Secure storage during weddings for wedding photographers

haring

I would like to buy a bag in which I can securely store my lenses and back up cameras during weddings. What do you use?
I know assistant is the solution who can watch your bag but a lot of time is is just not feasable. Also, I can carry all the cameras and the lenses on me but it is impractical a lot of times...
What I am looking for is something which is hard to take from the without somebody noticing it and I can lock it.
Somebody suggested that I can get bags which have an alarm...
It would be great if I didn't have to worry about my stuff all the time.

I appreciate your help!

Art Scott

Pelican and storm cases......LowePro bags (like Photo trekker or larger, if you have a lot of gear)

ARKreations

Art Scott wrote: »

Pelican and storm cases......LowePro bags (like Photo trekker or larger, if you have a lot of gear)

I'll second the LowePro recommendation. The Roller Xx00 series have a built in TSA compliant cable lock that secures the bag and is long enough to loop around something to prevent removal.

ssimmonsphoto

I have a HUGE Pelican case that rolls. It's really big, but it's also really secure. I have my logo on the side of it, which helps to get a bit of name recognition without having to worry about passing out business cards. But, more importantly, it is waterproof, which means I don't have to worry about it when my poor planning clients have outdoor ceremonies and receptions when it might rain. I keep a combo lock on it at all times, which means I don't have to worry about it at all. And it's heavy and big enough so that I don't have to worry about someone just walking out with it.

cj99si

I stick my bag out of the way during the ceromony, and keep an eye on and visit it often for a change. Theres a little trust thrown in there as well;) During the reception it sits with the DJ. I travel pretty light though, 3 bodys, 4 lenses, 2 flashes, and misc triggers, timer, bats and cards(Theres always 2 of us though). Stands, tripods, ect stay in the car for the most part till the reception.

JMichaelK

I have the Airport Addicted Thinktank bag which has a TSA approved cable lock built in. I lock my bag to something big and don't worry about it a whole lot. I am one of those people who believes if I focus too much on bad things, then bad things happen. I still take necessary steps to slow down potential thieves. Thieves are lazy so if you make it difficult they move on to something else. I also carry great insurance and if my stuff gets stolen, I get brand new stuff.

tenoverthenose

I use a Think Tank Airport Security to hold all of the equipment I could potentially use on a shoot. It also has a cable lock that I will attach when possible. Then, I carry lenses on my person in a belt system when on site. Short of locking your equipment up in a secure room, there is not a perfect solution.

haring

thanks a lot!

Shima

I love my Think Tank bags, and they've got combination locks on them for when I'm feeling paranoid! Plus my favorite part of them is that they look like regular luggage so I don't usually get questioned when I fly I own a Think Tank Airport Security as well as a Think Tank Airport International. I prefer the Security for when I'm just local but I switch to the International when I fly since it's a tad smaller.

mmmatt

If I was a theif, I would be looking for cases that had a photogs logo, and cases with photo gear logos, or a modest sized case with a big old lock, or one that is chained to a table leg or one that was in an out of the way place. I use a pelican case that is flat black and non descript. It stays by the dj, under the gift/desert table or in a manned office. Don't advertise that you have expensive gear and keep your case where you have the protection of a large group of people. Also kee everythoing in one, well organized case. You should be able to quickly check that everything is in its place and roll out quick. My pelican is bug, heavy, bulky, and boring. Perfect imho

haring

I think I will go with the Think Tank Airport Security...

Matthew Saville

Apart from having an assistant, (honestly, you really should have one. At least a 2nd shooter? If not, then who photographs the wedding if you get hit by a bus a week before...? I'm just saying...)

Apart from having an assistant, the best things to do are:

* get something BIG, and plaster your logo on it. Maybe don't plaster "photographer" or "photography" on it, cause that will beg to be stolen, but at least just put your name on it nice and big. Maybe a removable logo, for when you're traveling. Or honestly, that blaze orange that Pelican Cases come in, that's probably noticeable enough, and people will just think it's guns if the case is big enough.

* Tell the bridesmaids and groomsmen, jokingly of course, that if they see someone else walking out of the venue with that giant suitcase, TACKLE 'EM!! They'll laugh about it at first, but I guarantee you that the entire rest of the wedding, they'll be noticing it and they'll think twice if they see anybody standing around it looking suspicious.




