had any of my own lenses or cameras develop mould, because I have been careful to make sure that they don’t. But that doesn’t mean it can’t happen, I remain vigilant.

Some lenses can be repaired if the damage is not too severe. Catch it early and find a decent camera cleaning place and they can bring your beauty back to life. But not all lenses can be saved, generally the older and rarer the lens, the less chance of them saving it.
Better to be safe than sorry.

I hope this helps you and that your gear lives a long and happy life.
Thanks
Japancamerahunter

I live in Durban, South Africa, and my real love is landscape photography. I started off with a DSLR about five years ago, but switched to film at the beginning of last year, building myself a small darkroom in the walk-in closet in my bedroom. My bag is a Lowe Pro Fastpack 200 which has two main compartments: a padded one with dividers for camera equipment, and an un-padded upper section that can be used as a day-pack. This suits me very well as I love hiking in the Drakensberg mountains.

My camera is a Bronica ETRSi which is quite small and light for a medium format (6 x 4.5) camera. It uses leaf-shutter lenses, which are fantastic for landscape photography because when used with mirror-lockup there is virtually no vibration from the shutter, so a light weight tripod can be used even for long exposures. I use the 40mm f/4, 75mm f/2.8 and 135mm f/4 PE lenses. These are roughly equivalent to 24mm, 45mm and 80mm lenses with a 35mm camera. I prefer the 135mm to the more common 150mm because the shorter close-focus distance allows it to be used for detail shots. My light meter is the Gossen Luna-Pro SBC, which has excellent low-light sensitivity, making it ideal for pre-dawn shooting. I shoot on Delta 100 conventional black & white film, and the use yellow, orange and red filters to adjust the tones that different colours will have. My torch is useful to check camera settings on pre-dawn shoots. I carry spare batteries both for the torch and for the camera, since its shutter is electrically operated. The notebook is used to record location and exposure information.

My tripod is a Gitzo 2540LVL, which is light but rigid. I use a Really Right Stuff BH-40 ball head and have a quick release plate on the ETRSi which makes attaching it to the tripod head quick and easy (although strictly speaking the tripod is not in my bag but is strapped to it). The plastic packet under the pocket knife contains Allen keys that can be used to detach the quick release plate if necessary to change the camera battery, and to tighten up the legs of the tripod if they work loose.

As well as the photography equipment, I carry some emergency gear when hiking. It is easy to sprain an ankle (or worse) while hiking, which might necessitate an unplanned overnight stay. In the mountains one can also be caught out by abrupt changes in the weather. This is why I carry two emergency blankets (one for myself, and one in case my hiking companion does not have one), an insulated weatherproof jacket, a waterproof poncho that is large enough to cover me and my backpack, and a first-aid kit. The first-aid kit has bandages, an ankle brace, disinfectant, and a few basic medicines.

Unfortunately most of my landscapes are not currently on the Internet as I don’t have a decent scanner and I hate the results one gets with bad scanners. So I mostly just print my photographs in my darkroom for my own enjoyment.

All the best,
Andrew

Thanks for sharing your bag with us Andrew. I wish you had shared some links, as I am sure people would like to see your work.
Comments are welcome as always.

Keep them coming folks, we need more submissions, so get your bag on Japancamerahunter.com. Send me a hi resolution image of the bag (please make sure it is horizontal) and its contents, with some details about yourself and what you shoot. Oh and don’t forget your contact details (twitter, flickr, tumbler et al). Send the bag shots here.

Cheers
Japancamerahunter

I live in Buenos Aires and I have been involved in photography since 1998. I have 3 cameras, each one for a different use; all of them are the upgrade of previous ones. I like travelling and taking photos, so this is my main subject.

1) Nikon D600

I use the D600 full frame DSLR for landscape and studio. I have several lenses for it; they were selected and keep after testing among others. Some of them were modified by me to fit and work with Nikon cameras.

I use old lenses because they give not so perfect images as “new digital lenses” gives. This way I obtain results closer to the film era. They also are less expensive and more robust than the new ones.

Tokina 28mm f2.8 MF. This is a small, simply and inexpensive wide angle lens that shows some barrel distortion but great for cropped sensor cameras.

