Here’s a wonderful video featuring Uwe Mummenhoff describing the thought behind Lowepro’s approach to designing the Street and Field system… and why we don’t make regular photo vests. If you’ve never seen Uwe before, he teamed up with Greg Lowe years ago to help make Lowepro what it is today. I’ll let him take it from here.

Derrick Story is the Photography Evangelist for Lowepro.

Here’s the challenge. Can I go on assignment for 5 days to New York City to cover PhotoPlus Expo with just the Pro Roller Attache x50? We’re going to find out together. I’m recording the journey scene by scene from San Francisco to New York, including while I’m working around PhotoPlus Expo and in the Lowepro booth there. Here’s the first scene: what’s inside my packed bag.

Next stop, the airport. Stay tuned for Scene 2.

Derrick Story is the Photography Evangelist for Lowepro.

We hear a lot of interesting stories from the folks who use our bags. But this has got to be one of the best! Submitted by Sean Scanlon, a travel and landscape photographer based in Southern California, the story unfolds in Yosemite National Park where Sean and his CompuTrekker Plus AW had a close encounter with one of the Park’s residents.

Here, in his own words, is Sean’s story…..

I was shooting up on Washburn Point along Glacier Point Road overlooking Half Dome and the Mist Trail—right inside Yosemite National Park. As usual, I was waiting for the sun, but this morning, not much was going on. My camera was set up on its tripod. My Lowepro backpack was on the ground. And I was ready for something exciting to happen. And it did!

Two bear cubs appeared on the staircase above and started to walk towards me. I know that bear cubs usually mean a mother bear is nearby, so I grabbed my camera from the tripod, left the bag and moved a safe distance away. Moments later the mother bear arrived and sniffed my Lowepro backpack. Next, she pulled at the pack and tore it open. What was interesting at first became potentially troubling; I had three valuable lenses, 10 memory cards, several high-end filters and my travel journal inside that pack.

So I raised my arms and yelled at the mother bear. I hoped that would scare her off. It worked. She scampered over the wall and down the hill, but dragged my Lowepro backpack with her. I kept yelling—louder. I practically begged her to stop. She continued to tear at the pack with her claws and teeth. I saw stuffing fly out. I felt pretty devastated. Eventually, she stopped—it seemed she couldn’t completely break through it. She abandoned the pack, but her cubs gave it a quick shake and then lost interest and followed their mom.

I hopped the fence and walked down the hill to find my beaten and battered backpack. Some stuffing was on the ground. The front pocket was ripped and the zipper broken. Teeth and claw marks adorned the front and back…but amazingly, my equipment was safe and sound.

I feel very comfortable saying that I’ll always use a Lowepro bag for my valuable camera gear. After a harrowing morning at Washburn Point, the score was: Lowepro 1, Bears 0.

Check out our web site for more Unbelievable Stories. And if you have an interesting story of your own about your life with Lowepro, we’d love to hear from you!

In between testing some product for 2011 and launching the new Street and Field range at Photokina we managed to catch up with UK Loweprofessional Percy Dean to talk about his recent work trip to China.

Kowloon – Hong Kong – Image by Percy Dean

So Percy tell me about this trip to China?

China was un-believable… Probably one of the best trips I have ever been on, from the people that we met to the people we travelled with. It was just one of those dream come true scenarios. Vans Footwear had commissioned me to shoot a photographic document of their European team as they journeyed around the world collating their ‘1966’ skateboard DVD; the project developed into a book that will accompany the films release.

How was it taking pictures on the streets?

It was good for me because the people we encountered were so amazed by the skateboarding that they didn’t really pay much attention to me or the camera, but for the skaters it was hard having crowds in their hundreds amass every time they skated a spot.

When you’re setting up for a skate shot do you have a clear idea of what result you are looking for?

I have shot skateboarding for 18 years and so I have the visual wreckage of thousands of skateboarding pictures already in my head. The battle is to not be repetitive in my set-up, to make things not look the same. It’s also difficult to make the images about more than ‘just a skateboard trick’. Skateboarding to me is about where the culture of skateboarding and the real world collide; trying to represent that, and make a good ‘skateboard picture’ is a difficult procedure.

What kit have you been using out in the field?

I got a Classified 250 AW in my Lowepro package and have used it to death. It was weird to switch from my usual backpack to a shoulder mount, but now I couldn’t be without it. The Nikon D700, with a grip for sequences is my workhorse, the low light capabilities are invaluable to me when trying to shoot high speed in difficult circumstances. That speed problem is also solved by a bunch of Pocket Wizards and small Nikon Speedlights. I just need to make my kit tight and light… Skating around cities with a full load is no joke. When you’ve hit a few curbs at full blast and had a surplus of gear hit you in the back of the head enough times you soon learn how to downsize.

What else are you up to at the moment?

I currently have an exhibit called ‘Clouds Of Glory’ running at the Brighton Photo Fringe that the Arts Council kindly supported I also have a couple of interesting documentary projects on the boil and have been shooting a lot of HD, I feel like a kid again when I use video, its so exiting.

Classified 250 on Location in Quing Xi China - Image by Percy Dean

Cheers Percy!

