In your bag No: 1524 – Chris Whelan
Chris shares his minimal setup with just a legend that put the house of Yashica on the map.
Hey everyone!
My name is Chris and I’m a photographer-blogger based in Florida. I’ve been kicking around on this planet since the early 1950s and have had a camera in my hands since I was 7. I like to keep my bags on the simple side – one camera, 2 rolls of film, some accessories and a nice small bag to stow it in.
In this case my bag is a recycled canvas bag that’s super soft and loaded with flaps, zippered pockets and a generous shoulder strap. It was purchased at the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum in Ft. Pierce, Florida. (a plug for them as some of the proceeds help ex-service members and their families)
The camera on this day is one of my favorite Yashicas – the Yashica-Mat EM medium format camera (6x6cm) negatives and slides. This one was built in 1964 at Yashica’s newest factory in Shimosuwa, Nagano Prefecture. It features a built-in exposure meter that’s been extremely accurate for me over the years – I seldom question its readings. The glass on the Yashica produces exceptionally sharp images with a pleasant contrast. Delivers high quality in both black & white and color. Shooting in the square format takes a bit of time to learn how to compose properly but once you get the handle on it it rewards you with outstanding pictures. I love to shoot Fujifilm – Neopan Acros and almost any of the Fujicolor films.
So there you have it – a lens hood (I rarely use it but carry it anyway), film and no additional light meter. Shooting a slow moving 6×6 will definitely teach you patience – and to a film photographer that’s everything!
Thanks for stopping by!
Chris Whelan
If you get a chance, please stop by my blog at www.yashicasailorboy.com
Thanks for sending in your bag shot, Chris. Those Yashinon lenses are razor!
Keep them coming folks, we need more submissions, so get your bag on Japancamerahunter.com
Send me a high resolution image of the bag. Optimum size is 1500px across. Please ensure there is a bag in the shot, unless you don’t use one. The more you can write about yourself the better, make it appealing and tell us a story. Snapshots of your gear with a camera phone and no words will not be featured.
Oh and don’t forget your contact details (twitter, flickr, tumbler et al). Send the bag shots here. Please understand that there is a long wait now as there is a backlog of submissions. Not all make the cut, so make sure yours is funny/interesting/quirky. And please make sure the shot is of good quality, as the ones that are not do not go up.
Cheers
Japancamerahunter
Hey Chris,
You do know you’ve reached photographic nirvana with your kit. I’m still on the journey, but got a few more miles to go. Good shooting.
Many thanks, Dan! The beauty of shooting with Yashica TLRs are that they are of excellent quality and still very affordable. A great way to experience medium format photography.
Great article! I’ve had a Yashicaflex C for 2 years now. I bought it because it was cheaper than any other TLR, thinking I would eventually go for a Rolleiflex. But I’ve come to love its simplicity and also it’s much lightler than most TLR. I decided I’ll just learn to get the best out of it.
Thanks, Francisco! I still use a very basic Yashica A and I like it for the same reasons – simple and lightweight. Yashica TLRs are still the best deal going if you want to shoot 6×6 and not break the bank. Chris