My minimalist bag for Street Photography

This is one of the questions I am more often asked. And it is also something that generates many visits on youtube and websites. I don’t want to go in depth with my technical choices because I just want to offer you a quick tour of my most minimalist way to go when it comes to street photography.

First of all the bag: it is not a precious bag at all, in fact it is something that everyone can find in a market. And its peculiarity is that it does not attract attention and is very light and small in size.

In the overview you can understand my philosophy: I always aim to go out from home as light as possible. I don’t want look like a photographer and for an average street shooting day, I will be a lone wolf, maybe crossing also tough places, and when it comes to Street Photography to me is one camera one lens.

It doesn’t matter to talk what camera and what lens. But I hope to soon minimize my street photographer gear, going back to compact cameras. Here you can see:

• Camera

• A spare battery

• Business cards

• Press badge

• Moleskine (I am sorry I forgot to include a pen)

• My Street Photography portfolio

I am used to have the camera is secured to my neck so it rarely ends up inside the bag. This can certainly change if I upgrade to a compact like Ricoh GR.

The journalist badge it can never be forgotten. Suddenly I can find myself in a breaking news situation and I need that to gain access where not everyone is allowed.

Business cards are important. I often find myself having to give them to someone on the street.

Moleskine is absolutely something to have for me. To write down ideas or a note on a place that deserves. As a writer and not just a photographer a moleskine is fundamental.

Call me hipster but the portfolio on the phone is not for me. Real photographs should be seen in print. And showing the printed photos offers a different experience to the viewer.

That’s all. Disappointed? Should I bring anything else? For few hours I don’t need more sd cards. The approach is really that of a photographer who doesn't need anything other than a camera. Things change little if I decide to make videos and then in the same bag I will also fit my Akaso V50Pro.

What you don't see in this post that I bring with me are:

• A pen

• A packet of handkerchiefs

• A couple of buffs that I use as masks

• My smartphone

• My watch

In any case, I love a minimalist approach to move better, lighter means being more comfortable. As an alternative to the bag, cargo pants allow you to go around with even less. By realizing this post occurred to me when the two main digital cameras were compact for years. Before it was with the Olympus Pen and the Panasonic Lumix LX3, then with the Leica X2 and the Ricoh GRD IV. I want back to that time.

By making Street Photography and to be a Street Photographer is completely different from being another knd of photographer.