What’s in my photo bag? — Lawrence Lazare
Like most photographers, I am on a never-ending search for the perfect camera bag. My current bag is the Lowepro Photo Hatchback BP 250 AW II. I like the fact that the cube that holds my gear cab be removed so that I can use it as a non-photo bag. It also has a built-in rain cover as well as being a very sturdy bag. That said, I just ordered a new bag just this week that I am anxious to try out.
I usually carry two cameras along with a number of lenses:
Infrared photography is my main photo focus, and I shoot with an Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II that has been converted to Infrared. My camera was converted by a fantastic company in NJ called Kolari Vision. My OM-D EM5 has a full-spectrum conversion which allows me to use filters to shoot different light spectrums. The Kolari site has a wealth of information about Infrared photography in general. If you’re interested in learning more, here’s a good video that provides an intro to Infrared Photography. You can see some of my infrared photos here.
I keep a non-converted camera in my bag, an Olympus E-M1 MARK III. Olympus is known for its image stabilization, and the EM1 has features like star auto-focus. That makes it possible for me to do astrophotography despite my vision challenges.
I hardly ever wore sunglasses before my vision loss, but I am now extremely light-sensitive, so I almost always wear sunglasses when I am outdoors, and sometimes even when I am indoors in brightly lit spaces. I wear a pair from Two Blind Brothers, a company run by two brothers who are afflicted with Stargardt Disease, the same disease I have. The glasses are designed to meet the need of the visually impaired, but they are great choice for anyone looking for high-quality sunglasses.
My light sensitivity also necessitates that I also wear a hat whenever I am in the sun. I recently ditched my trusty NY Mets baseball cap for this embarrassingly named Fisherman's Chillba Hat from Kavu. Although it’s certainly not runway-ready, it’s a fantastic hat. It has a metal band in the brim that allows you to fold it into a tiny disk, making it perfect for tossing in your bag. It’s water-resistant and fully reversible.
My European friends have long sung the praises of hiking poles, but I have only recently become a convert. What I love most about these Trekology Trek-Z Trekking Hiking Poles is that they fold down to a size where I can put them in the side pocket of my pack.
Lastly, I always keep a 30000mAh Solar Charger in my bag — I like the fact that in addition to plugging it into the wall, I can charge it by setting in the sun. There are many different solar chargers out there, but I like the fact that my current unit can be charged using a lightning cable ( as well as with a micro-USB cable) which allows me to use the same cable to charge the unit as well as my iPhone. When I get my next charger, I will get one that includes a flashlight as well as a USB-C port.
What's in your ...?
We want to hear about unusual and unusually useful items that you have in your desk, bag, closet, fridge or where ever you keep things. It can be anything really: work bag, pantry shelf, beauty drawer, toolbox, etc. Start by sending an email to claudia@cool-tools.org with a photo of the things in your chosen space (you can use your phone). If you get a reply from us, fill out the form. We’ll pay you $50 if we run your submission in our What’s in my ...? newsletter and blog.