Nikon 50mm f1.8 AF. The cheapest lens in Nikon´s line is also one of the best. IMO a must.

Nikon 50mm f1.4 MF. It is very sharp at f5.6 but not as practical as the AF f1.8.

Fujinon-X 50mm f1.2 EBC, this huge glass is the star in the collection. It has an incredible beautiful defocusing effect and crazy shallow DoF. It was extremely difficult to adapt it to the Nikon.

Nikon 100mm f2.8 E series. A sharp and cheap lens I use for portraits.

Fujinon T 135mm f/3.5 EBC, it is sharp, gives nice colors and bokeh.

Fujinon T 200mm f/4.5 EBC, good and retro-looking telephoto lens.

My accessories for the D600 are: a 5 million dollar bag (I recommend it), hand made hand strap, unbranded caps, high quality UV filters, Cokin filters, and cleaning stuff.

2) Fujifilm X10

I have the Fujifilm X10 for travelling across cities, street photography and every day use. It has a Super EBC zoom lens (equivalent to a 28mm f2.0 to 112mm f2.8!) and an X-Trans sensor. In contrast with top Nikons/Canon P&S cameras, the X10 has its own personality and needs to be properly set and use to get the most of it. Anyway love is blind and she looks great!

I carry my X10 in a leather case. It is rigid outside, soft inside and looks retro!

The camera has a hand strap and I use a UV filter as a protection instead of a cap. It allows me to be ready faster for shoot and provides weather and dust protection for the lens.

An extra battery and a power adapter plug are a must. The soft release is a dream and a good investment. I put in the flash shoe a plastic cap for protection and a 3” protective film on the LCD.

3) Minolta Dynnax 600SI

My 35mm film camera is a Minolta Dynnax 600SI. This was a very innovative camera that still looks and performs like the modern ones except for the AF. For metering it has a 14 segments sensor and use fuzzy logic, what in real life means that more of 99% of the shoots will be well exposed. It also has a retro style having all commands accessible directly by hand and a huge viewfinder.

The lens is a Minolta 50mm F1.7 Autofocus.

Here you can see more of my stuff, some DIY guides and my portfolio:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nick_cool2000/

PS the camera behind the photo is a Nikon D90.

Thanks for sharing your bag with us Adrian. That is a great mix of film and digital that you have there.
Check out the links and make sure you come and comment.

Keep them coming folks, we need more submissions, so get your bag on Japancamerahunter.com. Send me a hi resolution image of the bag (please make sure it is horizontal) and its contents, with some details about yourself and what you shoot. Oh and don’t forget your contact details (twitter, flickr, tumbler et al). Send the bag shots here.

Cheers
Japancamerahunter

- in the middle of them all is the camera itself, last time i`ve posted here i was using 2 black Nikon FE`s (so underrated cameras), but because opportunity comes with patience…i`ve had the chance to buy a few months ago a Voigtlander Bessa R4A… that i think is the equivalent of the FE in a rangefinder body. That was a great camera, and when coupled with the Voigtlander 35mm 1.4 Nokton was just a great compact street photography machine. But if you persist in patience, opportunity will strike again, and a few weeks i`ve got myself the camera that i wanted for 2 years, the Leica M3, single stoke. The price for it was 250$. So this is what i use, and for those who want one, i can tell them to be patient.. buy a Nikon FE (they`re cheap as dirt), use that until the opportunity arrives and save some money in the meanwhile, and if the opportunity still dosen`t show off …contact Bellamy, he can negotiate with opportunity for you.  Back to the camera, it is a chrome version, but because i believe that a camera must be black, and only black… i`ve dressed it with some sort of gaffer tape.. but with a much better tactile quality.

- at 1 o`clock is my lightmeter, a Weston Master V. Great build quality, button for holding the iso setting so you don`t turn it by accident in the pocket.

- at 2 o`clock is the same penknife and lip balm

- at 3 o`clock is a white envelope whit picture to show / share with friends. The picture atop is with a special cat friend that died today, and because of his death i decided that i want to send you the bag photo today. For you all, enjoy your life and the time you spend with your love ones, that time is limited. And here`s a photo, and make sure you read the little text in the “info” button from down-right.  http://1x.com/photo/48332  And for those who don`t know 1x, take a look and you too just might be surprised.

