My photography style is based around my love for external light sources and how they interact with the subjects I’m capturing. Focusing on soft tones and brightly colored hues, I’ve crafted a signature look throughout my photos. I’ve learned to always travel light so I can be sure to capture even the most unexpected of moments.
In this article, I’ll be sharing what is typically in my gear bag for photoshoots.
My Camera
I’ve shot with a lot of camera bodies throughout my career but, recently, I’ve been using the Nikon Z 7II for most of my photos. The Z 7II remains one of the only cameras on the market that provides a low native ISO of 64. This greatly helps when I’m shooting scenes with a lot of contrast, like a sunset or sunrise. Some of its key specifications — like the vast shutter speed range (1/8000 to 900 seconds) — have let me take photos that past camera bodies wouldn’t have allowed me to do. Having a camera that can completely correspond with my vision is crucial as a professional photographer.
My Lens
The 35mm f/1.4 is my go-to for all of the photos I take day-to-day. Being a photographer, I run into a lot of different shooting scenarios. Whether it’s a low light concert, a landscape shot, or wildlife scenes, I can ensure that this lens will capture crisp, quality images every single time. It also helps that it comes at a lower price point than some other alternatives!
The 85mm f/1.4 is another staple in my camera bag. This lens offers a very distinct look with its shallow depth of field and beautiful bokeh. Because of this, I’ve discovered that it works really well in scenes with a lot of distracting features in the background. With easy operation in low-light situations and a bright overall image, I tend to pull this lens out mainly for portraits. It may not be as useful for my personal process as the 35mm f/1.4 but it’s definitely a crowd favorite whenever I share images online.
Another lens I use a lot is the 24-70mm f/1.4. The focal length of this lens is incredibly versatile and I’ve found it to be really helpful, especially when I’m filming videos. Having the ability to zoom in and out on the exact frame I’m trying to capture is key when I’m shooting in high-pressure situations. This ability to zoom in on a particular moment has enabled me to capture a ton of variety — all while staying stagnant where I am. My collection consists solely of prime lenses — other than the 24-70mm — so it’s definitely inspired me to invest in other zoom lenses moving forward.
My Accessories
One tool that I absolutely cannot conduct my shoots without is an RGB LED Panel Light. This handheld light allows me to fine tune the mood of every image. I always bring this light with me, whether I’m out on location or in a studio. It’s useful when you need that essential pop of color or subtle ambient glow. I love shooting during golden hour. Although, this sometimes leaves my subject appearing silhouetted when they’re facing away from the sun. This continuous light is the perfect solution for adding a touch of brightness to the foreground. The versatility of this small light allows for an easily concealable source of color or light anywhere I want. Most of the time I place it off to the side of my model on a light stand, but it also gives me the option to mount it to the hot shoe of my camera.
As someone who does more field photography than studio work, I often shy away from flash as I’m used to working with natural light or continuous light. As I began to grow as a photographer, I wanted to branch out and try things that I wasn’t doing at the time. When beginning to play around with flash, the Profoto C1 Plus worked perfectly for my needs and gave me a great introduction into flash photography. It provided a flare that still allowed me the freedom to keep my concepts and ideas intact. It’s completely portable, which works perfectly for someone like me who is changing shoot locations constantly or needs to pack light.
My Filters
Another addition I’ve recently made to my shooting process is the inclusion of lens filters. Adding these tools into my camera bag has brought my images to the next level. Each lens filter serves its own unique purpose. The Split Diopter Filter creates blurry refraction effects. The Cross Screen Filter creates a 4-beam flare on direct light spots. The Kaleidoscope Filter delivers stunning kaleidoscope effects all at your desired focal length.
Lens filters can also help to minimize glare and reflections, enhance colors, and reduce light coming into the lens. Simply screw one of these filters onto the front of your lens and transform your scene with ease.
My Editing Process
A huge part of my overall workflow can be found within the editing process. Learning new editing techniques and tools has allowed me the ability to take full control of my photos, even after they were shot. While photography has enabled me to meet and connect with so many new amazing people, editing is where I really let my creativity come to life.
Within my editing process I’ve started to edit more using Photoshop on my iPad. Major updates just came to the application including Adobe Camera Raw, Healing Brush, Smart Object Selection and more. Editing my RAW files with Adobe Camera Raw is an important part of my editing workflow and gaining access to it on the iPad has been incredible. Whether I’m in the comfort of my own home office or out exploring somewhere new, it’s been relieving to know that I can start an edit on my desktop and finish it anywhere I want.
Check out more of my work in AdoramaTV’s new docuseries, THE MASTERS.
