What’s in Hannes’ Camera Bag?
The South of France Edition
When Hannes packs for a photography workshop, he likes to keep his setup thoughtful, reliable, and ready for serious image-making.
He is a photographer who appreciates traditional craft, careful composition, and good light, but he is also open to innovation and new ways of working. For our South of France adventure, that means bringing gear that gives him quality, flexibility, and comfort throughout long shooting days.
From lavender fields and old villages to portraits, landscapes, horses, bulls, and golden evening light, Hannes’ bag is built around one simple idea: be prepared, but stay focused on the image.
Camera Bodies
Hannes will be bringing his Sony A1 (Here) as his main camera body.
It is a powerful and highly capable camera, ideal for landscape, portrait, action, and detailed travel photography. For a trip like this, it gives him confidence in many different situations, from quiet sunrise landscapes to faster moments with horses and bulls.
He will also bring a Sony A6700 (Here) as a backup body.
Having a second camera body is useful for peace of mind, but also for flexibility. It means Hannes can react quickly, change setups faster, and keep shooting even if something unexpected happens.
Main Lenses
Hannes will be bringing his Sigma 20-200mm (here) lens.
This is the kind of lens that gives a lot of freedom during a travel photography workshop. It can cover wide scenes, tighter compositions, portraits, details, and moments that happen quickly.
For Hannes, this kind of flexible range is very useful because it allows him to stay in the moment and concentrate on timing, light, and expression without constantly changing lenses.
Other Lenses in the Bag
Hannes is also bringing the Sony 12-24mm f/4 (Here).
This lens is perfect for dramatic wide-angle scenes, lavender rows, architecture, interiors, and landscapes where he wants to create depth and a strong sense of place.
A wide-angle lens can be especially beautiful in Provence when used carefully. It allows the photographer to include a strong foreground, leading lines, and the wider atmosphere of the location.
The Bag
Hannes uses a Lowepro ProTactic BP 450 AW III Backpack (Here).
This is a practical and protective backpack for carrying a serious photography setup. It gives him space for camera bodies, lenses, filters, batteries, cards, and the small accessories that make a long shooting day easier.
For Hannes, comfort matters. A good camera bag should protect the gear, but it should also feel reliable and comfortable when walking, travelling, and moving between locations.
Tripods and Support
Hannes will bring his Freewell T1 Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod (here).
A strong but lightweight tripod is very useful for sunrise, sunset, blue hour, and any moment where careful composition matters. It helps slow the process down and gives the photographer time to refine the frame properly.
He is also bringing a Really Right Stuff clamp (here), which is very convenient in places where a tripod may not be allowed or practical. It gives him another way to stabilise the camera and stay creative without needing a full tripod setup.
Filters
Hannes will bring his Kase magnetic filter kit (here), including:
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CPL
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ND8
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ND64
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ND1000
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R-MCUV
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Neutral Night
This gives him excellent control in different lighting conditions. A polarising filter is useful for reflections, skies, and colour. ND filters allow longer exposures and more creative control in bright light. The Neutral Night filter is useful when working after sunset or in darker conditions.
For a landscape photographer, filters are not just accessories. They are creative tools that help shape the final image in camera.
Memory Cards and Backup
Hannes will bring several memory cards, including SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB cards (Here).
He will also bring Samsung 1TB SSD drives (here) for backing up his photos during the trip.
This is a sensible setup for a 7-day photography adventure. With several shooting days, it is easy to create a lot of images, especially when photographing action, portraits, landscapes, and changing light. Having enough cards and a simple backup system gives peace of mind.
Batteries and Charging
For power, Hannes will bring 3 spare batteries, double chargers, and a power bank.
Long photography days can use a lot of battery power, especially when shooting from early morning to evening. Spare batteries and a good charging setup help make sure he is ready for every location.
Small Accessories
Hannes always brings a microfiber cloth.
It may sound simple, but this is one of the most useful items in any camera bag. Lavender fields can be dusty, coastal locations can bring water drops, and fingerprints always seem to appear at exactly the wrong moment.
A clean lens is one of the easiest ways to avoid problems before they happen.
The One Piece of Gear He Would Not Travel Without
For Hannes, the most important setup is a reliable camera body with a flexible lens range.
His Sony A1 gives him quality and confidence, while his main zoom lens allows him to react quickly to many different subjects. For a workshop like this, that balance between performance and flexibility is very important.
Hannes’ Simple Gear Tip
Bring gear you trust, but do not let the gear become the main story.
The South of France gives you beautiful light, colour, movement, texture, and atmosphere. The best setup is one that lets you respond to the moment quickly, while still giving you the quality you want.
Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. This means we may earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We only share gear suggestions we believe may be useful for this trip.
Final Thought
Hannes’ packing style is serious, practical, and creative.
He likes the reliability of a strong photography setup, but he also enjoys trying new techniques and finding fresh ways to create images. His bag is prepared for landscapes, portraits, action, detail shots, and quiet moments of light.
For Hannes, good gear matters, but the real goal is always the same: to come home with images that feel considered, expressive, and full of atmosphere.
