Bag Raid: Tom Hoy

We're back with Bag Raid, our slightly intrusive series where we kindly ask our sharp-shooting friends and customers to upend their camera bags so we can rifle through their camera kit. To kick off 2023, we linked up with Tom Hoy and had a peep inside his Sidewalk Camera Sling...

Tom Hoy is a surf and commercial photographer from Western Australia. However, he currently resides on the North Coast of New South Wales. Some of you may remember Tom's work from our group photography exhibition, DEPOSITORY. Tom's burning car photo 'The Best Just Got Better' allured attendees to its wall lodging within the gallery and was an obvious crowd pleaser. Then again, who doesn't dig a little anarchy.

With a portfolio flowing between surf, snow and lifestyle imagery, Tom blends the high octane with fly-on-the wall moments... the shit that happens in-between the action, which lends to a unique photography perspective.

Always repping the Hung Supply brand, we were grateful for Tom to display his Sidewalk Camera Sling's inner belongings.

BAG RAID W/ TOM HOY

Leica Q - I love this fixed 28mm digital camera. It's so simple to use and is subtle to pull out quickly when shooting street photography.

Sony Handycam - I stole this off my girlfriend's parents before our USA venture. I just wanted a simple camera to capture our trip rather than worry about a larger camera and making it look fancy.

Passport - When travelling, I feel kind of sketchy leaving it in my hotel room, so I carry it in my sling. I keep it safely zipped away in the back passport pocket.

Earphones - There's nothing like blasting Modest Mouse while walking the streets or flying into a new destination.

Sunglasses - I never leave the house without them. There's enough protective padding in the sling to not worry about scratches.

Spare Batteries - I try not to leave the house without them. It sucks when you do.

Business Cards - Networking is KEY. I've only ever given one out before. However, you never know when you may need one, haha.

Wallet, Phone and Keys - The necessities also pack easily inside. On our USA trip, we stashed these belongings in the sling when we jumped in the ocean for a swim.

Tom, who are you?

I'm just a guy who hasn't mastered surfing, skating, or anything else like that, ha. Instead, I create images of said sports and the people involved.

Where are you?

I'm based in Kingscliff, Northern NSW. It's a beautiful spot and not too busy. It's right on the beach and conveniently situated in-between the Gold Coast and Byron, which is where most of my work seems to be.

What do you point your lens at?

I shoot surfing for fun when the waves are on, things I find interesting when I'm on the road, and models/humans for my commercial work.

I always struggle to pinpoint what I like shooting most. I love the process of capturing a good surf image. You can spend hours at the beach, fire off a thousand photos, and not be happy with a single one. Or, you can be there for 10 minutes and nail something sort of cool.

I tend to take a camera with me most places I go, so if I see a frame that works, I like the option to be able to make an image then and there.

What's your go-to camera / lens set-up?

For work, I shoot with a Sony a7R IV and a 24-70mm 2.8. I also shoot with a 200-600mm lens for surf images. I recently picked up a Leica Q off marketplace. It's a great small form camera that I now always carry with me.

When shooting analog, what's your go-to film stock?

I primarily shoot digital. However, when I shoot film, it's on an old Nikkormat FTN and I like the look of Ilford HP5.

What is in your camera bag?

I usually haul a big backpack full of my digital equipment for work. However, I recently travelled over to the U.S for a holiday and wanted to travel light, leaving the hefty backpack at home. The Sidewalk Camera Sling was the perfect bag for my trip, as it was super lightweight. My camera essentials neatly packed into the sling – it had more room in it than I needed. It's the best bag for travelling, as it can easily stow under a car/plane/taxi seat, no worries, always at arms reach for safety.