Whats in my bag?
As of right now I shoot a lot of fashion, commercial, and portraiture, but I periodically will get into action sports, fitness, landscapes, and weddings. I enjoy any excuse to have a camera in my hand. I have a hard time shooting just one type of subject, which is why my portfolio is all over the place. Because of the variety of genres I shoot I need to have gear that will be accommodating to my diverse portfolio. I try to keep a rather minimal amount of gear and I usually don’t keep gear for very long, but for now this is what’s in my bag.
I have a Canon 5D mk iii, This camera is a workhorse, I need a body that can keep up with the diverse amount of work I do, and the mk iii never lets me down.
For lenses I have:
The Canon 24-70mm f2.8 vii which I use for most my work. There is a reason this is one of Canon’s most popular lenses.
The Canon 70-200mm f2.8, I use this for sports and anytime I need a longer focal length. I think these lenses are almost indestructible, the weather sealing on these are amazing, They have gone through rain and storms and still work flawlessly.
My favorite lens, not only in focal length but also in sharpness, is the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art. This was the only lens that I felt brought the best resolution out of the 5Ds when I owned it.
The Sigma 12-24mm f4 Art, this thing really is a piece of art. Having a zero distortion from 12-24mm is truly beautiful. This lens is awesome for landscapes and tight spaces.
And last the Sigma 20mm f1.4 Art, the best for night and low light conditions.
For my strobed work I have two Canon 600EX-RT’s and two Yongnuo YN-600 EX-RT’s. I like these because they’re very small and portable and with the four of them I have enough power for any work that I do.
To trigger them I use a Canon ST-E3-RT. For modifiers I have a 5 in 1 43inch reflector (which I use a lot!), four Wescott 43-inch Apollo orbs with the grids, and an 81-inch PLM umbrella.
I also have to often rent gear for shoots. My go to lights are Profoto B1’s, with a variety or Profoto modifiers. These lights are truly some of the best in the industry.
But I am a firm believer that gear doesn’t make great images, having vision does.
Gear Pictured
This is a breakdown of all the gear I own and use.
Canon 5d mk iii.
This is my workhorse, although I will be jumping to the mk iv in the future. My first DSLR was Canon so I have just continued to buy into the brand. The Canon vs Nikon debate for most cases is rather arbitrary.
Minolta x-370 35mm. This is my father's camera and the camera I learned on.
Instax mini 8. Love this thing for memories.
Case of film
Vello Battery grip. I actually mainly use these to prevent the bottom of the camera from getting all scratched up, makes it much easier for resale.
Memory Cards: (4) PNY Technologies 128gb
Lenses:
Canon- 24-70mm f2.8 v ii, 70-200mm f2.8.
Sigma- 12-24mm f4 Art, 20mm f1.4 Art, 50mm f1.4 Art
Macro tube: Fotodiox Pro 31mm. Great for wedding ring shots without investing into a macro lens.
Filters: Bower 8 stop Variable ND, Tiffen circular polarizer. Love these for landscapes.
Tripod: Slik Pro 340DX. This has been my go to tripod for several years now. Its very durable, small enough to travel with and also extends tall enough for a lot of commercial use.
Camera Strap: BlackRapid sport breath. My favorite strap on the market. From commercial work, weddings to hiking in Iceland this thing is awesome.
Bags:
Think Tank airport security V3.0. The amount of gear this bag holds is sort of ridiculous, almost everything pictured fits in this bag.
Mindshift rotation 180 horizon 34L. This is by far one of the coolest camera outdoor backpacks I have used. Being able to access gear without taking the pack off is a game changer.
Lighting:
I love speedlites. They are cheap, and portable. But when I need more power I rent the Profoto B1’s.
(2) Canon 600ex-rt speedlites. Love the HSS these offer.
(2) Yongnuo 600ex-rt speedlites. They definitely are not as durable as the Canon’s but being a fraction of the price for the same system is definitely worth it.
Canon ST-E3-RT transmitter. I think one of the best things you can do if you use strobes is to use a system where you can control your strobes power on your commander.
Lighting accessories:
MagMod magsphere, MagMod gels and grids. This company changed my workflow. I love how fast and simply it is to add gels and grids.
(2) Impact Turtlebase C-stands (not pictured) various Impact stands. These things are durable and super quick to set up with the quick release system. Invest in heavy duty light stands. I promise it is always worth it.
Lastolite 6x6 scrim. This is my absolutely favorite modifier. I use this on almost every shoot, whether it's studio or on location.
Westscott- (4) 43 inch apollo orb, apollo orb grid. These have been the best speedlite octoboxes I have found.
Impact 4 speedlite holder. Definitely need this when shooting outside and need to combine the speedlites for more power.
Savage paper- various rolls. The various colors and sizes Savage offers make them an industry standard for portraits.
Hand painted canvas. Love this for portraits.
Cinegel speedlite gels. Best 3 dollars I have ever spent.
Accessories:
PearlStone (now Vello) Shutterboss ii intervalometer. Great for star trails and long exposures.
Rayovac headlamp.
Bag of Duracell rechargeable batteries.
Bag of lens cloths.
(2)Led flashlights.
(2) Multitools.
Pocket knife.
Allen wrench.
Sierra Nevada chapstick.
(2) Impact clamps
JBL Charge 3 speaker. This little speaker is pretty loud and portable, I always have it on my shoots.
Not Pictured
Neewer 43 inch 5 in 1 reflector
81 inch PLM umbrella
If you enjoyed checking out whats in my bag make sure to go over to ShotKit to see what's in the bag of some of the worlds best photographers.
Also thanks to Chris Lambeth for taking these shots.