As a tour videographer the average work week can find me in any corner of the country. I create web content for music acts as they tour and perform. They release this content through their social media outlets as a vital way of connecting with their fans. Every day is another flight, another city and another show. Fitting as much gear into as small a space as possible is essential to making sure I have everything I need to do the job, haul everything on my own, and have it accessible at a moment’s notice.

Although my road rig consists of two Lowepro bags, the DSLR Video Fastpack 350 AW has become my go-to backpack. It is indispensable in providing the portability, comfort and versatility that I desire from a good backpack. Not to mention, it was one of the only suitable camera bags with enough space to accommodate my behemoth 17″ MacBook.

For me, filming does not just take place at the shows where my artists perform – it takes place everywhere: at the airport, in the car, at the hotel, during dinner, backstage, the after-party…you name it. Wherever the artists go, I go…ready and able to capture the moment. That’s why the DSLR Video Fastpack is perfect. The layout is specifically designed to house the essentials of the DSLR filmmaker while making them very easily accessible. I can easily swing the bag around on my shoulder to change lenses, swap memory cards or grab a fresh battery without even setting it down. It is literally swing, zip, swap, zip, swing and you are back filming again.

Inside my DSLR Video Fastpack I carry a Canon 5D MKiii, Canon 24mm f/1.4, Canon 50mm f/1.4, Canon 85mm f/1.8 and a Canon 24-105 f/4. I also carry: a MacBook Pro, MacBook Pro charger, external hard drive with cords, Rode Videomic Pro, large over-ear headphone, card reader, lens cleaning kit including solution, rag and blower, 10 camera batteries, camera battery charger, a four slot memory card case,  LED panel charger, lavaliere mic, ear buds, ear plugs, Go Pro cord, extra 9 volt and AAA batteries, business cards, extra lens caps, two intervalometers, and of course, my Konova slider strapped to the side.

I also keep a couple of Lowepro S&F Lens Exchange Case 200 AW bags strapped on either side of the DSLR Video Fastpack. Once I am at a show, I usually find a safe place to set my bags down at the back of the stage, at which point I strap the Lens Exchanges on to my belt to have more mobility while still keeping my glass or mic close at hand. They are also handy for squeezing in just a little extra stuff that won’t quite fit comfortably inside the pack.

My most recent video is a great example of what the tour life is like. Working with Krewella (an EDM/pop act based out of Chicago), one of my main clients, we kicked off their tour with a grueling weekend of three different shows in two days. It began in San Diego with a 6pm performance at the San Diego Music Festival; then an all-night flight to New York for a 2pm performance at the Electric Zoo Festival the next day; and then another flight – just two hours after they got off stage – down to Miami for a 1:30am performance at Grand Central. No sleep, no shower and no time to charge a single battery. We even flew back to New York just a few hours later at 4am. Weekends like these are what make having the right bags absolutely critical. Thankfully, Lowepro and the DSLR Video Fastpack make it easy.

Editor’s note: You could say that Northern California-based videographer Miles Evert truly represents ‘going the distance’ for his clients. His documentaries and music videos are all about capturing the moment. From pre-production to camera work to editing, Miles takes it all on and delivers amazing content. Check out his work on his web site and take a few minutes to watch his latest tour video here.

Are you heading to Photo Plus this week? If you are, make sure you come by the Lowepro booth (#736) to see our wonderful photographer friends and enjoy product demonstrations. It’s a great time to get a firsthand look at the new products like Rover Pro AW, Passport Sling II and Photo Hatchback AW.

We’re giving away some great gear throughout the week, so if you don’t already follow us on Twitter or Facebook, make sure you do – you’ll wan to get every update.

Thursday

10:30 Stephen Johnson: A Photographers Pack. Being prepared means having what you need. Steve will spend a few minutes detailing what is in his pack, why, and the things he always has to carry when the camera pack cannot come along.