- at 4 o`clock is a Hama Film-Safe X film holder, it takes 4 roles and is X-ray safe. Also made in the same country as Leica. For this year i will use only Fuji C 200, so that`s in the holder.

- at 5 o`clock is the lens cap fot the lens that`s on the camera. What lens? a 50mm f2 rusian Summicron, it is called Jupiter 8 and it`s a perfect copy made in Russia after a Carl Zeiss Sonnar. Google it and you might be surprised. I got it for  19$. Taking that into acount, and the words of Henri Cartier Bresson: “sharpness is a burgeois concept”, the Summicron dosen`t make sense to buy. Not from my financial point of view at least. Also near it, it`s a usb cable for the small digital compact camera that shares the bag with the M3, and it was used to take the picture with: a black Samsung WB250F, a great camera.

- at 6 o`clock is the same city map

- at 7 o`clock is something special. the business cards for my site/blog. i decided to end the Vivian Maier aproach, so you can now find my photographs here: http://imagefeelsoul.blogspot.ro/  It`s the only place where i intend to put them, and i try to (and do that) update it daily. The comments are disabled, i belive photographs (sometimes) must just be looked at, felt and understood… and (sometimes) comments can stand in the way. If someone really wants to say something about a photo.. can go the email way, if not, then those thougts are just not that important even for the sender..

- at 8 o`clock is a cable release, upgraded to a model that has a screw to lock for bulb mode and long exposures

- at 9 o`clock is an agenda, black of course.. This is one of the best and simplest ways to get organised, and that`s a must especially when you begin your own business.

- at 10 o`clock there are some pens.

- at 11 o`clock is a simple quote that i like, it says “THINGS ARE BEAUTIFUL, if you love them”

- and at 12 o`clock is the same bag as last time, just with more wear out marks

So that`s in my camera bag, nothing more than what i need.

Wish you all great light, in your viewfinders and souls! Roger and out!

” As time passes by and you look at portraits, the people come back to you like a silent echo. A photograph is a vestige of a face, a face in transit. Photography has something to do with death. It`s a trace. ” (Henri Cartier Bresson)

Thanks for sharing your new bag with us Ned, interesting to see how things have changed. I love the presentation too, very imaginative.
Check out the links and make sure you come and comment.

Keep them coming folks, we need more submissions, so get your bag on Japancamerahunter.com. Send me a hi resolution image of the bag (please make sure it is horizontal) and its contents, with some details about yourself and what you shoot. Oh and don’t forget your contact details (twitter, flickr, tumbler et al). Send the bag shots here.

Cheers
Japancamerahunter

I started out with photography in 2007, when I bought my first SLR camera, a Nikon D40 with a kit lens. I then brought this camera with me to far-east Asia (Nepal, India, China, Thailand and Cambodia). Here my interest for photography really caught my attention. After that trip, I never left home without a camera.

I shot with a Leica M8 for 2 years, when I lived in Amsterdam, Holland. Also, I used to have a Nikon D300. Many of my shots on my webpage are done with either the D300 or the M8.

Along my digital workflow, I have always loved the idea of film photography. By ‘accident’ i bought an Olympus Trip 35 in 2008, and I absolutely fell in love with analog photography. The sheer joy of photographing with a simple, no-battery no-nothing camera really appealed to me. So I bought another Trip35 and actually, a third. All on flea-markets for few dollars. Sadly I lost one in Cuba, dancing salsa in the streets of Santiago de Cuba. I try to travel as much as possible, and always bring a camera. Currently, though, I do not own any actual digital camera.

Pack: A backpack, from Royal Republiq. I love a classic backpack. I travel far on my bike everyday, so a backpack is necessary. Also, I sometimes bring my macbook pro, which fits in the back along my books and everything else.

Choice of film: Color! COLOR COLOR COLOR film. I absolutely love color film. I am very inspired by Ernst Haas and his work with colors in New York city. A few times I have fallen in love with the Kodak TriX 400. Also a great B&W film, but still, color film is great. I like the Fuji film. A great mix of price and quality.

But to talk about the actual setup.

