Shooting a Protest with the Rapid R Strap!

On Sunday the 15th I took out all my gear to shoot at the Anti Bush protest being held in parliament square. This was the first event where I really got to see if I liked using the R strap.

There is no doubt that its a great thing to own, it's very comfortable to wear and makes sure that your camera is always to hand when you need it quickly. However I found that when I got into a very tight space it was easier to detach the camera and handhold it while my second film body was around my neck on a regular strap. Also I find that shooting in portrait orientation feels a little awkward. One great thing about it though is that having a backpack on at the same time does not effect the effectiveness of the strap.

Where the strap excels is in carrying your camera around and always being ready and having both hands free with out worrying about the camera slipping off your shoulder.

Overall I think its a great piece of kit but there are a few things that I still like about regular straps over the Rapid. One example of this would be if I were shooting at a smart event such as a wedding. I would probably be wearing a suit. The Rapid R strap cannot be worn over just one shoulder It has go across your body meaning that it would spoil the look of your jacket and tie because there is a big black strap across your body. In this situation a regular strap that you can sling over one shoulder would be better. That's just my view, I think the Rapid R is more designed for casual events. Overall it did great at the protest.

Its a really great product and I am exited to see what other products the Black Rapid people come up with.

Here are some pics from the protest: