Renowned photojournalist and one of the members of Magnum Photo Agency, Eve Arnold once said, "The instrument is not the camera but the photographer". This statement could not be more true! One may spend a couple grand on gear, however it does not make him or her a good photographer. However... at times, we're all a little curious as to what the "good" photographers carry in their bags. Introducing "ShotKit", a website where photographers show you exactly what they lug around with them:
Photographers who participate in sharing their gear also submit a few photographs and a short bio. For example, Kurt Arrigo, who is based out of the small island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea, has stated that he shoots with both a Nikon D800 and a Nikon D4 depending on if he's shooting underwater, on land or in the air. The widest lens that Arrigo shoots with is a Nikon 14mm f/2.8 and the longest is a 400mm f/2.8. The actual bags that Arrigo puts his gear in is either the Think Tank Airport International V 2.0 along with a few Pelican Cases.
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| Arrigo, Kurt, Set me Free, 2013. |
In my opinion, the site not only functions as a resource to learn about gear but also as a collective space where conversations can begin about said gear. The photographs that are taken with this gear and posted to ShotKit serve as inspiration for viewers. Take Arrigo's photo pictures above, Set me Free, as an example. Not only does this image display an amazing sense of light, exposure and composition but the content that this image is communicating has the potential to leave one breathless. On a side note, this woman was not photoshoped into the frame; she is actually swimming in a school of young blue-fin tuna... and looking quite graceful while doing so... I might add.
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| Hernandez, Richard Koci, Shot Kit Bag, ND. |
I think it's important to note that this website is not meant to inspire you to go out and drop a few thousand dollars or to leave you lusting after a particular camera that you really do not need. (Please refer back to the quote at the top of this blog post for reassurance.) Street Photographer Richard Koci Hernandez, a two time Pulitzer Price Nominee, said, "As a street photographer, my philosophy has become if it can’t fit in my
pocket it’s not worth bringing. You’ll notice quite deliberately absent
from my photograph is an actual “camera” bag, that’s because I don’t
carry my “cameras” in a bag, I put them in my pocket" (Hernandez).
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01. "Inside Your Camera Bag - Photographer Gear and Interviews -." Shotkit. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2014.
02. "Inside My Camera Bag - Marine Photographer - Kurt Arrigo -." Shotkit. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2014.
03. "Kurt Arrigo." 500px. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2014.
04. "Inside My Camera Bag - Richard Koci Hernandez -." Shotkit. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2014.