CottonCarrier - Camera Vest. My brother made a good model for it.

CottonCarrier — Camera Vest

My first thought when I opened the box and took the Cotton Carrier Vest out was: "There is NO WAY I'm putting that over my dress while shooting a wedding." Let me backtrack a bit. I'm a wedding and lifestyle photographer. Like many in my profession I work 12-15h days, camera in hand, with a lens bag over my shoulder; all the while being dressed for the occasion. The only time I use two camera bodies is when the bride is walking down the aisle mainly because the process is fast and there is very little time to change lenses. I also try to keep a moderately low profile without calling extra attention to myself. So my initial geeking out reaction while envisioning myself wearing the vest during a wedding was quite expected. But then I actually put the vest on. Here is how it all went down.

At first it hung completely loose on me; I'm 5'6" and slim but all the straps were extended for a stocky male frame. After fiddling with buckles and adjusting the straps for a good ten minutes I was about to give up since the vest was still too big. Then I found extra adjustable straps, and voila everything fit. CottonCarrier say on their website video that the vest fits anyone between 24" to 70" in circumference. Just out of curiosity I measured myself and I'm at 26". It does take a while to adjust all the straps so the vest fits well, but once you've done so, it is always ready to go. I don't mind 'suffering' for a one time only setup like this. During my fiddling around process, I discovered how well the design is thought out...and I LOVE good design with smart details. There are even little elastic bands on the straps to hold loose ends. I did have very long straps hanging and I imagine those would have to be cut, in order to save me from my own clumsiness.

Once I had my vest on and adjusted, it was time to hang the camera from it. If you've ever put Ikea furniture together with an Allen key, you'll have absolutely no problem attaching the Cotton Camera Hub by threading it to your camera's tripod mount. The only thing I had to pay attention to was ensuring that the arrow on the hub was pointing in the direction of the lens. Done and done. At a 90 degree angle your camera slides into the chest plate receptacle and it's ready to go. There are also camera tethers that can be attached to the cam body with split rings (included in the kit) for extra safety. All-in-all a pretty straight forward set up. A page with easy to follow instructions is included with the vest in case guidance is required.

On to the testing. Being a cool kid and all, I put the biggest lens I have (70-200mm) on the camera and went for a walk. What better way to test a product then go all out with the biggest and heaviest you've got! Right? I should note that if you have a wrist strap that attaches to your tripod mount take it off before attaching Cotton camera hub. The Hub wasn't coming loose, but my cheap wrist strap was. Once I removed the wrist strap, there were absolutely no worries about camera safety. I stopped being paranoid and checking the hub every two minutes, and decided to live on the edge. I jumped around with the whole set up. It stayed close to my body without much movement and passed the 'extreme wedding shoot conditions' with flying colours.

Now to the vest itself and the comfort level. Let's start with the positives (which are huge), before I start nitpicking it apart. The main thing is that my hands were free and I absolutely loved that. Although I don't use my camera's neck strap, but instead an alternate strap, the camera would still swing off my side. With the vest it wasn't. Refreshing! The camera weight was evenly distributed on my shoulders and was much easier to carry. It was also readily available for quick shooting. Another plus, is that I would also be able to carry a backpack, if need be.

On to the nitpicking: I found that the weight of the camera was pulling the vest forward, making the back of the vest rise to my neck and cause the shoulder straps to rub against my collar bone. It wasn't much of an issue on an hour walk, but after a day of work I'm pretty sure there would be some minor chafing on my shoulders and a red line on the back of my neck. Extra padding on the shoulder straps with a rubberized grip and soft neoprene trim on the back of the vest are on my wish list. However, wearing the vest over a jacket or a sweater would solve this issue as well. I need to put in a disclaimer here. On CottonCarrier website it does say that there should be no weight carried on the shoulders but only around the chest strap. That wasn't the case with me. I'm thinking that I'm still a bit too small for the vest, because the chest strap was as short as it gets. It fit, but wasn't completely tight. Other than this, there were no other issues with the vest at all.

Would I use it? Well, not for work, and this is just personal preference. Based on the fact that I photograph weddings with only one camera body and it never leaves my hand during the day. However, I think it would be a great product for hiking, kayaking, and travel, and I would use it on those occasions. Just not snowboarding, because I can so picture myself wiping out with the camera, breaking it in the process together with a few ribs. I'm not a very good snowboarder... at all.

I can completely see sports and nature photographers using this, or anyone who needs more than one camera body and carries lots of equipment. If you visit the CottonCarrier website, there are a lot of videos and photos of people doing some crazy things while wearing the vest. I'm sure that if you think you need it, then you definitely need it. It's just one of those products.


1. Release clips on shoulder straps
2. Elastics to hold loose ends on shoulder straps
3. Tether strap attaches to D ring on the shoulder strap
4. Chest strap buckles
5. Chest plate is rigid, but with a bit of flexibility. Receptacle made out of strong plastic.
6. One of four D-rings.
7. Extra padding on the inside of the chest plate. Back of the vest is made out of breathable nylon mesh.
8. Small front pocket with velcro closure. Fits two CF cards comfortably.


