Backpack Journalism (also available in 'purse')

Backpack journalism is the necessarily modern idea, that an individual can be a one-person news crew. A backpack journalist can come across a story as he walks down the street, take high-quality photos of it with his Canon PowerShot Digital ELPH, record his interview with the relevant parties with his Olympus VN-4100 Digital Voice Recorder, write the entire story on his MacBook Air, and upload it to his blog using the nearest wi-fi hotspot, all while sipping a vente coffee from Starbucks (Organic Sumatra-Peru Blend). Backpack journalists can be self-published on the internet, or they can be freelance, selling stories to whoever will publish them. I suppose they could also be staff writers for a newspaper or magazine, but then what would the point be of using their own meager resources? The definition is loose.

If Jared Silfies is to be believed, he is never found to be without his "mobile journalism kit," and showers with his copy of The Elements of Style. This kit consists of a laptop, flash drives, digital camera (with portable card reader), cell phone, notepad and various writing utensils, and a few less indispensable items (including, inexplicably, an iPod). These are the tools he uses on a daily basis to ensure that he is always prepared should a story collide into him on his way to Chipotle (I suspect a childhood in the Boy Scouts). If ever the need, or urge, should strike him, he will be fully prepared to have a story written, documented, and published within the hour. Silfies, sadly, has yet to obtain an audio recorder, or a video recorder more powerful than his Coolpix. Just a matter of time, I'm sure. And no, although I own a copy, I have never read through Strunk & White...but if it's anything like White's other work, I can expect a barnload of anthropomorphic animals, and a disturbing CGI film remake.

I have to admit, those outstanding portfolios intimidated me. Each was more graphically appealing and professional than the last, and even the two by students were stunning. Impressed as I was by the student pages, I decided to spend extra time browsing Nick Trost's blog. Trost is one of the two students mentioned, and as an undergrad, particularly impressive. Despite (or perhaps due to) not being able to drink legally, Trost has created a beautiful website, complete with his media work, both in print and on camera, and even came up with his own eye-grabbing, if creepy, banner picture. As for what you'd find in his backpack, I suspect it would be less relevant equipment than Silfies; Trost seems to be less interested in backpack journalism, and more interested in the broadcast side. This leads me to believe that while he may carry around a laptop and camera, they would be filled with pictures of himself pretending to be Bob Costas. Any other journalism equipment would be incidental.