Before I headed to New York for Full Figured Fashion Week the lovely Cherie from SHUTTER bag sent me the brand new Purple Safari Camera Bag to take with me on my adventures. Camera bags really are the gift that keep on giving for me, again and again and again. I kick myself for having bought those Lowepro cross body pouches for all those years, I’m a fashionable camera bag convert and quite happy to drag everyone else over to the dark side with me.
I love my Kelly Moore “Libby” bag, it’s big, holds heaps of gear, good as a carry-on and the grey colour goes with everything I wear but I found myself wanting more. Every lady knows there is no perfect bag that solves all purposes. Camera bags are the same, you need different ones for different occasions. The Libby is quite stiff and bulky so when I’m going to a small event where I don’t need much gear and there is the likelihood that I will bump people in a close knit crowd I usually end up having to shove my camera on it’s own into a handbag… not so great.
So when I found the Safari in gorgeous, buttery soft leather I knew I had to get my hands on it and give it a real spin, I mean really put it work and thankfully Cherie was happy to let me crash test it. It’s been to the beach, on boats, through international airports (crammed to almost bursting point), in NYC cabs, at runway shows and in cloak rooms. It’s rummaged through the woods, dealt with frosty mornings and nightclubs til the wee hours of the morning… and has always looked good but most importantly it has protected my gear.
The thing I love about the fashionable camera bag is that your gear doesn’t stand out in a crowd. To someone who doesn’t know any better, at first glance they would never know it had $10k worth of gear inside, just another bulky chick’s bag. The secret is all in the lining, it has to be padded and supportive. I like mine to have a laptop divider (also great for the ipad) and dividers that go along the bag so I can separate lenses, flash gear and my purse to make it easy to find things as more often than not, for runway shows I’m in the dark.
Lots of pockets keep me organised too. Knowing where everything is that I need in an instant is often crucial, if I miss the shot because I can’t find that extra card or the lens mount cap… I’m screwed. What I love about the Safari is the softness, how it moulds to my body when I wear it. When I want to carry less gear I often rip out the inside velcro dividers to lessen bulk and that softens the bag’s shape even more.
As mine was the first sample bag (I feel so spoilt) it differs a little from the ones in stock. The leather is a little less purple and a little more burgundy than the ones in stock for sale. With all things leather this is to be expected, the feel and finish is still the same and that’s important to me. After having the bag for three months and really giving it a thrashing it was nice to be able to talk candidly with Cherie about the bag, how it serviced me and that she took on my feedback keenly with grace. I’m really hoping I can assist her like this as she develops her line.
I thought I’d show you how much I usually cram into my Safari, still leaving room for more make up, bottled water and snacks. What’s inside my bag?
- 15″ Mac Book Pro
- Nikon D700
- 24-70mm 2.8 Nikkor lens
- 70-200 2.8 Tamron lens
- SB600 External Flash
- Gary Fong Collapsable Lightsphere
- Gary Fong Puffer Light Diffuser
- Spare AA Batteries (I usually carry 12)
- Compact Flash Card
- Charger and File transfer cords
- Headphones
- Spare Camera Battery
- Telfast tablets
- Breath mints
- Lip Gloss
- Lip Balm
- Perfume
- Pen
- Sunglasses
Simply take a pic of what’s in your handbag/camera bag right now, post it on instagram and don’t forget to include the #SHUTTERBag hashtag. Then come back here and share the link to your photo in the comments section below.
GOOD LUCK!
Competition is open to Australian Residents only. This is a game of skill. The competition closes on Sunday 16th September 2012 at 5PM AEST. One winner will be drawn and contacted via email and a public notice will be made in the comments section of this post. The prize delivery will be arranged by SHUTTERBag after the winner has made their bag selection. Please Note: I was gifted the SHUTTER Bag Purple Safari for review and I was not paid for this post. I wanted to offer the opportunity to own one of Cherie’s gorgeous bags to you guys because I want to share the love.
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
http://instagram.com/p/PIpbeaRq1e/
http://instagr.am/p/PIq0BfkU1G/
This is exactly what I have been looking for. Gorgeous, fashionable and functional. Rachel xx
https://picasaweb.google.com/111095846143946986015/4September2012#5784149345759542306
“Want to win your very own SHUTTER bag?”
OMG YES!!
My poor Nikon D3100 has no home and desperately wants this one!
