What’s in My Bag: Lifestyle Photographer Eric Rubens

Written by Eric Rubens
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Published on August 30, 2022
Eric Rubens
Adorama ALC

I’m consistently on the go, capturing the beauty of our planet through landscape and lifestyle photography. I need a kit that handles the variety of situations I find myself in, from wide angle landscapes to dynamic compositions of distant surfers at sunset. Here’s what I use to handle photo and video jobs for my projects around the world.

Photo by Eric Rubens

My Cameras

Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera

This is my every day camera I use for nearly all projects. It has incredible resolution and dynamic range paired with the ability to shoot powerful video when the job calls. I consistently fly with my family and am weighed down with luggage. I often don’t have the luxury of bringing multiple cameras on projects. If I can only bring one camera body to accomplish the job, this is my choice every time.

Sony Alpha a7S III Mirrorless Digital Camera Body

I utilize the Sony Alpha a7S III Camera mainly for video projects, getting supplemental content on top of the Sony Alpha 1, and in particularly low-light situations. I don’t use it nearly as often as I’d like, but it serves a very specific purpose in my kit.

Photo by Eric Rubens

My Drone

DJI Mavic 3 Cine Premium Combo

Aerial photography and drone videography is a must on nearly every project I shoot. The Mavic 3 Cine captures incredibly rich video. I also love the speed it writes to the SSD. I’ve had many drones over the years, but I love the punch this device packs into a relatively small frame. The battery has improved tremendously as well. This is critical for me since I’m out shooting in long durations.

Photo by Eric Rubens

My Lenses

Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master Lens

As someone who shoots a mix of wide-angle landscapes, resort, and lifestyle photography, this is my go-to wide angle lens. The f/2.8 aperture handles low-light of sunrise or sunset shoots with ease. The sharpness is hard to beat as well. I upgraded from the f4 version of this lens and it was a choice that has greatly paid off.

Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master Lens

I shoot the majority of my lifestyle photography with this lens. It has the perfect reach to stay on my camera all day and is usually wide enough to get the shot I need. I’d say most of my portfolio is shot in this focal range — making this lens the ideal choice. Also, the newest GM version is so much lighter and smaller than its predecessor. Sony improved upon a product that I already considered to be top-notch.

Sony 70-200mm f2.8 G Master Lens

I love getting this longer lens out at sunset to capture surf photography. Its f/2.8 focal length is fast enough at golden hour to capture motion sharply. It gives me enough compression I need on shots. I often jump into Super 35mm mode to get a little extra range if needed.

Sony 24mm f1.4 G Master Lens

This prime lens is so small, compact, and incredibly sharp. I capture a lot of video content with this. Since it was released, it’s the prime I use most since this focal length is perfect for my landscape and lifestyle body of work.

Sony 50mm f1.2 G Master Lens

This is the newest addition to my kit and a lens I’ve enjoyed incorporating into my workflow. The portraits using this lens are incredibly detailed. I’m also going to utilize it heavily for food photography and videography.

Sony 12-24mm f4 Lens

This lens comes in handy when I’m in tight quarters. I mainly use it when shooting interior rooms at properties since it makes the room appear bigger. I’ve often been able to capture images in sea caves or narrow streets that just wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.

Photo by Eric Rubens

My Accessories

Sony TOUGH Memory Cards

I’m a chronic over-shooter, so I’m equipped with plenty of memory at all times. These cards hold up to moisture, sand, and all the elements I put them through.

Manfrotto Befree Advanced Aluminum Travel Tripod

I need a small-yet-durable tripod since I’m always on the go. I don’t use a tripod often. Although, when shooting at night or with poor lighting, it comes in handy.

Apple MacBook Pro 16″ Laptop

I’m consistently being called on to edit photo and video remotely. This powerful laptop handles everything I throw at it.

Finally, I’m often out shooting from sunrise to sunset so having plenty of batteries to get me through a day of shooting is critical. I also utilize polarizing filters in nearly every image I capture on both the Sony camera and my drone. I’m always shooting near water so cutting down on glare and reflections is important. They also adds richness to colors and to the sky on a cloudy day.

Check out more of my work in AdoramaTV’s new docuseries, THE MASTERS.

Eric Rubens : Lifestyle Photography | The Masters

Eric Rubens is a Southern California-based photographer and videographer specializing in travel, lifestyle, and storytelling. He’s a member of Sony’s Alpha Imaging collective and signed to a long-term partnership to produce travel content for United Airlines. He also spearheads partnerships for Explorest, a location-discovery app with over 300,000 users.