11:00 Tony Gale: Night Photography. Tony will be discussing Night photography and some unusual lights that Tony keeps in his Lowepro bag

Noon Aaron Nace of Phlearn: Photoshop Demonstration. Aaron will conduct a Photoshop tutorial including step-by-step creations of some of his more popular images.

12:30 Todd Williams: Performance, protection and style.  Find out how Lowepro bags allow Todd to carry multiple camera systems into the back country and handle the weather – if it’s 100 degrees or 20.

1:15 Blair Bunting: The Deadliest Catch Almost Didn’t Happen. Blair will discuss how Lowepro saved “The Deadliest Catch” shoot in Alaska

1:45 Tim Grey: Photography on the Go. In this session Tim Grey will share some of his favorite tips for making the most of your photography on-the-go. Whether you’re traveling halfway around the world or just across town, these tips will help you work more efficiently.

2:30 Brian Smith: Secrets of Great Portrait Photography. Celebrity portrait photographer Brian Smith is a Pulitzer Prize winner known for his bold, iconic portraits of celebrities and athletes. His new book ‘Secrets of Great Portrait Photography: Photographs of the Famous and Infamous‘ blends the lavish celebrity portraits of a coffee table book with technical how-to insights – plus offers up a side of behind-the-scenes celebrity stories. In this sexy, bold, beautiful book, Brian tells the stories behind the photos and lessons learned in 30 years of photographing celebrities and people in all walks of life.

3:45 Seth Resnick: Shooting In Extreme Conditions. Seth Resnick’s work is about color but his muse is ice. Seth will show recent work from both the Arctic and the Antarctic. The worlds that people assume are white are anything but white. Come enjoy pictures that truly look like they came from a different planet.

Friday

10:00 Vincent Versace: Burma. Vincent will discuss his most recent photography adventure in Burma.

11:15 Corey Rich:It Starts with Passion. Corey will share how his path to making powerful and compelling photographs starts with finding your passion. Like anything in life, the willingness to put the effort and sacrifice into those things which mean the most is essential. Recognizing individual passions and talents is fundamental to leading a fulfilling life. While it might seem counter-intuitive, it’s import to step away from photography from time to time in search of your personal expertise. What is it that you truly know and love? In what areas are you an expert? The next step is to apply your photographic skills and passion to share this expertise through images.

11:30 Nevada Wier: Going Light! Sometimes one just needs to carry a camera with one or two lenses. Nevada will demonstrate using the new Passport Sling II, S&F Series, Outback and Inverse. She will talk about when she uses these bags and why.

12:15 John Paul Caponigro: The Art of Traveling. John Paul will discuss how he prepares for making the most of a photography adventure, both physically and mentally.

12:30 John Isaac: The Art of Seeing. John will discuss photographing the wild tigers in his native India.

1:15 Robert Beck: Sport Photography. Robert will discuss his years shooting for sports publications like Sports Illustrated.

1:45 Tim Grey: Photos on the Map. In this session Tim Grey will demonstrate a wide variety of possibilities for adding location information to your photos automatically or manually, so you’ll always know where your favorite photos were captured.

2:00 Ed Heaton: The Lowepro Advantage. Ed will discuss the advantages of his Lowepro bag as a landscape photographer.

3:00 Dan Bailey Which outdoor pack is right for you? How and why he uses 4 different packs.

Saturday

10:15 Lou Jones: Designing Your Life. Lou shares his thoughts on the sustainability of commercial photography and how to survive in the perplexing new age of photography.

11:30 Mark Alberhasky: Packing to Travel. There’s a popular expression, “less is more”, used in many situations to illustrate the value of simplicity. But as you’ll discover from hearing professional photographer/traveler Mark Alberhasky speak, the best answer to keeping things simple may not be exactly what you think.

12:45 Andy Katz: Travel Photography. Andy will be discussing his recent photography adventure in India

1:00 Ian Spanier: Five Different Shoots, Five different bags. From the studio to the field, learn how Ian uses 5 different Lowepro bags to make sure he has everything he needs.

