So what camera are you using?
This is a question I've been asked many times and is also something that I have asked other photographers. Easy enough to answer, but I've personally wondered what goes into the bags of others. So I'm driving along thinking about what's in my bag, and I really had no idea. Usually the bare minimum, i.e camera bodies, lenses and filters, but I truthfully couldn't remember.
So I pulled out everything that I'm currently using, or should be carrying and ripped it from the drawer that I keep my overflow or less used items in, and laid it out. There's a fair bit of stuff, but not as much as I'd like. It's hard to get the expensive stuff that we think we need, and it's only in the last few months that I've started getting the pieces that I needed or wanted. Over time, I've saved to get the better gear but made do with stop gap options.
A couple of random thoughts, not necessarily original but ones that have been important learning curves:
- Having all the gear does not make you a photographer. The equipment increases the capability, but the skill is in the hands and eyes of the photographer to find and create an image.
- The best camera you have is the one that you carry and use, not the one still behind glass in the shop. I've been shooting with a mid range APS-C (crop sensor) DSLR for the last two and a half years, and still managed to get some great portraits and landscapes. The camera hasn't changed, the glass has been improved in some aspects, but it's me that changed. Therefore, looking back at my portfolio across the last year or two, it gives me greater confidence in my creative ability and my vision for my photography, rather than fearing my equipment limitations or the judgement of others.
- Editing or post-processing of images is not only useful, it is necessary. I've seen some stupid comments in forums, on social media or other places, usually along the lines of "... that's photoshopped..." etc, etc. Of course it is, or is edited in some way. Some are purists, some are down right Slider Abusers (I'll save this for another time) and others are creative. It depends on the vision/mood or the fidelity of the scene that you wish to convey. I personally try and approach each image differently and base my processing on a few factors such as my mood, what the scene reminds me of, or potential for exploitation/enhancement (not sure if these are the right words, but some images are made for digital editing and become creative pieces. I will cover my thoughts and ethical rules for post processing in another blog. It's a big opinion piece, anywhere.
- To get original or interesting images, you need to be willing to be uncomfortable, to risk your equipment, to change yours and therefore your audiences perspective and you need to be prepared to plan against weather, tides, wildlife (stingers/crocs in my part of the world), terrain, etc,etc. This means that your gear will will be at risk of rain, sea spray, waves, impact, vibration in vehicles, heat, etc, etc. Plan against this, but also embrace it. It is inherent to landscape photography, at least in my experience (very short experience).
Enough rambling, for now. Here is a crappy phone image of my current kit, with a list below:
Current equipment being used for landscapes and some portraits.
- Canon 17-40mm ƒ4 L
- Sigma 50mm ƒ1.4 (on loan, usually Canon 50mm ƒ1.8
- Canon 40mm ƒ2.8
- Canon 580 EXii speedlight, diffuser and colours
- Notebook/sketch pad for ideas, key into, meteorological data, scene sketch, etc.
- Sony A7ii body w/ Sigma MC-11 lens adaptor
- Canon 70D body
- Spare batteries (Canon)
- Sensor Gel Stick cleaning stick and spare parts tin for Lee holder (smaller)
- Lee Little Stopper (6 stop) ND filter
- Lee 0.9 Hard Grad ND filter
- Lee filter holder
- Circular Polariser
- Hahnel remote trigger cables and pouch
- Hahnel Giga T Pro ii wireless remote trigger and sensor
- MIOPS high speed/lightning sensor (recent purchase, yet to see its potential) and cables
- Tripod baseplate and hot shoe mounted spirit level
- Multiple cleaning cloths for lenses and filters including lens cleaner bottle to deal with prints or spray on filters especially. (Batteries for speed light off to the side).
- Lens Pens and cloth/carrier (very useful for greasy smudges).
- Business cards (the amount of conversations I have when shooting that result in a card being asked for is quite funny).
- Moisture absorbing pouch (recycled from shoes/shipping etc) to deal with excess moisture in bag after coastal shoots or rain fall.
- Manfrotto MT 055XPro3 Aluminium Tripod (Heavy, but durable and steady for strong currents, wind, swell etc).
What do you carry, and what works for you? If you have anything to add or any tips you'd like to share, let me know below.
Beau