What's in My Bag? 2024

Like many beginner photographers, I too fell victim to the urge to take all my gear with me on every photowalk. It resulted in a strained and sweaty back, along with a feeling of pointlessness every time it turned out I'd taken more gear than I used. After going through three backpacks, I settled on a simpler and smaller solution.

I'm talking about a 3-litre military waist bag. The fact that it's a "military" design doesn't make it inherently better but waist bags made for soldiers typically have multiple compartments, holders and accessories that regular bags lack. Here's what my bag features:

• main compartment with an inner pocket
• middle compartment, also with an inner pocket
• small front compartment
• flat rear pocket
• water bottle straps

To add even more functionality to this already full-featured bag, I added a couple of clip hooks that I can use to attach gear to.

Depending on where I decide to go, the contents of the waist bag change a little. The one constant thing is the camera or, specifically, the lack thereof since the bag is too small to keep anything larger than a small point-and-shoot in it. My camera is always out, ready to take a photo, dangling on a neck strap. Another constant is a water bottle sitting comfortably on top of the bag. Finally, a carbon fibre tripod may or may not be needed. I carry it on my hip, with one of its legs tucked behind the bag's waist strap.

Below, I'll describe two typical setups that I use today (Sumer of 2024). Note that I change my loadout before every photowalk so these are just representative examples.

Urban Exploration

If I plan to move around a city, I prioritise prime lenses. The bag can easily fit three while the fourth one is attached to the camera. My ideal loadout includes 28, 50, 85 and 135 mm focal lengths. Since I don't have all of these in a single mount, I often bring only two or three lenses with me. In the front compartment's inner pocket, I usually also keep a shutter release cord.

The middle compartment is reserved for step-up rings, filters, a spare battery set and occasionally, a spare roll of film. I only carry one filter size that I can attach to any lens via step-up rings, at the expense of being unable to use a hood at the same time. I currently carry a circular polariser, an ND8, an ND64 and a +4 dioptre close-up filter. If I happen to only bring two lenses with me, I often move the filters to the main compartment.

The caps from whatever lens may be attached to the camera sit in the front compartment.

Woodlands

When hiking outside of an urban setting, usually in a forest, I prefer to have access to zoom lenses. Given their chunky size, I can only fit one inside the bag's main compartment; the other is always attached to the camera. I can cover 16-120 mm focal lengths with two lenses. I also keep a spray bottle of insect repellent there. Ticks are a real concern so I prefer to play it safe.

The middle compartment's contents remain the same as above. The front compartment is again for lens caps.

I also load the rear pocket with a bag. That's right, a bag. I use it as a mat for kneeling or sitting on dirty or wet surfaces. It lets me take low-angle shots without worrying about my trousers getting filthy. Also, I sometimes like to just sit down and enjoy the surroundings for a while. The bag lets me sit down on humid tree stumps or logs.

Conclusion

As of today, the waist bag is by far my favourite photo bag. While it requires a fairly minimalist choice of gear, I never feel limited and, what's perhaps the most important, I use everything that I take with me and never end up carrying useless loads. Back comfort cannot be overrated either, especially given my spine issues.

That being said, it's always good to have some cargo pockets on the trousers. Additional equipment like my phone, wallet, keys, earbuds, a pack of tissues and whatever else I need can sit in these without limiting my movements in any way. I pretty much exclusively wear cargo trousers, both because of the comfort and the ample additional storage space they provide.