My first time around with film, I didn't realize that I was a nimble photographer. I mean, we didn't think as much about stuff then. We just did it.

I naturally liked lighter-weight SLRs such as the Contax 139Q, Yashica FX-3 2000 Super, Olympus OM-10, and the Canon AE-1. My stock lenses were the 35mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.7, and 85mm f/2.8. I worked for a newspaper and shot Tri-X.

My shoulder bag wasn't very big. I never considered a backpack. In the front pocket there were yellow and red filters, and if I were shooting color, a polarizer. Usually, I had an extra roll of film or two. That was it. I don't think I even packed an extra battery.

Later, things seemed to get a lot heavier with professional zoom lenses. I couldn't afford them in the earlier days, so it wasn't an issue. My heaviest camera bag days were with Canon DSLRs and those weighty zooms. Great pictures, yes, but oh my what a workout.

This all came to mind as I was looking at my film kit yesterday. One body, two primes, and my iPhone. I was out walking in the rain, stopping occasionally to take a picture. Wasn't even thinking about the weight of my gear in my shoulder bag.

It's an odd feeling when you finally realize who you are. Most of the time, you just are. Then one day you pick up something from you past, hold in your hands, and think...

My God, I've always been this way.

-Derrick