Picture ‘Setup 1′ is my day pack. I carry an Olympus Trip 35 with either ISO200 or 400 color film. I love the sort of “slow” film look the camera gives me. Very classic and calm. I like that. I bring my iPad, my granddads Omega, 2 spare rolls of film (a 200 and a 400 – both color).  Also I bring a Midori notebook to note down everything. A leather-bound notebook, beautifully made in asia, and a Midori pen.  Last, but certainly not least, I bring my Yashica T4. A superb compact camera, with a tac sharp Zeiss lens. It is a really great camera. Recently added to my collection of camera, I am still getting used to it. It is so nice and smooth.

*Note: photo is taken with my iPhone 5. I haven’t really decided on what I think of the camera in the phone. Sometimes its great, sometimes its very disappointing.

Setup 2 is the cameras close up. Setup 3 is the back of my Yashica with a good statement.

Feel free to contact me for anything or questions. I love a good talk about photography.

My webpage is www.frederikdalum.dk, instagram is frederik_dalum.

Thank you and enjoy photography and film
Best
Frederik

Thanks for sharing your bag with us Frederik, an great bag and a great story. Happy shooting.
Check out the links and make sure you come and comment.

Keep them coming folks, we need more submissions, so get your bag on Japancamerahunter.com. Send me a hi resolution image of the bag (please make sure it is horizontal) and its contents, with some details about yourself and what you shoot. Oh and don’t forget your contact details (twitter, flickr, tumbler et al). Send the bag shots here.

Cheers
Japancamerahunter

I work in a big organistion and the other day one of the many newsletters went around… This one is issues by the guys in the design team. Its one of my favourite as far as the corporate messages are concerned.
The design newsletter focuses on design from a business sense. Its the space that I work in professionally. The last page of the newsletter often contains a quote that they grab from somewhere, and is usually something that I dont really connect with. However, this month was a little different.
The quote for the month was:
“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change”
This one I really like. And I think people who relate well to the genre of Street Photography will also feel the same.

I think it has applications to some of the work that is often associated with the genre of street photography. Its not the work that I intentionally set out to find, but it seems to be a growing trend. And thats finding things that are slightly out of the norm. Relying on the luck of happening upon matching colours in obscure combinations of chance. People doing things that, although they happen daily, they rarely happen in front of someone holding a camera, with the intent of posting the said photo on the net in a street photography forum.

There is also the fact, that as photographers we often hear people talk about developing your eye. That perspective one gains on the world around them when viewed through a lens. That ability to see things that others take for granted and pay little notice to. The sixth sense that the greats have, of being able to see a moment unfold before them, and to predict whats going to happen next, and be in the right place with the right setting and more often that not capture the image.
In any case. I like the quote, and I thought that I would share it with you, and I thought we might be able to take a look at how one might go about changing their perspective in relation to their photography. How can one develop that sixth sense, or if your preference for street photography is the quirky and zany, how to you search it out?
First thing first, you cant really have an understanding of what you are trying to develop until you have done some research. Right?

If you are new to this caper then read books. Look at images, good, bad, and mediocre. Be critical of others work. Providing feedback on others work is a useful process for you as an artists as well. Find out what you like. Find out what you don’t like. Then go do what you like. Sounds simple right? I don’t think so. The above is also true for experienced photographers as well, but maybe you are looking for something a little different. Maybe you have become a little stagnant or bored with what you used to love doing, and you are looking for something new… Used to shoot street, try shooting some fine art studio shots. Used to shoot landscapes, try some urban architecture for something different.

You can sift through all the information on all the blogs and web pages on the net and come across some very common names in the world of photography. And not just street photography either. These names are common for a reason, they were, or still are, great at what they do. Looking at the work of some of the masters of our art form will allow you a small insight into how that artist viewed the world around them. This insight is what you need to take away from the viewing process to start the development of your own change in perspective. There is a great book that I have called Steal Like an Artist. Its well worth a read, very easy, very funny, and very appropriate to this discussion.