To find our more about Percy Dean and his photography check out his site here

To find out details of his current ‘Clouds of Glory’ Exhibition click here.

The Lowepro Passport Sling

From the beginning, Lowepro’s Passport Sling has drawn the interest of female photographers in our community. But how would people feel once they had a chance to actually use the bag? I decided to find out by putting a Passport Sling in the hands of Natalie Andes. She’s an enthusiast photographer residing in Broken Arrow, OK, USA. I connected with Natalie via our Facebook Fan Page.

Natalie spent weeks with the Passport Sling, then sent me this review. I’m posting it in its entirety, without editing so you can get the best feel possible for this innovative bag.

The Passport Sling: One Photographer’s Review

by Natalie Andes

A bag is a personal thing. Finding the right one is trial and error. Just take a look into a girl’s closet and you’re bound to find several empty (or mostly empty) purses, totes, messengers, etc. For me, I’m on a quest for the perfect bag for my camera.

I got a Lowepro Passport Sling a few months back and have been spending my time testing it as I gear-up for vacation — the true camera bag test.

Once I got the Sling in my hot little hands, I started trying to place my gear in it: a Canon 40D, an 18-55mm lens and a 70-300mm lens.

I was warned beforehand that all of my equipment wouldn’t fit in the camera “box,” but I’m always up for a challenge. It was suggested that I leave the “box” out of the bag and just put my equipment in that way. That idea was quickly ruled out because the bag, in and of itself, doesn’t provide the protection the box does. Plus, if I’m going to carry around thousands of dollars in camera equipment, it’s going to be protected… period.

The “box” is quite sturdy, but not big. I’m able to carry my camera body with the 18-55mm lens attached in the box. The 70-300mm lens has to stay outside the box. For every day use, the 70-300mm stays home. It’s a sacrifice and I’m happy to make.

A look inside Natalie's Passport Sling. Photo by Natalie Andes.

The bag has several inside pockets for carrying cell phones and the like. I’ve found that it’s also perfect for carrying my little point and click. The camera is protected, and I have easy access on the fly.

The outside pockets are ideal for the little things — ponytail holders, hand sanitizer, etc.

There’s a large outside pocket that, according to the pictures on Lowepro’s site, is designed for a water bottle. I have to take issue with the design here. First, it’s a solid pocket — not mesh or expandable, thus limiting the size of the water bottle I can carry. Second, it butts up to the camera “box.” This means that as water bottles sweat, that condensation can get into the bag in an area closest to the “box.” I dislike this feature greatly.

The bag is expandable. It’s a nice feature if you’re taking it on errands and you just want to shove your stuff into the bag. On the whole, I found the expandable part made the bag cavernous. Not a feature for me, but it could be quite appealing for those who love the trash-bag-sized purses of the moment.

Overall, I like the bag. It’s comfortable to carry. Access to the camera is quick and easy. For travel, I plan to break it down and carry it in my Lowepro backpack. When it’s time to hit the trail, I’ll pack my Passport Sling and head out.

Derrick Story is the Photography Evangelist for Lowepro.

Hi my name is Pete Hill and I am the VP of Design here at Lowepro.

Earlier this summer I attended the Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City. While the show is not focused on photography it is a great place to look at new materials and trends in rugged good-looking bags. It also represents my professional roots, with more than 25 years spent designing products in that industry. With such a long history in outdoor, the show is a great place for me to catch up with old friends and now their children.

At this summer’s show I was introduced to the niece of and old friend, Todd Skinner. Todd, a professional rock climber, was killed in a climbing accident a few years back and his passing left a void for me as it did all of his friends and family. So it was a real pleasure to meet his niece Becca.   A college student and a hard working photographer, Becca was in Salt Lake to meet up with Lowepro photographer Chris Noble  to work as his photo assistant on a shoot in West Water Canyon. 

After meeting her I took a look at her blog  and her site . It’s the work of a young photographer, but one that is putting the time in to create sincere work. As family of an old friend I wanted to make sure she had the right bag to support her work. The one she chose was the ProRunner 450 AW. She needed the size for all her gear and her computer.  I am looking forward to getting her feedback.

Rear view of the Lowepro Magnum 650 AW (bottom) and 400 AW attached to a trolley.

When you have *a lot* of equipment to move from point A to point B, there’s nothing better than the Lowepro Magnum 650 AW or the Magnum 400 AW. Why do I make such a bold statement?

I’ll start with capacity. In its main compartment, the 650 AW holds 1-2 Pro DSLRs with one 70-200mm F2.8 zoom attached, plus 8-10 lenses. Then there is room for accessories (flash, etc) and a 15.4″ widescreen notebook. Next, let’s talk about handles. You have great ones on top for two-handed loading. Then you have plenty of straps, buckles, and a trolley sleeve for attaching to carts or luggage. And if you have more equipment, the Magnums are designed for secure stacking, so you can really load up the gear.

Oh, and there’s one more thing, and this is a fun one. The laptop sleeve included with the Magnum 650 AW has an integrated sunshade for protection from glare and increased privacy. In fact, you can use your laptop with the sunshade on the top of the bag as an impromptu work platform in the field. It’s pretty cool.

Derrick Story is the Photography Evangelist for Lowepro.