photography bag?

Question

I think you can tell the type of photographer most of the time by the camera bag colour and type do you think this is also?
Press - Black
bird watcher - brown
semi pro - green or blue
are we groomed to act in a style to fit in? the bag has nothing to do with the photos?

At collage i started with green and am a press photographer now i have 2 older green (1 a back pack) and 3 black low pro bags that i use now, it is just that black low pro seams to shout pro press photographer to me, but i know the bag is not doing any of the work it is just image

Answer 1

This question is one of the more interesting trolls that I have seen.

All of my bags are black except my LowePro backpack for the RZ67...it is red. When I set it down in the forest somewhere I want to be able to find it again!

Answer 2

Well... I don't know. I could see someone shooting wildlife, birds, etc., using a color that blends better. Personally, I don't care what color the bag is - as long as it has the functionality I need. I've been using a LowePro OmniTrekker for several years now. It's black and I'm not a press photographer. But, it fits my needs - I can carry it like a briefcase, or on my shoulder, or as a backpack. It also fits inside a hard-sided Pelican case, if needed. Almost time for an upgrade though... I don't have enough room.

Answer 3

I think the popularity of certain colors comes and goes... but it may be possible that if you surveyed enough people from each of these groups that you might very well be able to conclude what you've already figured out by observation. But even if the "most common" bag types for each of these groups is as you've described, there would be plenty of exceptions - just as other answers have already pointed out. For instance, I'm a semi-pro and I use a black back. I chose this bag for its ergonomics and features. I suppose if they'd had other color choices besides black, I might have considered them, but I would have probably chosen black anyway because I think it draws less attention. Perhaps birders choose brown because it blends in better in their typical environment.

I don't agree that we are "groomed to act in a style to fit in" but perhaps there are common reasons for each group of photographers to choose certain bag colors. Or perhaps it is just a match for the personality types.

Answer 4

I must also be a member of the press, even though none of my photos were ever published. . .

I bought one camera bag from walmart and another offline. They are both black. According to you, I should be carrying a brown bag, oops. I guess I'll go buy one now.

I think most buy black bags because they are the ones you find the easiest. Most stores carry only black bags.

Answer 5

I'm a pro... and I have

3 black bags
1 tan bag
1 red & black bag
2 green bags
1 blue bag..

I've never chosen my bags, according to the color, but to the features, I need for each purpose... I mostly carry the red & black Tamron backpack bag, it looks least like a camera bag, I don't want to advertise what I am carrying, in some areas.

Answer 6

Like most photographers, I have a closet full of bags.

The ones that I use the most tend to be Lowepro. The ones which I use the most tend to be the "stealth reporter" line bags, which, as the name implies, were designed for the press and also tend to be black.

Also, my local shop tends to only stock Lowepro bags in black-ergo, nearly all of them are black.

Answer 7

it really doesn't matter most people have black bags because that is what comes with there camera. But i have not heard about the bird watching bag or a semi pro bag.

Answer 8

Hmmm .. let's see ... that's pretty disturbing.

My camera bag collection includes:
2 tan ones
1 dark brown one
1 camo
two black ones
two carry-ons with wheels
... and a really old leather bound camera "box" that's been with me ever since Viet Nam (1968)

Funny thing is - I almost never use any of them. These days I carry everything in a camera vest. I think I'm on my ninth one of those. I go through one about every other year.

Answer 9

I use a red crumpler and a green huge a$$ camera bag mom and pops bought me when i got the camera. I love them both!!! I think if you have a fussy bag that you have to unsnap unzip and all that you may miss a in the moment shot. Thats why i love the crumpler.

Answer 10

Well, I must be a member of the press. I didn't know that.