We’re going to stay nimble this week and offer the svelte Fastpack 100 for Free Bag Friday, Aug. 19, 2011. All you have to do is comment on why you’d like to have this bag, or how’d you use it, in the comments below. Next week, we’ll randomly pick a winner and post the lucky photographer’s name here.

If you’re new to this blog, your comment will have to be reviewed by us before it goes live. So you might not see it immediately. But fear not! Unless you used a bad word or are one of those annoying spam bots, we’ll get your pearly words on the site asap.

Good luck!

Derrick Story is the Photography Evangelist for Lowepro.

Check out our Q&A with editorial and fine arts photographer Todd Korol. He’s based in Canada, but his assignments and love of “roaming” take him to all kinds of interesting places. We feature a few of his fine-art images in this profile, taken from his Cities: The Carbon Prints series. Find out how he achieves his signature, vintage style. And learn why he packs his gear in our Pro Roller x300 and S&F Utility Laptop Utility Backpack 100 AW as he travels from one location to the next.

Photographer Lisa North cashes in on our recent Free Bag Friday and will soon receive a new Fastpack 250. She commented:

“I have been looking to upgrade my camera bag. My awesome husband surprised me for my bday w/ new flashes and other accesories for my camera, and therefore my bag is just too small. I would love the fastpack 250 – a reliable case that would keep all my equipment in one safe place. I love to take my camera everywhere with me; you never know what you will see. It will also help me with different photo shoots that I have planned. Thanks for your time and for the offer!”

And thank you Lisa, for being a part of our photography community.

Derrick Story is the Photography Evangelist for Lowepro.

Aug. 12, 2011 – It’s Free Bag Friday this week, and we have a Lowepro Fastpack 250 waiting for one lucky winner. All you have to do is add a comment to this blog on why you’d enjoy having one of our most popular backpacks. We’ll choose the recipient on Monday, Aug. 15.

Note: Comments go through an approval process several times a day. If your comment doesn’t show up immediately, don’t worry, it will (that is unless you used bad words or are a spam bot trying to win a bag).

Derrick Story is the Photography Evangelist for Lowepro.

Editor’s Note: Photo enthusiast Lucas Chudleigh of Prince Albert in Saskatchewan, Canada wrote us about a recent collision between his Honda motorcycle and a Ford pick-up truck. He was wearing a new SlingShot 102 AW at the time, and thankfully, recovered to share this account of a camera protected by its Lowepro bag. In his words, here’s the story.

“I recently purchased a Lowepro SlingShot 102 AW. I bought it for my Canon 60D, which roughly cost $1,500 with the lens—so you can imagine, I wanted the best protection for my investment.

I particularly chose this sling pack to use with my Honda motorcycle. Several weeks ago, I was riding with my camera and lens in the pack. I was doing about 65 kilometers per hour up a busy street. A Ford truck in front of me slammed the brakes as I sat in the middle of the road.

I reacted too slowly. After hitting the brakes, I was thrown from the bike and landed on the camera pack at about 55 kilometers per hour. After landing on the camera bag, I slid about 40 feet on top of the pack until I collided with the truck. So all in all, my camera and the Lowepro bag I carried it in received a substantial beating.

I was rushed to the hospital and my injuries included a fractured hip, shock trauma to my spine and a massive concussion. The following week, I was able to leave the hospital and among the first things I did was check on the state of my camera.

The camera was in 100% perfect condition with not one scratch on it. The lens also was in perfect condition. The pack had three small tears and a broken zipper. I was lucky to survive this accident and I’m absolutely blown away by how well this pack has stood up. I thought maybe this letter also would stand up as a good testimonial to your exceptional bags.”

In a world gone digital and absolutely crazy about iPads, Loweprofessional Michael ‘Nick’ Nichols has launched his very first app. One of the photographers at the forefront in utilizing this new technology, he’s gone as far as to revise his entire web site in favor of this different, maybe even better, way to experience some of his best work. ”I love the way photography looks on the IPad! Recently I decided to reduce my website and put my energy into creating something for those who want to see my long career of essays presented beautifully and with my voice.”

Available for the first time today, Nick’s app provides an intimate and behind-the-scenes look at his groundbreaking work in the most remote corners of the globe. He’s compiled over twenty years of photography and never-before-told stories from locations all over the world. His app features:

• Fifteen photo galleries and over 160 photographs (some never published before)
• Exclusive behind-the-scenes video of Nick working on assignments for National Geographic Magazine
• Links to buy limited edition prints and autographed books

Nick’s career is legendary. As an Editor-at-Large for National Geographic and former member of  Magnum Photos, he’s been called the ‘Indiana Jones of Photography’. He’s published numerous books, received countless awards and been instrumental in the creation of 13 national parks in Africa as well as reforms in chimp conservancy. He’s also photographed 25 stories for National Geographic including Ivory Wars: Last Stand in Zakouma (March 2007) — a piece that helped raise awareness and funds to protect the embattled elephants of Chad. Featured in our 2010 Loweprofessionals Brochure, he has worked with legendary consevarion icons like Jane Goodall and J. Michael Fay.

You can read more about Nick’s work with Jane Goodall in our feature story: Unspoken Conspiracy. And don’t forget to visit iTunes to get your own copy of Nick’s new app!

For Free Bag Friday this week, I have not one, but two Lowepro Pro Roller Attaché x50 bags to award. Here’s how to throw your hat into the ring.

1. Comment on this blog post about how you would use this bag.
2. If you win, promise to send us a photo of you with the bag in action, packed, or a short video of it prepared for a trip, within 14 days of receiving the bag. Your submission will be posted on our Facebook page.
3. All potential winning comments must be posted to this blog by 8 am PDT on Monday, June 20.

Lowepro will randomly pick two comment-entries and notify the winners that day. If you want to see how I use the Pro Roller x50, check out this short video.

If you’ve participated before, you know that there is a lag from the time you post your comment until it appears on the blog. Don’t worry! It will appear. We approve the comments in batches. Good luck, and I hope you win.

Derrick Story is the Photography Evangelist for Lowepro.