NZPhotographer Issue 59, September 2022

THE CAMERA BAG
Having a well-organised and not overloaded pack
is really important for me. Knowing where every item
of gear lives means you can be quick and efficient.
I’m amazed sometimes at how long it can take some
people to get their camera gear and accessories
out of their packs and set up. For landscape
photography, you need to be able to set up quickly
when arriving pre-dawn at a location. Knowing where
everything is is also key to getting set up in the dark. A
slow set-up might mean you miss the best light!
Having owned many backpacks from multiple
brands, as I have during my career as a landscape
photographer, I’ve decided that there is no perfect
camera backpack. But I think the Lowepro Whistler
450 is as close as it gets. There are a few features I
think really make this backpack stand out from others.
Firstly, it’s great for the storage of non-camera items.
As a landscape photographer, I spend most of my
time working out in the elements, which means I
always need to carry gear like a raincoat and, quite
often, a down jacket and extra layers of clothing.
When I’m running workshops, I also need to add all
the workshop gear along with three thermos flasks to
make the whole group hot drinks at sunrise! Very few
camera bags offer enough space to accommodate
all of this, but the expandable back pocket on this
backpack allows you to cram in a lot of stuff. The only
downside of being able to load so much into it is that
it can become so heavy that it is difficult to carry the
bag!
The pack has a good strap system which is important
for me, being 6’3”. Many backpacks sit far too small
and high up on my back with the waistbands sitting
up around my waist instead of on my hips. The pack is
56 September 2022 NZPhotographer