I don’t like using camera bags that look like camera bags. I like to maintain a low profile as much as possible when lugging around camera gear. The bag that I use the most right now is a Case Logic backpack with a top access hammock. I like it because it looks like a normal backpack. In fact, I actually had a girl ask me once on the train where I got my “backpack.” The only problem is that it is a bit on the smallish side. I can fit an extra lens, a flash, some extra batteries and cards, but that is about it. So, if I’m bringing my 70-200, an extra body or a lighting setup, I usually end up having to lug it around in a tote, or something. It gets annoying. I have looked at Tamrac, Lowepro and various other larger kits. The only problem is that they all scream “here comes a guy with a bunch of camera gear.” Which is something that I would strongly prefer to avoid.

So, Imagine how delighted I was when I discovered the Burton bag pictured above, called the F-stop Pack. I saw it on Hypebeast this morning. When I clicked through to the Burton site, it said that they were sold out. I’m going to have to try to work my Burton connex to score one of these bad boys.

Here is a link to some of the stuff that I shot for NYFW, this time around. One show to go– Rochambeau at the Standard. It has been wild, crazy and fun. But, I’m excited to have my normal life back. Hey, I think I might go running.

[Image: Loden Dager Runway by me]

My friend Dan emailed me this awesome link the other day to a page on the NASA website where there are links to all of the images that the Apollo 17 astronauts took while documenting the mission. After clicking through about 300 links, I immediately agreed with his statement that “It would be nice to have a viewer of sorts to browse through these.” The images are so amazing, and they are just kind of buried there on the NASA site. So, I thought it would be a good idea to put them all in a site where they could be appreciated for their artistic value. So, since then I have been working on a site that I’m calling “Photographic Art from the Apollo 17 Mission.” It is very far from done. In fact, I have only been able to download about 1/4 of the images, so far. But feel free to take a look. The photography is pretty mind blowing stuff.

Fashion week starts tomorrow. So, I’m going to be pretty slammed for the next week. But hopefully we can meet up again next week (if not before) with some fun images to show for it.

I’m not really sure why I did the title in Portuguese. I guess because it seems fancier that way. If I knew Italian, it would have been in Italian. But I don’t, so… Portuguese. Anyway, I roped my relatively shy brother into doing a couple of shoots with me, while he was in town (he still is, btw). Above he is rocking some of the recently released Marshall headphones. Below, the limited edition Arnette “Fire Drill” specs.

Anyway, we are trying to talk him into moving out here. I think that he is seriously considering it. As always, I will mention that he is single. I would also like to point out that he grows a beard as fast as I do (in case you are in to that sort of thing).

In another example of deep pockets doing good work, Levi’s has opened a free photo studio/lab on Wooster Street, where the Deitch space used to reside. I dropped by yesterday to check it out. I normally try to avoid NY freebies that are open to the public, because they tend to be a bit too much of a zoo for my liking. I was pleasantly surprised by the absence of indignant people trying to horde the free resources. I chatted for a bit, with the guy running the outfit, and he said that really only time he had encountered it was when some DB came in on Saturday and monopolized the large format printer to print off his whole book and ran it out of ink.

They have an entire wall of vintage film cameras for loan (free), as well as film to load in them. Upstairs, is a light table and a library of reference material for photography.

In the rear space (top photo) there is an entire studio setup, with soft box strobes and a seamless background. Again, free. That is also where they have their print lab set up. Oh, they can also print t-shirts.  In the very front of the space, there is a display case with dozens of vintage Leica cameras on display.

And of course, there is a photo booth.

Or, maybe you just need a biga** calibrated monitor to check out your work. They have that too.

Anyway, I think that this is a really cool idea and that is why I’m going on and on about it. I may have to drop by with Reagan to borrow/shoot with some of the awesome old school cameras that they have.

First things first– One of the Titel Media blogs that I shoot for, Selectism is up for an award from Conde Nast’s Details magazine.  If you haven’t checked out Highsnobiety, or Selectism, make sure to jump over and check them out. Afterward, be sure to get onto the Details Magazine site, and cast your vote for Selectism.

Next up– I am going to be running around like a chicken with it’s head cut off, this week with all of the trade shows and various other goings on that I will be attempting to cover, for the next few days. I’m excited, for all of it. But, at the same time the stress-o-meter is bouncing in the red, hehe.

To cap things off– Thursday we will be heading to Charleston, on a mini vacay to visit some friends. I’m totally looking forward to it. So, the objective is to make it to Wednesday night in one piece. Here goes!

Friday evening, I shot a couple of events for forthcoming SoJones pieces. The first one was a look-see event for a dress designer. The collection was cool. But my favorite part about the event was the space. It was one of those lofts with high ceilings, where everything was painted white.

This shot below is probably my favorite one from the event:

Afterward, I ventured back downtown, toward the east village to cover some live music.

I wanted Reagan to come, but she was busy sewing cushions for Piper’s chair. Plus apparently she was pretty tired, since I came home to find her passed out with her book resting on her belly. Hehe. The band that I was there to cover was really cool. There was also this Russian beat box/rapper who opened for them, called Krussia. Sweet name, I know. The dude was amazing. He seriously could give Doug E Fresh a run for his money.

Thursday night, I had the pleasure of shooting Justin Bua’s gallery opening at Pop International in SoHo. I was pretty stoked about it, being that I’m a huge fan of Bua’s. I actually did a piece on Bua and his work, in SoJones earlier this week. Be sure to check it, if you haven’t already.

More photos can be found on my photography blog. FYI, the gallery was packed, even during the VIP reception. I was able to get in before the event actually started, to snap these pics.

Yes, this makes two consecutive posts with the word “product” in the title, hahahah. Wednesday evening, I shot a bunch of product images for a forthcoming SoJones piece. It was a lot of fun, as usual.

I’m curious to know what other people’s reactions are, to the fact that the collegiate look will be back again this fall for the second year in a row. I mean… I personally thought that the whole caution tape dress-look was going to be predominant for fall 2010. Guess I was wrong. Anyone care to weigh in?

Last night was the iFashion runway show, featuring 3 emerging designers. I was shooting back stage, as well as the actual show. It was a lot of fun. Although, I was totally punked by one of my CF cards which failed when I as trying to retrieve the images from it. I lost about 300 of the images from the headliner’s portion of the show (and the ones that I was the most excited about). When I realized that the card was corrupted, I almost had a heart attack. All in all, I still came away with some OK, stuff. Stupid technology. Sorry that there are so many photos in this post, and I know that the watermark is annoying. Here they are anyway.