So, now we have done our research and we have a solid grounding of information that we have used to base our decision on how we would like to develop ourselves as a photographer. Next steps… Equipment??
This is not where I tell you to go out and spend big dollars on new equipment that will meet your new found needs for the chosen endeavour. You can make great images with a phone, many people have proven it. What I am going to tell you is that whatever you are using, you need to make sure that you know your equipment back to front, inside out, and blindfolded with your right hand tied behind you left ear.
Your camera is the tool that you are going to use to show people your perspective on the world. You are going to change the way you look at things remember, you don’t want the camera to get in the way of your vision, you want it to be an extension of yourself. The only way you can really achieve this is through practice. It is a well known fact in sports (I am a running coach) that it takes 10,000 hours of doing something to become a master at it. The exact same thing should be said for photography. So, when I say that Im not going to tell you to go out and buy lots of expensive kit, Im going to tell you the exact opposite. Sure, get something nice if its in your budget, but when you have got the tool that you are going to use to show others your new found vision, don’t go changing it all the time. Gear addiction is something that will hinder your development as an artist, as every time you get a new bit of kit, you will have to go through the learning and development process with it again.

One thing I will say is this. If you are shooting digital, then those funny numbers and things on the camera, like iso settings and ev compensations, they all started way before there was a digital sensor ever invented. If you want to really understand how the process of capturing an image works, and understand how you can manipulate this process, bending it to meet your needs, then you should understand this from a analogue perspective. This knowledge is transferrable to the digital process, and I am a strong believer that it will help you in the long run. And hey, we are talking about changing the way you look at things… Maybe you have been shooting digital for your whole life, these people exist these days… Maybe a simple change to film will give you that boost in perspective that you have been looking for. A old manual film camera doesn’t cost the earth.

A second advantage to shooting some film is the fact that it slows you down. When you go out with a digital camera, there is no sense of importance to an image. You can fire away at the shutter without even thinking about it, hoping that you get that one shot you are after. With film its different. Each frame costs you a little money. If you are using a older camera you even have to wind the film on. You cant just snap away at things. You then have to wait to see your results. You might even process the film yourself, there are some great do it yourself guides on JCH on how to process both black and white and colour film. This slow down in your work flow give your brain the chance it needs to assess whats going on around it, and to think about the next image. To re-engage with the process of shooting. This will also change the way you look at things.

So, we now have an understanding of our direction, and a understanding of our equipment… Whats next? Practice… As I said above, 10,000 hours to become an expert. That’s a lot of hours… During these 10,000 hours you wont go out and shoot the same things, you are likely to change what you are interested in during this time and find a whole new direction as well. But you will be making photos, and they will improve with time.
Whilst going through this process of learning my biggest bit of advice is experiment. There is no wrong answer in photography, as long as you are looking to learn from mistakes. Do things you haven’t done before. Have you ever shot with colour filters and black and white film? Give it a go. Have you ever used a flash on the street? Nope, try that as well. Have you ever spent some time shooting from the hip?
Once you have the ability to see the way your camera sees, and you know your speed and aperture setting like they were imprinted on your brain, this should be a breeze. Change perspectives. Try and find locations where you can shoot from above or below the scene. Shoot from down low to the ground, high above your head. Be creative, this is the number one thing… You need to exercise the creative centre of your brain… Massage it, feed it with more of those lovely books. Go to art shows and exhibitions. Keep on learning, keep on developing, and keep on changing things to ensure that what you are doing in fresh and fun for your brain. This should be a passion, even if its something you do for a living, you should love every minute of it. The second you stop loving it, this will change the way you look at things for the worse, and will be clearly evident to the people viewing your work.

You can read more and see more of Tristan’s work on his site.
www.fixedfocallife.com

This is an interesting piece with a few good points. I would like to hear your views and suggestions on this. I think that many photographers think about this at some point, I know I have. What worked for you? How did you change your point of view?

Thanks
Japancamerahunter

My name is Stephane Bednarek and I train driver in France.
I’ve been shooting photos since i was 10, introduced by my father with its Minolta XG1. I have two bag a light for the daily, and another for contemplation! I’m also interested in photography and contemporary Art, I love all subjects, I like to discover and learn.