2:00 Chris Rainier: Cultures on the Edge. Chris Rainier will share his insights on his new photography monograph, Cultures on the Edge.  The book is a visual exploration, documenting the rituals, daily lives and spiritual landscape of ancient cultures struggling to maintain their traditions in a modern world.

Editor’s note: Tim Sadler, our category manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa shares some really cool news with us: the Flipside 500 AW received a coveted Gear of the Year Award (GOTY) from a panel of judges that included industry experts and editorial staff from Bauer Media. The largest, privately owned publishing group in Europe, Bauer offers more than 300 titles in 15 countries, including Digital Photo and Practical Photography magazines. This year, UK marketing manager Natalie Littlehales boarded a boat in London, cruised on the Thames and accepted the GOTY award with a champagne toast. Not a bad way to receive kudos!

“Last week saw the annual UK Gear of the Year awards hosted by Bauer Media take place in London. Suppliers and retailers from around the UK boarded the William B boat and were treated to champagne and fine dining whilst the cream of the industry crop received their awards for the best product releases of the last 12 months.

The sought-after ‘GOTY’s’ are chosen by editorial teams from both Digital Photo and Practical Photography magazines and our UK team were very excited when the Flipside 500 AW won the award for Best Camera Bag of 2012.

Since launching the Flipside 500 AW earlier this year, it has become a firm favourite amongst the media and the action sports crowd – which includes the likes of professional photographers Geoff Waugh and Roo Fowler. Visit the product page to find out more or watch the video!”

– Tim

Editor’s note: Our colleagues Rick and Kendra from the product design team are in Jackson Hole, Wyoming right now taking part in the Summit Series Adventure Photography Workshop. They just sent us these cool images from a day on the Snake River and we want to share them with you, too. Here’s a note from Rick.

We’re really excited to be in Wyoming at the Summit Series Adventure Photography Workshop and we’re having an amazing experience.

There’s a great group of faculty here to give helpful instruction and put us through our paces, including: pro photographers Chris Burkard, Lucas Gilman, Keith Ladzinski, and Corey Rich; as well as Sadie Quarrier of National Geographic magazine and Scott Willson of The North Face.

Kendra and I are learning a ton about shooting adventure photos as well as the business of working with editors, operating a photography business and much, much more. If you’re looking to advance your shooting skills, this series of workshops is terrific. Check out the workshop web site for more info.

– Rick

On trade show days, I usually get to work about 30 minutes before the doors open to the public. It’s interesting on the floor then. Everything is so calm.

The Lowepro booth minutes before the doors open at Photokina.

Lowepro employees are straightening the bags, checking the audio/visual, and making sure that everyone is prepared to answer the hundreds of questions that will be asked over the next eight hours. It takes stamina.

Fortunately, Photokina is also the best of all events to work. Unlike other shows, where you don’t even have a place to stash your bag while you’re manning the booth, the Lowepro space is very large with an meeting area in the center.

The center of the Lowepro booth at Photokina is the meeting area. This is when much business is conducted. It also provides a comfortable break room for employees.

This multifunctional area allows for many meetings to be scheduled at the same time. That’s very important for an international show such as Photokina when we have business partners from all over the world in town for just a week. It also provides a space for employees to take a break during long days on the show floor. This shot of the meeting area is actually 3 frames stitched together to give you a better idea of how big the space really is.

Then, once the doors open to the public, the excitement begins to build. This is our opportunity to meet with you. Not only do we get to show you the latest products that we’re proud of, we get to hear about your work and the support you need to get the job done. These conversations are an important part of the trade show experience.

Once the doors open to the public, the real fun begins.

I hope you get the chance to visit with us at an event some day. After Photokina, we’ll be setting up shop in New York in October for PhotoPlus Expo. If you’re in town, I hope you stop by to say hello.

Derrick Story is the Photography Evangelist for Lowepro.

