Welcome to Bag Raid, our slightly invasive series where we politely ask our shutterbug friends and community members to upend their camera bags so we can rifle through their kit and personal belongings. First up, we take a peep inside Jay Ybarra's Sidewalk Camera Sling...

Jay Ybarra is a photographer from Austin, Texas who specialises in street and portraiture. Jay is heavily inspired by hip-hop album art, comics and movies, which is evident in his artistic approach to image making. A Fujifilm ambassador, Jay's weapon of choice is the Fujifilm x100v – his daily carry camera that slots perfectly into his Sidewalk Camera Sling. However, he also takes a mean analogue frame and packs an arsenal of film + point and shoot cameras, depending on his photography venture. 


Constantly aware of the world spinning around him, Jay takes a canid approach to his portraiture and street photography and looks beyond his subject when framing up his images. "To me, the surrounding environment is just as important to the subject in frame," said Jay. Never not with a camera, we were interested to see what goodies Jay was rolling in his Sidewalk Sling and to get his take on our hero bag... "The Sidewalk Sling is awesome. It's got so much space for such a tiny bag, I'm really appreciating all the attention to detail as well."



 

BAG RAID W/ JAY YBARRA

Fujifilm x100v - My favourite digital camera. Perfect for everyday use.

35mm Point and Shoot + Extra Film - My camera of choice here usually depends on the mood i'm in. I have a few, but more time than not, I'll roll with the Olympus XA. I like that it's got all the settings I would need, though technically, it's more of a rangefinder.

JBL Clip Portable Bluetooth Speaker - I like to have music on hand when I'm on shoots, or even just roaming around. I feel more aware of my surroundings when I'm not suing headphones.

Extra Batteries - You never know when your camera might die.

Lume Cube Panel Mini - If I'm ever shooting at night, it's nice to have a little light for portraits. I even use it as an emergency flashlight from time  to time.

Lighter with Knife Attachment - I feel like this is just something you should always have. Better to have it on you than to wish you did.

SD Card Wallet - The best way to keep all of my SD cards organised.

Mini Tajin - I often take my Sidewalk Sling with me to social events, so I will grab a beer and drink it with this. Spice is life.

Breath Mints - Always leave a good first impression. You don't want anyone to remember you because you had bad breath.

Business Cards - Networking is key!

Check out some of Jay's work below and follow him on Instagram @photo.jay. Shop the Sidewalk Camera Sling HERE.

 

 

August 02, 2022