Bag 1

Gitzo tripod with Manfrotto 410
Sekonic 758
Wista 4×5 with Schneider Kreuznach Apo Symmar 135mm and Sinaron S 210mm
Toyo and Fidelity holder
2 Nikon SB15
Leica M6 with Voitglander Color Skopar 35mm
Nikon FM3A With Nikkor 45 GN and Nikkor 20mm Af-d, Ai-s 50mm 1.2, Vivitar Auto Telephoto 135mm
Black and White film Ilford and Fuji color film.
Not on the picture, Lowepro Messenger

Bag 2
Berlebach tripod
Tachihara 8×10 with Schneider Kreuznach 300 and Fujinon WS 210mm
Sekonic 758
Nikon F2 with Nikon SB15, and Nikkor 20mm Af-d, Ai-s 50mm 1.2, Vivitar Auto Telephoto 135mm
Not on the picture, Lowepro Vertex

http://stephanebednarek.net/
http://stephanebednarek.net/accueil.php

Thanks for sharing those bags with us,they are both fantastic. The Tachihara is beautiful, what a pleasure.
Check out the links and make sure you come and comment.

Keep them coming folks, we need more submissions, so get your bag on Japancamerahunter.com. Send me a hi resolution image of the bag (please make sure it is horizontal) and its contents, with some details about yourself and what you shoot. Oh and don’t forget your contact details (twitter, flickr, tumbler et al). Send the bag shots here.

Cheers
Japancamerahunter

I’m currently studying at Parsons in the photography program, as well as working as a freelance photographer, videographer and photo assistant for a few commercial and editorial photographers around the city, but to make some extra cash on the side, for about two years now I’ve been doing vintage equipment maintenance and acquisition, finding beautiful old pieces in every kind of shape from museum quality to trash bin beauties, repairing and refurbishing them, and then selling them to a few clients in New York and LA.

The contents of my bag, a fantastically ragtag brandless leather messenger given as a crew gift to my father a few years ago (now held together mostly by duct tape and medical thread) change almost every time I leave the house, but a few mainstays are-

My Sekonic L-308s Light meter (heavily used and deeply loved, fantastically accurate and compact, i’ve literally used it every day since I bought it.)

Ricoh GRDIII w/ external viewfinder (not pictured, this camera never leaves my side, its the perfect backup and more often than not my primary street camera.)

Nikon 50mm F/1.8 E series (a fantastically sharp little pancake lens for only $30 used, it lives in my bag in case i’m ever at school and want to just grab a studio slot and one of the cages D3′s and take some pretty pictures)

Victorinox ALOX Pioneer or Leatherman skeletool (not pictured)

Mophie Iphone battery booster

Moo business cards and holder

Steadepod cable stabilizer (fantastic for both stills and video, I’ve been able to hand hold a razor sharp shot down to half a second with this thing)

Vintage Carl Zeiss sunglasses

1940′s navy stopwatch (used for long exposure timing)

Metz C220 flash w/ short and extended sync cables.

Vintage brass and leather Zippo lighter (bought this at age 13, it has not left my pocket a day since)

The cameras however, change every time I go out to shoot, I consider what my main goal for the day might be, and sling whatever the most appropriate camera might be. Currently in order of use-

Plaubel Makina 67 w/ 80mm f/2.8 lens (on loan from a very generous teacher of mine, this camera has barely left my side in the past month, it is truly one of the best cameras I’ve ever used. mainly grabbed for portrait work, or night time long exposure work.)

Yashicamat 124g w/ 80mm f/3.5 lens (overall my most used camera by far, a gift from a family friend when going away to college, this was the first camera I ever overhauled completely on my own, it was a paperweight when I received it, but after six months of tender love and care, and two 3d printed gears, its smoother than any other model i’ve handled to date! mainly used for portrait and street work)

Nikon S2 rangefinder w/ Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 lens (this is my latest acquisition, the S2 has long been my holy grail camera, and about a week ago, my aunt posted a picture of it on facebook after finding it in a box with my great grandfathers possessions, my jaw hit the floor when a few days ago, it showed up in the mail with a note to use it well, it’s in literally mint condition, not a scratch or bump on it at all! this camera will not leave my side for a good long time. mainly used for portrait work)

Nikon FM2 titanium shutter w/ Vivitar 20mm F/3.8 ( my favorite SLR this particular model was bought for $25 broken and restored to perfect working order, its still ugly looking, but thats how I like my cameras, I have no shelf queens, if I own it, I use it. the lens is an odd piece a family friend gave me, sharper than any other wide i’ve ever handled, but still very odd but I love it. mainly used for street and reportage work)

Nikon Black paint Nikkormat w/ Nikkor 35mm F/2 (This was my fathers camera, he used it to the point of brassing during the 70′s and 80′s and after finding it in our storage unit a few years ago, this has been a mainstay of my kit. the lens was found broken and restored, thus the lack of front plate. mainly used for street and reportage work.)