If you’re not tempted by the latest offerings at Photokina by Nikon, Canon, Olympus, Panasonic, Hasselblad, or Samsung, then you’re probably not a gear head. And fortunately for us at Lowepro, that was not the situation in our booth today.

Tim Grimmer demos the Photo Hatchback during a video recorded interview.

Photographers from all over the world stopped by to see which bags best protected their gear. We fitted big DSLRs with grips, mirrorless compacts, and just about everything in between. The feeling was, if you have a new camera, we have just the right bag for you.

Here are a few of my recommendations:

Overnight Outdoor Adventure – I’d go with the new Rover Pro 45L AW. It’s our best offering for pro camera and overnight backpacking gear. And it is so comfortable.

Favorite Multi-Use Backpack – Have you tried the Photo Hatchback 22L? It features a dedicated sleeve for an iPad, removable camera box, mid-compartment floor that folds down and opens up the entire interior, and two side mesh pockets. Great for cameras, and terrific without.

The Perfect “It Doesn’t Look Like a Camera Bag” Bag – The new Pasport Sling II holds your medium-sized DSLR or mirrorless compact… and lots of other stuff too. I even got my jacket in there today. If you want to be comfortable and “off the photo radar” while on the go, take a look at the Passport Sling II

Checking out the removable camera boxes in the Rover Pro.

Speaking of the Passport Sling II, I discovered today that it holds all sorts of stuff, including a packed lunch, clean diapers, and a box of business cards. Like I said, if you’re in Cologne, Germany this week, bring your stuff. We’ll find a bag for you.

Derrick Story is the Photography Evangelist for Lowepro.

Editor’s note: Friend of Lowepro and Getty Images sports photographer Ezra Shaw covered a variety of competitions, athletes and the celebratory mood in London. He took a quick moment in his hectic schedule to share his impressions with us as well as a few awesome images. Even though the Games ended a few days ago, we’re still thrilled by the excitement caught in Ezra’s stunning photographs. Check out his London 2012 Summer Olympics gallery on his web site.

Your schedule must have been pretty exhausting. What’s it like to cover the world of amazing athletes in this fascinating city?
Overall the Olympics were great. I had a variety of events to photograph – ranging from the main events such as the Bolt in the 100m Final and Michael Phelps in the pool – to the more obscure sports like Table Tennis and Fencing. I didn’t have much of chance to get out in central London, but I was amazed by how many people were at Olympic Park everyday. In addition to selling tickets to all of the events, they also sold tickets just to enter the Olympic Park and those were sold out everyday.

What was the most challenging venue?
The most challenging venue was the Cycling Road Race – it was the first day after the Opening Ceremony and because it started and finished near Buckingham Palace, there was even more security than normal. It was also difficult to cover because it started in the city and then went out about 50 miles before finishing back at the Palace. Getty Images had a total of six photographers covering the race which made life a little easier. My main assignment was to shoot the beginning of the race as the riders headed towards Buckingham Palace and then go get set up for the finish line. The race was pretty exciting because British cyclist Mark Cavendish was favored to win and spectators lined the streets about 10 people deep near the start/finish line. Unfortunately, for the British fans, Cavendish didn’t win, but it was still a great atmosphere.

Favorite Brit-food snack that kept you on-the-go?
We tried to eat whenever we had time – unfortunately, that means that dinner was usually around midnight when we were finished shooting for the day. During the day, I drank a lot of coffee, sneaking in a meal whenever possible. I was able to have some fish and chips the other night for dinner at a pub, which made me feel like I was in London, but for the most part, the food is pretty similar to what you can find in the States. We have a few photographers that love their food, and they have sorted out a few good spots near our hotel, so whenever we did have time for a real meal, we had some really nice food.

Most surprising moment you captured?
One of the most surprising moments was when Chad le Clos of South Africa beat Michael Phelps in the 200m Butterfly. Phelps was heavily favored, and was ahead the entire race, but was beaten .05 seconds. At the end of the race, Phelps looked over and watched le Clos celebrating.