1. Pro-body angled camera hub with a rubber washer
2. Regular camera hub with a rubber washer
3. Universal adaptor plate with a rubber washer
4. Allen key
5. 1/4" hex bolt
6. Two split rings



Cotton Carry-Lite. My brother as a model. He liked to carry the cameras on the back instead of sides.

CottonCarrier — Lite

This is the second product from Cotton Carrier that I tried. This is pretty much a belt to which you attach a holster or two and slide your camera in the same way as with the vest. The whole contraption sits on your hips with an optional shoulder strap. Now, this is something that I can actually play around with while on the job. I think the vest option is too manly for my liking, so the belt works much better. Yes, it comes with it's own limitations, but it suits my needs.

Let's start from the top. Once I took it out from the mesh bag it came in, it was a simple strap adjustment to make everything fit well. The holsters velcro in on the sides of the belt, hubs attach to the camera bodies and slide into receptacles. Everything is ready to go in less than five minutes. Plus I feel like a hip cowboy, ahem.. cowgirl, while wearing the belt. After attaching the first camera to the holster, my initial thought was "YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD BE COOL?!?! - A LENS BAG that attaches on the other side. Here I proceeded to think that I'm the smartest person around, which lasted for about a minute until the website told me that they already have a lens bag. Gah, all my brilliant ideas are always taken!

I have no complaints about the belt design or its quality. It has the same sturdy materials as the vest: D rings, tether strap, extra secure buckles, padded shoulder strap (although I detached it right away because it felt a bit awkward to me). As for functionality, there is a bit more of the camera swing while walking. You can't really attach a huge lens since it'll be hitting your leg, and it will touch the ground if you squat down. I also found that it's better to have two camera bodies attached (or a camera and a lens bag) since it balances the weight a lot better on each side. The belt also directly competes with your pants belt, so it's either one or the other, unless you can make them sit at different heights. You also have to watch the camera lens when you sit down. Once you get up, there is a need to pull the belt down because it does rise up a bit.


1. Holster with a receptacle for the camera.
2. Shoulder strap and tether strap attach to D rings
3. Belt buckle with extra security
4. Adjustable buckles
5. Shoulder strap with extra padding

At the end of the day, both products are unique in their own ways and certainly have a specific customer base. If you're the adventurous-athletic type the vest is a definite winner here. Personally I prefer the carrier-lite system for my work and the vest for those occasions when you find me hiking.

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Friends <3 by Sandra Schürmans

Things are often more fun with friends. Now you can find yours with the new Friend Finder feature on 500px.

To access the finder, click Settings in the top right corner of the site.

To use the finder, just click "find friends" to login and authorize a contact search on Facebook, Twitter, or Flickr. Fellow photographers on these networks who have 500px accounts will appear below each respective service, and you can choose to follow their work on 500px.

Remember, once you add someone to your friends, their photos will appear along with those of whomever else you've added under your Friends tab. It's just one more way to build your network, discover new photography, and be inspired.

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Scarlet Macaws in Early Morning Light by Tony Rath

Every day we see stunning photos from our peers in the 500px community, but not often do we turn the lens back upon the photographer. The Portrait series focuses on remarkable 500px users who may have something to teach us about their field of photography. This week's feature is Tony Rath, interviewed by Matt Knight.

Tell us a little about yourself, Tony.

I am a naturalized Belizean who grew up in Minnesota with a love of flying, travel, adventure and the outdoors. Leaving home at 18, I explored the world for 14 years until I found Belize, got married, raised a family and started to take photography seriously as a business.

What do you love about your work?

The creative aspect of capturing light as my eye sees it.

Are there any parts of your work that you would change?

Sometimes I wish that I could be part of the action instead of just recording it. I am usually in another world when shooting and I can often be near impossible to interact with…just ask my wife or friends who travel with me.

Do you have any memorable stories from your work?

Photographing puffins and birdlife in the North Sea; surrounded by reef sharks at Peter and Paul Rocks in the middle of the Atlantic; photographing the fjords and spectacular waterfalls of Norway by sailboat; time-lapse of the Mayan temples of Belize by moonlight; swimming with 20 whale sharks at Gladden Spit before it was widely known.


Crevalle Jack School following whale shark. by Tony Rath

One memory that is burned into my mind occurred during a winter spent in the remote archipelago of the Faroe Islands, situated between Iceland and Scotland. An ancient custom practiced there, called “Grind,” is both a blessing and horror. The ocean around the Faroes is rich, and occasional pods of pilot whales find themselves within the narrow channels between islands. Once spotted, the villagers in small boats surround the pod of pilot whales and drive them toward shore.