Oh sorry Danni! I missed that it had to be on Instagram. Please ignore my entry *sob*, I’m not on instagram! :(
Oh this bag looks and sounds so amazing. Definitely what I have been searching for and this competition couldn’t have come at a better time. The only handbag I had big enough and looked stylish just got ruined at an event!
Here is the current contents of my handbag after having to downsize :( http://instagram.com/p/PI25LgtRH_/
http://instagram.com/p/PI2t6-KIKD/?fb_source=og_timeline_photo_user_message
This would be great for my trip to NYC coming up
I could only fit half of my bags contents into the frame. Because I am a horder with an obsession with carrying every paint brush in the world in my bag at any one time.
http://instagr.am/p/PI3h9gTf7b/
The ShutterBag is so stylish! I have had my eye on one of these for so long..! Would LOVE a shutterbag to replace my boring black lowepro camera bag and be a fashionable photographer :-)
http://instagr.am/p/PJlRbVBu4H
CONGRATULATIONS You’ve won a Shutterbag of your choice!!!!
http://instagr.am/p/PLEYpmyDVu/
Hash tag would not work, i hope this still includes me in the competition.
http://instagr.am/p/PLK-H4Ipm5/
You do not want to see my daggy old camera bag. Most of the time these babies get bashed around in my handbag. Lucky it’s beautiful.
http://statigr.am/p/274849485168524063_3597765
I don’t actually have a bag for my (Mum’s) DSLR! But here is what’s in my everyday bag (a lot of mess!) – http://followgram.me/i/275618650902637148_9810393
Loving your glo-mesh <3 <3
http://instagr.am/p/PTxtLXqnhB/
One bag is mine, one bag is my BIL’s camera bag…it’s not hard to tell which is which :)
Also, when I’m up to it, I’ll need to learn to operate his Canon 400d…any suggestions for workshops? Doesn’t matter which state.
I have a dozen or so handbags but none of them do much for protecting any camera equipment I’m carrying, not to mention the iPad and all the other junk.
Link to image >> http://instagram.com/p/PMdp1ykz1m/
Your avatar is so cute! :) I love the frame!
information is very beneficial and beneficial
nikon d700
http://instagr.am/p/PbMIKeLrS3/
I have lots of purple things which would look very good in a purple Safari!
http://instagr.am/p/PdwhUnq4sM/ in my handbag
Here’s my instagram: http://instagram.com/p/PebA9srEOs/
It’s my bag packed and ready for TAFE in the morning (which I have just unpacked to take a “What’ in My Bag” photo) ;)
- Ticket holder with bus tickets, student ID, and apartment keycard
- Wallet
- iPad with my theory PDFs
- Recipes folder (I’m studying my AdvDip of Patisserie)
- 12/13 Diary
- Pens
- USB
- Will Write for Food – Dianne Jacob (My current read)
- Canon 600D & lenses
I generally lug this to TAFE every morning, and my bag is no designed for it. So you can imagine I’ve been lusting after a Safari for quite a while now. I bring my camera in with me every day to make sure I get snaps of all my dishes.
Usually when I get home I just pull out the recipes folder and everything else stays in my bag pretty much all the time.
It’s very fun peeking into everyone’s bags!
Natasha x
P.s. I almost fell off a chair trying to take this photo from the right angle. My room doesn’t have much space for laying out the contents of my bag. :)
Here’s what’s in my bag. Mix of black & red. My res notebook is under the Italian Film Festival guide. My phone is always on hand & obviously used to take the photo. Salt sachet & umbrella because they are ideal in emergencies!
http://instagr.am/p/PfacTZAsJI/
Oops the link didn’t work with my post!
http://instagram.com/p/PjC00-DC4J/
http://instagr.am/p/PlTubuiWZ7/
All the important stuff and a packet of tiny teddies, in my handbag!
Realised after I took the photo I’d left my wallet & house keys in the tiny camera bag satchel I’d been out with for the afternoon. With a camera as stylish as my new Oly it would be ace to have a Shutterbag!
http://instagr.am/p/PlmtApE9lr/
Couldn’t spot my entry so just in case it didn’t work, oh calamity!
here’s my original entry: http://instagr.am/p/PeafiYgDK3/
and my labelled one : http://instagram.com/p/QVm_hFADNT/
THE WINNER IS… Chanelle Hay!
YAY! Thank you so much Danielle and ShutterBag! I cant wait to show off my new fabulous ShutterBag to Everyone!!! They are just gorgeous :-)