LET'S TALK...CAMERA BAGS!

Camera bags……this was never an item that crossed my fashion radar (I am pretending I have one) but since purchasing my big girl camera I have been perplexed why camera bags seem shall we say less fashion forward in other words complete devoid of colour and style…..and lets be hones UGLY!!

Every time I attend a function or even just go for lunch and take my camera with I am newly struck by how uninteresting this particular accessory is. And while we are being honest let’s say that for most of us who blog our cameras are accessories!!! Then last week I went to see a friend and meet her new baby and I slung my standard camera bag over my shoulder as we walked around the park.  When I got home I realised that the camera bag strap had rubbed up against my t shirt making little cotton balls and fading the black of the t shirt across the shoulder…LOVELY!!!!

Now not only is my camera bag ugly but it damages my clothes too.  So I did what any 21^st century girl would do and I “googled” !!  A whole new world has opened up to me because there is so much variety out there…..so much so that I felt a little overwhelmed by it all.  So I sat down and made a list of what I want in a camera bag:

Stylish – I don’t want it to look like a camera bag

Safe – there must be sufficient protection for the equipment

More – I want to be able to fit more into it than just my camera and lenses.  It must also be able to fit in all my travel essentials which includes my iPad

Travel well – I don’t want to take the boring yucky bag with me when I travel so it must be practical enough to travel well

Price – most online shops are USA based and with the current exchange rate this is a major consideration

Weather proof – I want a bag that is as water proof as possible

Weight management was a consideration when starting out but the reality is that with all the crap I generally carry around with me, it’s going to be heavy no matter what!!

Many of the bags (in fact I believe all of them) are from designers who themselves are photographers.  That helps with the design and aesthetics of the bags.

Here are my top choices:

Jill-E: I especially like this red bag. But it does seem a little bulky and form what I can see there is no sling strap. Also I have read some reviews where the users claim that the bag is very cumbersome.  It is still pretty though! 

Kelly Moore: Gosh her bags are beautiful. She says “I wanted to encourage the photographers out there and give them a bag where they can change a lens at a moment's notice without feeling the pressure of having the client wait. Trust me...I've been there. I want you to feel the freedom of focusing on your craft and also give you more options. I wanted to give my clients "moore". My mission is for you to walk away having more function, more style and of course more fun!”

I really like the Libby bag 

And the Classic bag 

Unfortunately, these are a little outside my price range.

Cheeky Lime: I say a vlog done by a lady who had just received her Cheeky Lime package and from the moment she opened the box I was in awe.  There is a lot of attention to detail from the wrapping to the little charm on the bag.

I have two that I really like.  The Classicbag in pink but it wont hold my Ipad...

And although based on the pictures it is a little big for my taste I also like the Livy bag 

Then we get to my favourite two bags both manufactured by Epiphanie. All the styles come with cross-body straps which are removable.  They really look stylish and are water-resistant!! It is the kind of bag that I could take with me to Egypt as well as to a wedding and feel comfortable. It looks like a designer bag which means it is as far from your generic camera bag as possible. The price is a little on the high side but it is really a great bag which can hold my ipad as well as my camera equipment and my girlie essentials such as lip gloss and cell.

I love the Belle especially in this fuchsia colour   

However if I am practical and really consider my needs then I would have go for Ginger and I love the slate blue colour. 

So which camera bag do you use or is there one that you recommend ?