TRUE STORY:

I was shooting family formals once, during a cocktail hour at an indoor venue. Guests were milling in and out of the venue and we were shooting portraits ~30 feet from the front door of the place, just because that's how the venue is. I didn't have a 2nd shooter, (shame on me! Hey, it was when I was just starting out) ...but I knew that the B&G had a couple friends who were bringing cameras.

Guy comes up next to me and starts shooting the formals too. Flagship camera with a diffused flash, dressed decently, being polite. I look over at him and we smile for a moment and then I go back to organizing the formals. In the next shot, I notice the bride eyeing the other photographer with a quizzical look on her face. Hmm, must be a random, long-lost friend of the groom?

Next formal, the guy actually asks for the bride to turn her shoulders or something, and has the entire family look at his camera for one shot. I pause and look over at the groom who is standing off to the side. He sees the other photographer, and gets a weird look on his face. Groom glances at me, and I discretely shake my head to indicate "nope, he's not with me". OH SH.....!

SECURITY!!!!!!!

If I had been any less of a gentleman and a professional, I would have clubbed that guy half to death with his own camera. I'm surprised the groom didn't completely fly off the handle at him, if I were him I might have smashed the guy's camera. How does a complete stranger think he can get away with walking in off the street and pretending to belong at the wedding? The minute that bride realized she had just been photographed by a creep, ...UGH. You just don't ruin someone's day like that, it's not cool. I at least told security to confiscate his memory card.


I'm shooting again at that venue in a few weeks, and you KNOW I'm gonna have someone else there watching our backs!!!

I'd almost RATHER have some jerk walk off with my camera bag, than show up with a camera and take pictures of the bride. They weren't even artistic either, they were the boring formals. Ugh...



=Matt=

George07748

Matthew Saville wrote: »

Apart from having an assistant, (honestly, you really should have one. At least a 2nd shooter? If not, then who photographs the wedding if you get hit by a bus a week before...? I'm just saying...)

Apart from having an assistant, the best things to do are:

* get something BIG, and plaster your logo on it. Maybe don't plaster "photographer" or "photography" on it, cause that will beg to be stolen, but at least just put your name on it nice and big. Maybe a removable logo, for when you're traveling. Or honestly, that blaze orange that Pelican Cases come in, that's probably noticeable enough, and people will just think it's guns if the case is big enough.

* Tell the bridesmaids and groomsmen, jokingly of course, that if they see someone else walking out of the venue with that giant suitcase, TACKLE 'EM!! They'll laugh about it at first, but I guarantee you that the entire rest of the wedding, they'll be noticing it and they'll think twice if they see anybody standing around it looking suspicious.




TRUE STORY:

I was shooting family formals once, during a cocktail hour at an indoor venue. Guests were milling in and out of the venue and we were shooting portraits ~30 feet from the front door of the place, just because that's how the venue is. I didn't have a 2nd shooter, (shame on me! Hey, it was when I was just starting out) ...but I knew that the B&G had a couple friends who were bringing cameras.

Guy comes up next to me and starts shooting the formals too. Flagship camera with a diffused flash, dressed decently, being polite. I look over at him and we smile for a moment and then I go back to organizing the formals. In the next shot, I notice the bride eyeing the other photographer with a quizzical look on her face. Hmm, must be a random, long-lost friend of the groom?

Next formal, the guy actually asks for the bride to turn her shoulders or something, and has the entire family look at his camera for one shot. I pause and look over at the groom who is standing off to the side. He sees the other photographer, and gets a weird look on his face. Groom glances at me, and I discretely shake my head to indicate "nope, he's not with me". OH SH.....!

SECURITY!!!!!!!

If I had been any less of a gentleman and a professional, I would have clubbed that guy half to death with his own camera. I'm surprised the groom didn't completely fly off the handle at him, if I were him I might have smashed the guy's camera. How does a complete stranger think he can get away with walking in off the street and pretending to belong at the wedding? The minute that bride realized she had just been photographed by a creep, ...UGH. You just don't ruin someone's day like that, it's not cool. I at least told security to confiscate his memory card.


I'm shooting again at that venue in a few weeks, and you KNOW I'm gonna have someone else there watching our backs!!!

I'd almost RATHER have some jerk walk off with my camera bag, than show up with a camera and take pictures of the bride. They weren't even artistic either, they were the boring formals. Ugh...



=Matt=

Are you sure it wasn't Art?

Seriously, I vaguely remember reading that was how he got his start (in one of the sticky's)... it was probably an aspiring wedding photog trying to build a portfolio. Still perhaps a bit creepy...