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I want to dress like a photographer!

People keep giving me photographers vests. I have 4 or 5 and have refused the last 3 or 4 offers. I can't find anything in them. twenty pockets means twenty places to look for something, and I'm always laying or leaning on something that shouldn't be crushed. Get a good jacket that works and keep your kit in a camera bag or pack, unless you have the kind of mind that works well with multiple pockets. I can't see how appearing to be a fumbling moron while looking for a filter makes me a better photographer at any price point.

When I'm looking to look cool I put a Gitzo sticker on my forehead, although I cant do that with 4x5 because when I'm shooting I lick the dark slide and stick it to my forehead while I make the shot. When I'm wearing the Gitzo sticker the dark slide won't stick, so I have to hold it, set it on the camera, or put it in a pocket. Then I look like an idiot.
 
C A Sugg said:
If you're shooting on the highways now, it's a bile-orange vest.
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... and if you're shooting an orgy, then its a lather vest, garter belt and fishnet stockings (so you have places to hang your film and lenses from).
35mm rangefinder photographers on the street should blend in with the crowds and move around like phantoms, studio portraitists should look distinguished and elegant, editorial photographers will always look like college rejects and LF landscapists should either go for the cowboy hat, or the facial hair extremes: covered like a bush or smooth like a lightbulb.
 
And I don't appreciate much the fact of being in a Mediterranean climate I'm in the coast, but went last weekend to mountainside (Pyrenees).
Summer (right now) is a killer here, a little movement and you already find yourself sweating. Midday in the mountains last weekend was horrible, hot, and staying a bit in the sun feels like being fried. Thank god that shadows were cool, but in the coast it's almost the same to be or not to be in a shadow space. Though I wouldn't like to be on a northern climate in winter.
I believe that carrying any photo vest is not a very good idea right now here.

The worst of the climate now is that I don't see anything special; Sunsets are really boring, the sky is all the day blue, and there are few clouds, that merge with the light blue of the sky. I'm awaiting fall/autumn; Sadly, in fall I'm again at h.school and don't have time to photograph much, specially that I won't go much to the mountainside, that is wonderful.
 
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Speaking of hot climates, I recently discovered that the cycling jersey may be a really excellent garment as it breathes hundred times better than cotton shirts, can be opened in front for extra air conditioning and has the very convenient pockets in the back for your film and small accessories.
Of course one has to pick the more normal looking ones, not the race tight shirts with the eye gouging garish colors.
 

Yes, I understand your dilemma. In Southern California we have blue skies, no clouds, weather today was like yesterday in the 70's F [20's C], no rain, and a cold spell means that we have to wear a sweater part of the day. Beaches, mountains and desert ... nothing to see but scenery! It is a rough life, but someone has to live it.

Steve
 
Carry a 4x5 Crown or Speed Graphic or a Linhof with attached large flash and screw-in flash bulbs.

Steve
 

I think you should put together a super hero outfit.
 
I use a fishing vest I got over ten years ago for less than $30. It looks like hell, but it was a far better deal than the Domke vest, which looks the same.....
 
JBrunner said:
I think you should put together a super hero outfit.
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I have the tights, I have the cape and I think the goggles would go nicely too. What do you think I should stitch on the shirt? A nice big greek Φ (for photographer)?
 
EdColorado said:
I have a photo vest (don't remember who made it) that I haven't worn in ages. It was very useful when wandering around a race track but now I mostly shoot nature and wildlife and the vest hangs in a closet. Now my "vest" is a backpack.
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If you don't wear that vest, and if it's a size XXL, you can send it to me as a gift, and I'll wear it..

Dann Fassnacht
c/o General Delivery
Aberdeen, WA 98520
 
That hat shes wearing would make an excellent lens shade for her camera if the top was cut out

Mike
 
I bought an egyptian cotton jacket 15 years ago made by Willis & Geiger (sp?) that was a great investment. It is waterproof, long sleeved that goes down to mid thigh. One of the best investments for shooting in cold weather I have ever made. It has enough pockets to carry anything I need. I believe it was made as a safari jacket. I don't think they are in business anymore though.
 
These days, a photographer needs to wear an article of clothing equivalent of the "Get Out of Jail" card, maybe with a bulletproof vest underneath and a kevlar cover for his camera.
Making records of everyday life in this rotten world has always been dangerous and a threat to those who want their subjects just sleepy sheep and selected archives for history.
 

They sold out to/were bought by Land's End, then into the Sears/K-Mart quagmire.
 
As you already remarked, it is a prestige project for Gitzo. They simply can afford to produce such devices in small quantity.
Guess why!

As with every higher end product, the price grows faster than the actual gain in terms of characteristic qualities (lightweightness, portabilty, sturdiness).
However, the payload/own weight ratio is quite impressive with this thing. I just dont need it because my even lighter and smaller GT1550T is good enough for my TLRs.
 
For me, what works best, if I don't want to use the Domke F-2, but I'm carrying a few items, is one of the Survival Utilikilts. The detachable cargo pockets are big enough to load a non-motorized Nikon F3 with a 50f1.4 Nikkor attached, or, if you want lens storage, a 135f2 would fit just fine in the pockets.

In fact, for a gig that I shot a few years ago, I had my FM2n in one pocket with the 50f1.4 attached, then a Vivitar 285HV in the other pocket, plus some other items. Worked quite well.

-J
 
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