Here is the harness system I use for street photography.

You don't have to remove the cameras from the harness (2 M6 TTLs with 35 lux and 75 lux) to shoot and the added advantage is the tension on the accessory static cord helps steady the camera for long exposures.

With the addition of an oversized Army field jacket your cameras are undetectable.

...and always ready to shoot.

Sorry for the excessive images but I just got a Canon ELPH S300 digital and I'm trying it out for the first time. Great thing for those "I don't care about how it turns out" shots.

Cheers,

-- John Chan (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), January 15, 2002

Answers

Have you ever been arrested for wearing that stuff? Brilliantly functional, bit a bit frightening... (have you seen Taxi Driver?)

-- steve (stephenjjones@btopenworld.com), January 15, 2002.

Steve beat me to it. I immediately associated your look with Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver when I saw the jacket. Have you gone shooting at an airport lately? 8-). Good work on the harness.

-- Fred Sun (redsky3@yahoo.com), January 15, 2002.

YOU TALKING TO ME?

YOU TALKING TO ME?

WELL YOU MUST BE TALKING TO ME CAUSE THERE'S NO-ONE ELSE HERE.

...

-- John (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), January 15, 2002.

Haha. I immediately thought of "Taxi Driver", too. I'd like to see you walk in my neighborhood with an oversized coat and two bulges on either side.

Though seriously, John, what's the advantage of this set up? It would seem that your attempt to be "stealthy" would actually make you stand out and be more suspicious (what with the oversized military jacket and these odd harnesses). With street photography, I find the best approach is to be open with your intentions (camera in hand, or over shoulder) and just shoot. No excuses. No games or hidden tricks.

-- Richard Le (rvle@yahoo.com), January 15, 2002.

Deeply strange.

-- Gulley Jimson (gulleyjimson@hotmail.com), January 15, 2002.

Well, the advantage is I live in Canada where people try EXTRA hard to ignore you if you wear that stuff. I still do the camera over the shoulder thing when I'm casual shooting but when I go for a heavy duty shooting session at special events the vest allows me to carry everything without the use of a camera bag which I find bulky and cumbersome in-leiu of the vest. I put on the Army jacket as a joke but in reality it works just as well with a down-filled coat OR something more conventional.

Lutz's hooks allow me to remove the cameras easily as well so I can use them on straps that I carry in the back of the vest. Bottom line: its nicer to have MORE viable options than LESS.

;-)

-- John (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), January 15, 2002.

Wow John! I don't know about Canada but here in London if you jumped out on someone looking like "right side" you'd probably be shot!

Truely frightening.

-- Giles Poilu (giles@monpoilu.icom43.net), January 15, 2002.

Hi John, I like the system in that there is no strap over your shoulder-- That dives me crazy when I am wearing a coat. thanks for the illustration. (By the way, I am considering an ouroborus as my first tattoo ) Best,

-- Marke Gilbert (Bohdi137@aol.com), January 15, 2002.

Deeply strange... Truely frightening

And perhaps kind of dorky, too. Sorry.

-- Richard (rvle@yahoo.com), January 15, 2002.

John:

I'd like to be there photgraphing you as you attempt to slink through airport security!

PS: Some things shouldn't be shared!

;-) Cheers,

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), January 15, 2002.

Hey, Kevin. That's not fair. To John!

-- Alec (alecj@bellsouth.net), January 15, 2002.

John...you are amoung friends........we CAN help you.....please let us help.

Right John,take off the vest and step away from the digital camera......that's it.....good.Now take the vest into the back yard with some petrol and a box of matches.....you're doing great John.....that's it,exellent.......burn the vest John,burn it now.....right,finally,put all your Leica gear into a box.....that's the way......look in your in-box,you'll find my address......there it is,fantastic.......we are all with you John........now,send the box of gear to me......WELL DONE JOHN!!!!!!! we are proud of you.

-- Phil Kneen (philkneen@manx.net), January 15, 2002.

Well, as I expected...

A few constructive critiques amongst a sea of Luddite responses.

I MUST be on the Leica forum!!!

LOL.

-- John (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), January 15, 2002.

Philip, your comment about the matches and petrol is a little "anti-constructive" there buddy. If you can't pitch an idea to one demographic then you target another.

Maybe I should speak to ol' himself about an endorsement contract. Should sell quite well at HIS type of trade shows. Maybe you'll be able to buy from also.

Its the American way as I understand it...

;-)

-- John Chan (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), January 15, 2002.

Dye the jacket royal blue or some other outdoors/mountaineering clothing color and you will be fine. You still have to work on that expression John, its not going to get you past security ;-)

Just kidding!! I'm intrigued, but will likely pass. Accesorizing the M is not quite my style, with the possible exception of Lutz's excellent SHADE.

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), January 15, 2002.

This is too subtle for me, John. I like the "in-your-face" style of street photography. Check this out:

Khumbu Vest

I especially like the tripod quiver! Whip it over your shoulder, snap it open, quik-clip the Really Right Stuff stuff, and voila! vibration- free street photography! I am trying to find a matching hat. ;-)

(Only because I know you have a great sense of humor).

