With photographers dusting off their gear in anticipation of Red Bull Illume Image Quest, we’re kicking off another new series that takes a look at what’s crammed into their photography bags.
To start us off, we explore 2013 People’s Choice Award Winner, Florian Breitenberger’s setup. Check it out:
You’ve got 5 seconds to grab 3 pieces of gear, go!
"I would probably take my dad’s old Canon A1, ‘cause I know there is always a film in it, ready-to-go. And the chances of forgetting your memory cards within 5 seconds are pretty high! Then, the analog motor-driven rewinder to never miss an action shot. And of course my spirit level to ensure that my images are in perfect shape."
Yeah, what’s up with the spirit level?
"There is a funny story about that – some of my very first photos came out a little bit tilted sometimes. So one of my rider friends gave me this tool on my 21st birthday to fix the problem. Even though my cameras these days have leveling capabilities included, I still carry this one with me as a lucky charm on important shoots."
If you could add one item to your bag?
"Oh, probably a full bottle of water! I always forget to carry one with me on stressful assignments."
What do you shoot on the Canon A1?
"That’s my dad’s old analog camera I mentioned. I usually only use it to shoot personal stuff, memories and ”behind the scenes“ stuff. I learned a lot from him regarding photography and it’s always a good feeling to carry this one with me on my adventures."
Florian’s full gear list:
Canon EOS 5D MK III
Canon EOS 7D
Canon A1 analog
Canon EF 50mm f1.4
Canon EF 24mm f1.4
Canon EF 16-35mm f2.8
Canon EF 70-200 f2.8
Canon FS 50mm 1.8 analog
F-stop Nine Queens backpack
A battery grip
Batteries
Battery chargers
A bunch of cables
Memory cards
A tripod
An analog flash
A fast analog rewinder
A self-made tilt shift lens
Two remote triggers
And most importantly: The spirit level
Visit Florian's website for more of his work or follow him on Facebook.
The world's greatest action and adventure sports photography contest is back and better than before with the addition of a new mobile category. Find all information here and mark Dec 1, 2015 on your calendars! That's when submissions open.
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Florian Breitenberger: What's in the bag?

© Florian Breitenberger