I was on one of the small boats that not only drove the whales ashore, but decided to take part in the killing. Remember these whales can reach 20 feet in size. I was snapping away, trying to ignore what was happening and attempting to capture the moment as a budding photojournalist should, when a huge tail erupted beside me, knocking me against the opposite gunwale and nearly capsizing the boat. Saltwater and blood drenched me and my camera.


Grindadráp, Faroe Islands by Tony Rath

As I carefully picked myself up I looked around, everyone was screaming, whales were thrashing about, doing flips completely out of the water; boats where sinking, crews trying to pull themselves into nearby boats out of a soup of blood; men in thick wool sweaters had crazed looks on their faces, soaked in blood and salt; spears and sharp knives flashing about; being thrust into the necks of the whales to sever spinal cords.

Dazed and scared, I imagined this is how an ancient battle with swords and spears and blood and death must have looked. With in an hour, all was quiet. About 20 whales were pulled out of the water and lined up on shore, marked and butchered, and within a few hours, every islander had a share of meat and blubber to last the winter…a huge gift of food to an island chain with no agriculture.

By the following morning, not a single sign of the carnage remained on the beach. I only managed a few photos, but the scene is as fresh as it was 30 years ago.

What, in your opinion, makes your work different from anyone else’s?

Maybe it is access. I live in a spectacular location with the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere 30 minutes by boat to the east; dense tropical forest and the world’s first jaguar preserve 20 minutes by truck to the west; and in-between numerous colourful cultures, both ancient (the Maya) and present-day.


Maya 2012 by Tony Rath

Which photographers or artists inspire you the most?

Wow, there are so many. Before I turned professional, National Geographic photographers in general and Ansel Adams specifically opened my eyes to light and the beauty of the still image; Jacques Cousteau mesmerized me with his underwater films. Later, Jim Brandenburg, Art Wolfe, Jim Gallop (an awesome Minneapolis based commercial photographer) and David Doublet for underwater.

Now, the Internet provides inspiration—I love following those very skilled photographers that are also gifted with social media skills such as Chase Jarvis and Jim Goldstein. Most recently, 500px is a complete overload for me for inspiration.

For more of Tony's photography, check out his 500px page and his website.

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Developers and designers with a passion for inspiring visuals, now's your time to shine—and possibly take home a great prize.

Join us for Pixel Hack Day in Toronto, a weekend-long contest to code and design apps based on open APIs, proudly organized by 500px in collaboration with Venture Deli. The event will be the largest photo-inspired hackathon in Canada and will take place Nov. 19-20 at ING DIRECT Cafe on Yonge Street between Dundas and Queen Streets (click for more info).

Not only do we want to celebrate the greatest talents in design, photography, programming, and product management by pitting them against each other under one roof, but we also want to encourage amazing work by rewarding the creators of the best apps. Participate in the hackathon and you will have the chance to win a 13" Macbook Air, iPhone 4S, or a Kobo Vox eReader.



Those are some pretty amazing prizes. Think you can't win one of them? Don't be silly. Besides, all participants will receive an Awesome account on 500px valid for one year, so you've got nothing to lose and all the Awesomeness on 500px to gain!

If you've been sitting on a great idea for a photo-related app, there's no better opportunity to make the project of your dreams a reality. Designers and developers are encouraged to share their visions and team up to create the ultimate app in both form and function.

Can't wait to get coding? Check out the official Pixel Hack Day page for more details.

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21 by Laura Sch

These days, we're feeling a little older, but much wiser—500px celebrated its second birthday this past Halloween. How time flies!

The initial idea for 500px grew from a small but engaged Livejournal community started in 2003. Back then, a width of 500 pixels was the optimal viewing size for photos. There weren't many resources out there at the time for finding great photography, so the community quickly became a haven for hundreds of photographers to see quality images, be inspired, create some of their own, and meet like-minded individuals along the way.

Every day, these photographers would upload their very best shots to a small, trusted team of editors. These editors would spend hours of their own free time curating amazing photos for display, always with the highest standards in mind. The community blossomed, and its co-founders knew they had to take 500px a step further than a Livejournal community.

With time, effort, a sense of what fellow photographers wanted, and many visits to the drawing board, 500px's current website was launched on Oct. 31, 2009. Since leaving the curation of great photos in the hands of the entire community, the quality of photos on the site and the enthusiasm of its photographers has only increased—a testament to the true love for photography that drives the site, and the high standards 500px users have set for themselves and their peers. Now the community of choice for many of the world's best images and image-makers, 500px continues to grow and get even better.

We'd like to thank all our users for being a part of this amazing ride. Where will we be when we turn 3 years old? Only time will tell.

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New iPad App Features

The newest version of the 500px iPad app has been released, and we've made some great updates:

• New users can now sign up for 500px via the app
• Photo descriptions and EXIF data are available
• Search function is active
• By touching and holding any curated page (eg: Popular, Editors, Upcoming), photos can be viewed by genre

Don't have the app yet? Download it for free and browse to your heart's content.

Warning: You may plan to sit down with the app for five minutes but end up spending hours...trust us, we know.

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