-- Hil (hegomez@aol.com), January 15, 2002.

Here's your "perfect hat" Indiana.

;-)

-- John Chan (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), January 15, 2002.

Almost perfect hat! LOL. Needs a big red dot!

-- Hil (hegomez@aol.com), January 16, 2002.

Hil, if you fell over wearing that thing you'd need three people to help you get up again.

My own pref is for a small bag and couple of cameras round my neck, but fortunately I don't use giant digital slr's ... yet.

-- rob (rob@robertappleby.com), January 16, 2002.

Rob,

You can't fall over wearing this thing if you are careful, as I would be, to add enough bags to the bottom so it reaches the ground. It would be just like sitting down.

And should you fall over, you could not find three people to pick you up. They would be rolling on the ground laughing at you! ;-A.

Doesn't the Khumbo remind you of those cartoons that have made the rounds like "Cowboy as designed by OSHA" or "A child's tree swing" as designed by different committees?

Sorry to continue this thread at John's expense, as I think his jacket is very clever. Not meant as a put down at all, just that it started me thinking.

-- Hil (hegomez@aol.com), January 16, 2002.

I got the perfect fix for the jacket.

I'm going to find a iron-on badge of a BIG AMERICAN BALD EAGLE and the words "PROUDLY AMERICAN - BROTHERHOOD OF ALL ETHNIC GROUPS" and put it on the back of the jacket...

Its either that or "GUNS, GOD, AND THE US OF A"

Whadda ya think?

Marketable?????

-- John Chan (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), January 16, 2002.

no offense but i won't buy this product even if it costs a buck.

nothing personal.

-- Dexter Legaspi (dalegaspi@hotmail.com), January 16, 2002.

Fortunately, save for the M5, everything is marketable, John. :-)

-- Hil (hegomez@aol.com), January 16, 2002.

I hate to say it, John, as it is at your expense, but this thread is priceless! I would not be seen dead wearing your vest. I guess if it works for you then great. I might as well wear a sign that says "Camera geek at work" if I wore this. Deeply strange indeed.

I am always rather amused at how seriously people take the "street photography" bit of Leica-dom. Now it appears you even have to dress to tell everyone that you are indeed a serious street photographer.

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), January 16, 2002.

John,

I like your style. But my peronal favourite is:

Trousers: black gortex overalls -all weather conditions gear, for any street situation, gutters, riots, wind storms...

Footwear: my preference is black Caterpillar boots [steel capped] for those ghastly crowds stomping on your toes, you don't feel a thing, especially as you kick the tv cameraman who won't let you in on his vantage point.

Inner wear: thermal lining, worn with a Schott US army ripstop duck down feather vest. Has two zipped pocket inners for a lens each. Outer pockets for films

Outer Wear: Dark navy blue Schott thermalite jacket. Which has 6 pockets. Enough for two bodies. And a back up Minilux. Notepad and pen

And lastly an SAS issue balaclava. No-one will get in your way.

What is the website for Incognito. I might try out that vest.

Thanks,

-- sparkie (sparkie@mailcity.com), January 16, 2002.

sparkie,

This was just my initial experiment into "wearable" ready-to-shoot camera wear. Basically, the Tilley VOMP vest that I have already has the D rings sewn in and it was a simple matter of going to a Mountaineer store and buying some static cord and fasteners. I've worn this thing out on the street numerous times with different overcoats and didn't feel "conspicuous" in the least bit. Didn't feel like people were "staring" at me. However, I am brewing another design in my head now... more of a minimalist design using accessory straps and a thin shoulder brace... and can be made modular and worn under a sweater while being virtually invisible. Kinda like the "shoulder holster" for 2 M cameras with low profile lenses or 2 M bodies.

I'll post this idea when it comes to fruition (hopefully, it will be more amenable to the "fashion conscious" SFs [you know who you are!]).

...and with any luck, it will be marketable and I can start looking for some offshore Carribean sweat shops to help make it a high margin business.

Hmmmm. Maybe I should give Kathy Lee Gifford a ring on that.

-- John Chan (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), January 17, 2002.

John,

Great thread! How did you keep a straight face in all the photo's?

I wonder if you got the material's from Leica. I was looking at the latest 2002 M7 Official Leica Catalogue:

Leica Bungy cords 0OBUOONGY -----$900

$700 Grey

Leica Field Jacket--Solms URAFOOL $1300 Leica Field Jacket--Wetzlar URAREALFOOL $1500 Leica Field CAMO-- URADORKU $1600 Leica Field Jacket--Special Charlton Heston Anniversary Model-- Priceless.

Look under the special John Chan section for additional offerings.

-- David Smith (dssmith3@rmci.net), January 17, 2002.

Actually, I think a commemorative "Hiro Hito" jacket is in order. I'll just put a big red dot on the back and market to both the "patriotic japanese camera collector" target demographic and the "big red dot means Leitz" target demographic.

Should be a run-away success!!!

Excuse me while I inquire about setting up corporate headquarters in Grand Cayman.

-- John Chan (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), January 17, 2002.