I admit it, like most photographers, I have really bad GAS. Gear-Acquisition Syndrome. My backpack style camera bag is so overstuffed with lens, filters, a tri-pod, reflectors, a tablet and other gadgets and accessories, that the stitches are separating in some spots. And worse yet, most of this stuff, I don’t recall the last time I actually used them. I just keep throwing them in the bag thinking I’ll find a potential shot where I will want to have it. And some of this stuff is actually good stuff. For example: my 50mm, f/1.4 lens. (side-note: everyone should have a 50mm prime. Even the cheapo f/1.8 is a fantastic lens). Every time I do manage to pull that lens out of the bag and mount it on the camera, I’m so impressed with the results. I should use it more but most often, it never leaves the bag. And on top of all this, I have more than one bag. There are bags for lights, stands, mounts, clamps and straps and more. On longer road trips, there can be a dozen bags in the back seat.

After some recent trips (NYC, Maine, etc..), I realized carrying around a 35+ pound camera bag often prevents me from getting some of the shots I would like to get. First, there is security. Not so much an issue when hiking in Maine, but when in the city, I take it off and set it down to take a shot, consciously, I’m still paying attention to the bag, making sure I’m not creating an opportunity for someone to grab it. I even have to be conscious of not leaving bags in the car, I drive a Jeep Wrangler (no trunk and a soft top in the summer months). It’s a pain which leads me to the next issue. In the main camera bag, there are also bottles of Advil, Aleve and water to wash them down. I have CPPD (calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease) which in recent years have damaged my knees to the point I can no longer kneel without thick knee pads (also in the bag). And when I plan these photo-walks, I typically plan out a full day of places to shoot. However, I’m finding myself coming home early because I’m physically shot by mid-afternoon, due to all the weight.

I remember something fabricator Jessie James said on one of those motorcycle building shows in TV. “If it doesn’t fit in a pocket, it doesn’t go!” This year, I resolve to do more one lens walks and leave the bags home. Pick one for the day and make it work.