There are a large number of cameras and lenses I use less often that are not pictured my digital mainstay is a Nikon D7000 usually with a 35mm 1.8G lens on it.

Not pictured but worth noting

Nikon N90s (fantastic semi auto film camera with the best auto exposure i’ve ever seen, anytime I shoot slide film and need perfect exposure, this is my go to camera.)

Nikon D3 w/ Nikkor 55mm 2.8 macro ( this is my main studio setup when working at the school facilities I have at my disposal, the camera is checked out from the cage, but the lens is mine, a beautiful piece I bought from a friend for $60, it is the sharpest lens I have ever seen on any of my cameras.)

Fuji GX680 (my studio king, fully loaded at 19lbs it’s a tripod only user, but takes the sharpest portraits and landscapes i’ve ever seen)

Lomo LCA+ (my go to camera whenever a camera might not be apropriate in a setting and I need something to slide slyly into a jacket pocket)

Nikon 12-24mm F4 (the only zoom I own this lens practically lives on my D7000, its fantastically sharp through the range, and great for video.)

Nikon 24mm F/2.8 (my most used lens, beautiful DOF at 2.8 I consider this the perfect reportage lens for any crop chip user and even better for anyone who shoots full format if you know how to handle something that wide. it is currently on loan to a friend)

Nikon 50mm F/1.4 pre AI (used mostly for video, I tend only to use it when DOF is more important than sharpness)

All the film cameras are currently loaded with Portra 400VC but my most used films are in descending order Portra 400VC, Delta 3200, Tri-X pushed to 1600 and Provia 400x(when i can afford it, or feel like missing a meal)

All of my work and contact info can be found currently at either my blog, or my flickr, or on Instagram

Outlierimagery.com

Flickr.com/outlierimagery

Insta @Outlierimagery

Cheers!
Daniel Sawyer Schaefer

Thanks for sharing your bag and your thoughts with us Daniel. I am very much looking forward to your upcoming article (Daniel has been doing a spot of writing for JCH).
Check out the links and make sure you come and comment.

Keep them coming folks, we need more submissions, so get your bag on Japancamerahunter.com. Send me a hi resolution image of the bag (please make sure it is horizontal) and its contents, with some details about yourself and what you shoot. Oh and don’t forget your contact details (twitter, flickr, tumbler et al). Send the bag shots here.

Cheers
Japancamerahunter

First of all, welcome to JCH, please tell us about yourself

Thanks for having me, dude. I’m 29 and I live in San Francisco CA.  I discovered my passion for photography in my early 20′s and have been teaching myself how to make photos ever since.

I wish there was more to say…I live in an amazing city and I always have a camera up to my face. I have a day job and I freelance sometimes… Mostly I make photographs for me. I shoot the things that interest me: city landscapes, strangers, my cat, and my asshole friends.

You shoot more than probably anyone I know, in a variety of formats and with different gear, why is this? Too many to choose or not settled on a combination you prefer?

I usually grab what’s closest to the door. My most used cameras are my Leica M6, Canon G12, and LC-A. I like different styles and genres of photography, and my cameras are useful tools to create different looking photographs. If I can get away with it, I love to use my Nikon F4 for hired work… When I sit and think about it, I realize I have so many cameras and so little of everything else – one pair of shoes and enough clothes for a week or so without needing to do laundry… I guess at some point I decided that I would rather have money for film than for a new pair of sneakers.

I see a lot of your work online, it seems to be a reflection of your lifestyle. How would you describe your photography?

I don’t know…I’m just there. Sometimes a shot will appear. If not, I just keep walking, or doing what I’m doing at the time. I would like to be deeper than that, but my photos are created from a need to make photos. Sometimes I try to create a concept, but I feel I work best by just going out and being places, and then editing down after. I find themes in my photos much easier that way.

How do you get yourself motived to shoot? What inspires you?

