Hey guys, wanted to share a bag setup I’ve been working on.
Started with a regular brown paper shopping bag and reinforced the entire inside with duct tape. Sides, bottom, everywhere.
This gives the bag enough rigidity so it doesn’t collapse or flex when you’re holding it, which keeps your phone angle consistent.
Next step: I glued my phone case directly inside the bag.
After that, I cut the camera opening along the edge of the phone case so it would fit perfectly.
The issue was that from the sides you could see the duct tape and the phone through the gap.
To fix that, I took two random pages from a magazine and taped them along the inside walls. From the outside it just looks like the bag has content inside.
When the bag is closed, everything is fully covered from view.
The key modification: I cut cardboard strips and placed them on both sides running downward and then angling forward toward the front wall of the bag.
These act as internal supports.
What this does is let me grab the handles at the front and tilt the whole bag forward.
The phone’s weight pulls toward the top of the bag, which means I can do upshots without the phone shifting or the bag folding. The structure holds the angle steady.
Works great in malls, clothing stores, outdoor spots.
The bag just looks like a normal shopping bag you’re carrying around.
You can easily follow moving candids by holding onto the cardboard strips on the handles.
This keeps it stable while walking and also allows you to take good close-up shots while standing still.
I’ve already got some candid caps with it.
There are two downsides.
First, you might not be allowed to bring it into certain stores or places because your bag could be checked, especially at the checkout.
Second, you can’t take your phone out as easily, especially if the case is stiff, and taking it in and out in public can look a bit awkward.
With the way I built it, you have to press on the camera lens and against the inside of the case to keep the paper construction safe.
Let me know if you want more detailed pictures of the inside build, and feel free to share any tips or suggestions if you think something could be improved or changed..
