In My Bag – by David Bergman

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In My Bag – by David Bergman

New York based editorial and commercial photographer David Bergman is best known for his tour photography, portraiture, and sports imagery. A former Miami Herald staff photographer, he is now Bon Jovi’s tour photographer and has worked with celebrity clients including Drew Carey, Avril Lavigne, Gloria Estefan, and Joss Stone. Sports Illustrated is a regular client and he has 12 covers to his credit including the 2010 Super Bowl. His panoramic Gigapan image of President Obama’s inauguration was viewed online over 15 million times, and he has made similar images at the World Series, Super Bowl, and Final Four. Bergman has produced still and video projects for companies including FremantleMedia, Embassy Row, EMI, and SONY Music and has been published in Rolling Stone, Time, Newsweek, People, Entertainment Weekly, Blender, USA Today, and The New York Times. In addition his his assignment work, David offers one-on-one DSLR workshops. All of his workshop packages are 25% off until May 15th!

I use different setups and different bags depending on the type of shoot and whether I have to get on an airplane or not. This is how I pack to cover a local football game.

The two bags I bring are the Lightware Z600 long lens case and the Think Tank Airport International rolling bag.

I strap Gitzo monopods to the side of each bag and often put the long lens case on top of the roller so I can wheel them with one hand.

Inside the long lens case is my Nikon 600 and a Nikon D700 body w/grip (inside a White House News Photographer wrap for protection).

If I’m flying, I swap the long lens case out for a Versa-Flex multi format case. It holds my 600 and both monopods along with my clothes and other various items. That large bag needs to be checked.

I realize that checking a $10,000 lens with the airlines makes some people nervous. But there is simply no way around it. It’s protected by Versa-Flex inserts that are made specifically for the lens. I also have commercial business insurance to cover loss or damage on all of my gear.

At some point, you just have to stop worrying about it.

Inside my roller, I cram three bodies, four lenses, and various accessories. The bag weighs 45 pounds, which is why I prefer a rolling bag instead of a backpack.