Surfing
What's in my bag: Sacha Specker
Water-art image creator 'Spex' talks us through his signature Sealand bag, and, what he loads it with.
Sacha 'Spex' Specker has been taking photos for a living for nearly a decade now. "I used to shoot for the Bodyboarding World Tour in 2010-2012, then it was a career," explains the Cape Town based lensman. "Now it's more of a passion with the intention of making the art print commercial water photography side of it my career," he says.
Joy in the deep south
© Paul Daniel
It's a mega-multi-use, versatile backpack, but my camera gear takes preference in here. In the past I have used it for:
The man in his element
© Paul Daniel
- Hiking - with a camera body and lens, sleeping bag, tripod and snacks. Shooting star trails in the mountains.
- Fly fishing - water housing, fully setup with bladder and snacks, a small dry-bag inside for spare battery and another lens.
- Beach bag - I remove the inner padded bag holding camera and housing in it and use the outer shell as it is.
The Spex and its load
© Sacha Specker
What's in the bag
- I am sporting a Canon 5Dsr. This 50-megapixel camera has given me a new appreciation for the new age of 35mm digital photography.
- My go-to lens is currently the Canon 24-70 f2.8 ii. It's almost impossible to get something out of focus with this lens.
- The old faithful Canon 15mm f2.8 fisheye is what sparked my passion for surf photography in the water. For me, It is still one of the most rewarding lenses to use for my water set-up, especially when I manage to line up on an A+ shot in the barrel or air.
- The 64 gig card and a spare battery is a must for me. I do not like changing cards and one of these last me a full weekend. I usually copy and backup my favourite frames at the end of each day from my 64 gig CF card onto a 32 gig SD card in the second card slot in my camera. No need for a laptop on a weekend mission.
- GoPro plus spare battery to film all the action as well as any time lapses. It's a very handy little piece of tech. You never know when the waves are pumping and you are having a solo sesh. You may want to capture some POV footage.
- My CR-7 Aquatech water housing, which is actually for a Canon 7D, but I modified it to work with my 5D cameras. This thing is fairly light and small for an aquatech housing, but has all the bells and whistles that top of the range Elite models.
- An Aquatech 8 inch port (PD-85) for my fisheye lens. This goes hand in hand with my 15mm fisheye lens and amazing for under-over shots.
- The other port is for my 24-70mm lens, equivalent to the P-series that Aquatech make, but for the older generation housing I am sporting. Out of necessity, I built one up to shoot with the 24-70mm in the water. This is probably the most versatile lens/port combination you could ever wish for in the water.
- Some fibreless cloth to give a grubby port or lens a light clean before it's Go-Time!
- Of course a pair of fins, in this case, DaFin are my choice for max comfort and power.
Not all offices are equal
© Sacha Specker
- A limited printed Sonix carver skateboard with one of my prints on it, for some carpark shredding.
- A Pyzel surfboard with Bantu leash, in case it's junky and nobody is surfing to shoot.
- A FOUND boogieboard in case all other craft are a No-Go!
- Sunzapper Sunblock and Aqua Ear to get the water out of those hard-to-reach-places.
- Not in the picture, but almost always with me is my 4/3mm FOUND wetsuit,
- hood with chicken-vest to keep extra warm,
- a pair of goggles
- a bottle of Brew Kombucha
- a WAWA handslide and
- my SurfEars plugs
- Leatherman