I Love Moscow

I was in Moscow recently for work, and first of all, I have to say that I was really impressed by the city. I love the new and old buildings, the funky subway stations and the eclectic mix of people. Quite frankly, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, and as a result, was hesitant about bring my camera out. I needn’t have worried. I felt safer on the streets of Moscow than on the streets of San Francisco, and definitely safer on the Moscow metro than on the subway in Milan (probably due to the ever present military and police like the guys in the top photo).

I also brought my Nikon D200 up to have some fun and I learned 2 things: 1) Always have your camera with you and; 2) The shoulder bag doesn’t work for carrying heavy gear around all day.

I missed shots like this bottom photo because I didn’t have my D200 with me. I didn’t want to have my shoulder bag because I felt it was too easy a target for a grab and run theft. Other than worrying about having the bag ripped off, carrying the bag over one shoulder all day is a bit of a pain.

I had been thinking of getting camera backpack for a while but resisting because access to the gear is slower. This trip showed me not only would a backpack be useful in the outdoors, it would also solve 2 of my problems in cities: 1) It is not easily identifiable as a camera bag and not easy to grab since it is pretty much wrapped around you; and 2) My D200, 2 lenses and a flash are quite heavy and a backpack is much more comfortable to carry around all day. Better to have slow access to your camera than not have your camera with you at all. I ordered a Dakine Sequence photo backpack and should be getting it later this week.

Photos:
Top: Russian Soldiers Outside The Kremlin. Taken with a Nikon D200, 12-24mm
Middle: Train Whizzes By Stain Glass of Novoslobodskaya station. Taken with a Canon IXUS 850 IS
Bottom: Paris Hilton Sighted Outside St. Basil's Cathedral. Taken with a Canon IXUS 850 IS by Laura Koh.