IN YOUR BAG 1772 – Richard Barman
Hi, I’m Richard Barman, a documentary and street photographer with a penchant for capturing life in all its unfiltered glory. My journey behind the lens began in 2014 when my family gifted me a Nikon D3200, probably unaware they were fueling a lifelong obsession. What started as a casual hobby quickly spiraled into a full-fledged passion for storytelling through photography.
I thrive in the unpredictable rhythm of urban life, chasing the raw, unscripted moments that often go unnoticed. Whether it’s the chaotic energy of a crowded street or a fleeting glance between strangers, I aim to freeze time and distill emotions into a single frame.
Gear Philosophy: It’s Not About the Tech (But Here’s What I Use Anyway)
I firmly believe that the best camera is the one you know inside out. While gear matters, it’s just a means to an end—the story always comes first. After my early days with the Nikon D3200, I upgraded to the Canon EOS 6D Mark II, my workhorse DSLR. It’s the perfect mix of portability and performance, with low-light capabilities that let me shoot well into the night (because real life doesn’t wait for perfect lighting).
My lens lineup is lean but effective:
- Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM – The Swiss Army knife of my kit. It gives me the flexibility to go from wide-angle street scenes to tighter compositions without missing a beat.
- Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM – The “nifty fifty.” Light, sharp, and perfect for street portraits with that dreamy bokeh photographers drool over.
For an extra creative challenge, I occasionally step away from the digital world and pick up my Kodak KB 10 Film Camera. Shooting on film forces me to slow down, think, and embrace the unpredictability—plus, nothing beats the charm of those imperfect, grainy frames.
Accessories That Make Life Easier (and Photos Better)
A few essentials help me push creative boundaries:
- Hiffin 10-Stop Variable ND Filter – For those dramatic long exposures of moving crowds, water, or clouds.
- Hiffin Polarizer – My secret weapon for cutting glare and making colors pop.
- Godox TT685-C Flash – Compact but mighty, perfect for low-light scenes where natural light just won’t cooperate.
- DJI Osmo Pocket – Because sometimes, a story unfolds better in motion.
I also keep an extra battery and a selection of SD cards (2 x 32GB, 1 x 64GB, and 1 x 4GB) to ensure I’m prepared for long shoots.
The Digital Darkroom
Post-processing is where the vision comes together. I swear by Adobe Lightroom for color grading, exposure tweaks, and my signature black-and-white presets. When I need fine-tuned edits or compositing, Photoshop steps in to do the heavy lifting. But I believe in keeping edits subtle—enhancing reality, not fabricating it.
The Heart of Photography
For me, photography is more than just a profession, it’s a way of seeing the world. It has taught me patience, empathy, and the importance of being in the moment. It has allowed me to freeze time, to document fleeting stories, and to share glimpses of life that might otherwise go unnoticed.
At the end of the day, the magic of photography doesn’t lie in the latest camera or the sharpest lens—it lies in the stories we choose to tell and the emotions we manage to capture. And that’s what keeps me pressing the shutter, again and again.
Contact Details :
Instagram : www.instagram.com/richardbarman
500px : www.500px.com/richardbarman
Thanks for sharing your bag with us, Richard. That is an unusual film camera you have there.
Check out the links and please come and comment.
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
