Inside X-Photographer Bryan Minear’s X Series Domke Bag

09.06.2016

Written by... Bryan Minear

Bryan Minear is a Midwest-based designer, photographer, father, Star Wars nerd, and pizza connoisseur. From a young age Bryan was inspired by Ansel Adams’ ethereal landscape work, which paved the direction he wanted to go as an artist.

Bryan’s always showed interests in cameras and technology from a young age, but it wasn’t until college where he was pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design that started shooting and developing film in the darkroom. He fell in love with the process and soon picked up a DSLR to supplement his design work.

Before he knew it he was teaching himself to use off-camera strobe lighting for portraits and building a business. After a couple of years, he realized that the business was not something that he enjoyed in the slightest and a creative renaissance started to occur.

In 2015 he decided to pursue fine art photography as a primary creative outlet. Before long, he started gaining some steam on instagram and attracting clients large and small. Since then he has been shooting landscape, lifestyle, and commercial photography as a career while still working a full time job as a Graphic Designer.

His goal is to portray atmosphere and emotion through his work. Whether he is shooting locally in the Midwest or traveling and teaching around the world, Bryan hopes to leave an impact on the world.

As a landscape photographer, I venture out to shoot – a lot. Much of my work is reliant on timing and interesting light. I’m based in Michigan, which isn’t conventionally known as a photo wonderland, so I am constantly exploring, scouting locations, and biding my time for that special segment of time where the light is just right and I can realize my vision. Most of the time, this involves me running out the door and into my car at the start of golden hour, and my Fujifilm bag (a unique co-branded creation) is perfect for those spontaneous moments.

Admittedly, I’m a bag snob, and I struggled with settling with any camera bag for my minimal kit until now. I could never find one that wasjust right for what I needed. When I heard that Fujifilm and Domke were partnering to create a never-before-seen version of several Domke classics, I was definitely interested. If the same attention to detail and capability that Fujifilm puts into their products went into the bags, I was going to be in for a treat. Long story short, the camera bag does not disappoint. The FUJIFILM X Series Domke F-803 has just the right amount of storage for me to take my X-Pro2, XF10-24mmF4 R OIS, XF56mmF1.2 R, and X100T – my perfect minimal setup. Even with the kit, the bag still has plenty of room left over for the accessories and extras, like my 10-stop ND filter, polarizers, solar-powered battery backup, and even my lightweight Vanguard VEO 235AB tripod, rendering me completely handsfree.

One problem that I usually have with messenger bags is that they end up being too bulky and uncomfortable, which is not the case with the FUJIFILM X Series F-803. It has a very low profile and feels perfect when it is slung across your body, all while looking super sexy (yep, I said it). The combination of sand canvas and brown leather make for a really classic look. It pairs so well with the aesthetic of the X Series cameras – you know, for people who care about that sort of thing. On the run and chasing light, I’ll be suited up with my new favorite premium X accessory.
FUJIFILM X Series Domke F-803