I just carry a camera everywhere. It’s as routine as leaving the house with my wallet and keys. My friends through photography give me a push, advice, and most importantly they give me the truth. It’s hard to let someone talk about my photos, especially if they are going to say what they don’t like, but I value certain people’s words when it comes to my photos. I have conversations daily with Justin Vogel, Emilio Banuelos, Matt Obrey and Christos Kapatos— all very different thinkers and shooters but they all have my respect and undivided attention when it comes to getting advice. It’s not often you can bond with a stranger and then feel close enough to let them in. Killing your darlings is a hard thing to do, but it has also made me stronger. I am motivated by the great images my friends produce— it drives me to keep loading my camera to go out and improve but also to stay confident.

What is the biggest challenge you currently face with your photography?

Honestly, my biggest problem is figuring out what to do with all of it. For now, I’m just going to learn as much as I can, shoot often, and remain as true to myself as possible.

What is an Icarus and what does it have to do with your photography?

Icarus is my F3 Savannah cat and best friend. He guards my cameras for me.

I hear you like to take pictures of nudey ladies too, is this true?

I do— I enjoy the interaction between subject and photographer. I like to photograph real people and not someone who is a model. Mostly my friends volunteer and it’s all pretty relaxed and not awkward. If I meet a stranger that I want to photograph nude I will hand them my card, explain to them that I’m not (that) creepy, and tell them that if they look at my website and if they are down then I would love for them to come over. So, if any of you readers are in San Francisco and like to listen to The Cure while being photographed and aren’t allergic to cats, send me an email!

Are there any photographers that inspire you or influence your work?

I admire Ying Tang, John Goldsmith (anyone in Strange.rs), Benjamin Heath, Richard Bram, Mike Avina.. – so many wonderful photographers.  I am inspired by the interactions I have had with them – they are all amazing people with lots of good things to say. I feel very lucky to know a lot of the people I have met while living in San Francisco and being part of its vast photo community. Lots of alternative process photographers inspire me to constantly be creative and try new things as well.

When it comes to the masters, I am a huge fan of Alex Webb, Bruce Davidson, and Mark Cohen. If I could only own three photographs it would be one from each of them.

Where would you like to see your photography develop in the future?

I would like to stop being such a shithead and make photography my full time job. By the end of this year I will hopefully be working steady freelancing and possibly have a better set up for studio portraits.

Do you have any upcoming projects or new pieces that you would like to share with the readers of JCH?

Currently working on a few things, the hard part is getting to the editing phase. That’s when the harder part starts. I want to show more of my work in galleries and zines, and possibly make my own zine that will lead to a bigger art book.

Links
https://www.facebook.com/joe.aguirre.180
http://thoughtlesshero.com/

Thanks to Joe for being a good sport and finally sharing his work with us. He has been a big help in encouraging me with my work, so I love seeing his stuff on the site. Joe’s photography has a kind of purity that I don’t often see. If I didn’t know him better I would say almost a kind of innocence that comes through in his images. Hopefully now he will finally give me a print to put on my wall.

Please check out Joe’s links and make sure you come and comment.

Please remember that the images are reproduced with the kind permission of Joe Aguirre and may not be used or reproduced without permission

1) FED 3

2) Yashica MG-1

3) 3 films (2 color, 1 b&w)

4) sunglass, small towel & cap

5) extra shirt

6) pen & tape (for labeling used film)

I shoot a lot during my free time as I have my regular day job (accountant). I love to travel but is more into street photography whenever I hit the road and oftentimes, I’d say that the street is my playground. I also read a lot to learn more about photography and as much as possible want to meet people who shares the same passion of shooting.

you can browse some of my works here:

http://www.facebook.com/joval.villareal

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jlvillareal

Thank you and hope to shoot with you when you come back here in Philippines.

Regards and all the best!

JOVAL VILLAREAL

Thanks for sharing your bag with us Joval. Love the shirt, that is cool. Hope to see you shooting in the Philippines one day.
Check out the links and make sure you come and comment.

Keep them coming folks, we need more submissions, so get your bag on Japancamerahunter.com. Send me a hi resolution image of the bag (please make sure it is horizontal) and its contents, with some details about yourself and what you shoot. Oh and don’t forget your contact details (twitter, flickr, tumbler et al). Send the bag shots here.

Cheers
Japancamerahunter