What’s in my Kit (2024 Version)
If you’ve ever been lucky enough to be in a room with a gaggle of photographers, you know we can’t shut up about gear. And, of course, we don’t! These are the tools of our trade, and without a bunch of this stuff, we couldn’t do what we love.
This month, instead of droning on and on about the woes of B, I’m sharing what’s in my everyday kit. Now, this list doesn’t include the things I use when photographing in the studio (maybe I’ll get into that in a later post), but rather the things I use every day AND on location.
Disclaimer: there is some photographer speak below. If you don’t know what I’m talking about you are curious, please reach out. I’m happy to talk your ear off about any of this at any time.
Cameras
If you had asked me five years ago if I’d ever switch from Canon to ANY other brand of camera, I would have said, “What kind of question is that?” Having (literally) grown up with a Canon camera permanently fixed around my neck, it was unthinkable that I would ever switch.
Then, in late 2019, my former boss Dave (of Milestones Photography fame) suggested I try these new Sony cameras. My first reaction was: Sony makes cameras? My second reaction was: I’m going to have to switch from DSLR to mirrorless at some point anyway, so why not give it a try? I was able to borrow a camera and a lens from Sony, and I was forever hooked. I held on to my Canon gear for a couple of years, finally selling off everything in 2023. I’m now team Sony and have been building my arsenal ever since.
These days, I shoot with two Sony cameras. I like to have a primary camera and a just-in-case backup/occasional second camera during events. I’m in love with my current setup and hope to rock these two cameras for years to come.
1: Sony A7RV
She’s the newest camera in my lineup (purchased just this year), and I’m in love. Sony has upgraded some of the tech features, including the ability to sync the camera with my smartphone. It’s also lightning-fast with excellent autofocus capabilities. But I think what I love most about all the Sony cameras I’ve owned is how they fit in my hand. They’re smaller than my old Canon DSLRs, which helps reduce hand fatigue and makes them super easy to use.
Additionally, Sony’s menus are highly customizable. At first, this was a bit overwhelming, but now I’ve set everything up so I can access what I need quickly and easily.
2: Sony A7IV
This was my long-time primary and now a very solid second camera. She’s showing a bit of wear, but still shoots like a champ.
1&2B: Peak Design Thin Straps
It would be a shame if I didn't mention my camera straps. I’ve always been a thin-strap girly since my photojournalism days. I like to wrap them strap around my wrist while shooting. These Peak Design straps are the best. They are duper durable and can be customized to be a sling, shoulder or neck strap because of the handy anchors. Big fan.
Camera Necessities
3: Camera Batteries & Watson Charger
My first couple Sony cameras did not include a charger, but I got a Watson brand charger in a special bundle. It’s a nice little charger and fits in my camera bag beautifully. It could be faster, but this is what you get for $15.
4: SanDisk Extreme Pro SD Cards
I’ve always used this brand of memory card and have had great luck (knocking on so much wood right now). My camera has two memory card slots, and I always shoot with both—always in RAW format. Slot 1 holds the card I download from, and Slot 2 is usually a backup, where I insert giant cards—at least 256 GB.
Lenses
I used to be a 100% prime lens shooter (fixed focal length), but since switching to Sony and experiencing the lightweight mirrorless bodies, I now use zoom lenses almost exclusively. Zooms allow me to change lenses less frequently, and the quality of Sony’s glass is just so, so good.
5: Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM ii lens
I used this lens 70% of the time for everything short of corporate headshots. It can get wide enough to capture a whole scene or close enough to get a decent image of one person.
6: Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 gm OSS ii lens
This is a magical lens for portraits! I also use this guy when shooting events when I don’t want to get all up in someones business.
Lighting Equipment
7: Godox v860ii
This portable speedlite (I know that’s canon language) is handy to have in my bag, but I don’t use it all that often. Mostly used for events when I need something easy, light, and right on camera. Why Godox and not Sony or Profoto? Mostly due to the cost. This works great for what I need it for.
8: Profoto B10s
These have been a game changer for me over the past few years. Big thanks to my photography pal Abby Anderson, who was so head over heels with her Profoto setup that I had to follow suit. These lights can be plugged in or battery-operated, making them versatile enough for both studio and on-location shoots. They’ve been a workhorse in my kit. My only complaint? They’re SUPER expensive—not just to purchase, but also to repair.
This little guy is how my camera communicates with the lights. It works in both manual and auto mode (which is great when I’m on location and moving around). It’s been reliable so far, but I do have two complaints. First, like all Profoto gear, it’s SUPER expensive. Second, the Sony pin hot-shoe system is incredibly fragile, so I’ve had to replace this remote several times since it’s not repairable. As a backup (not pictured) I have this little generic remote I keep in my bag - just in case.
10: Westcott 45” Shoot Through Umbrella
I use this umbrella when on location as either my “fill” light for headshots or a primary light when I just need some extra light in a scene. It’s nothing special, but it does the job.
11 & 12: Profoto Shallow White Umbrella Medium and Diffuser
This is used mostly for on-location headshots. I like that the profoto umbrellas are super well made and come with bags.
13: Manfrotto Alu Mini Stands
These are my on-location stands. They are supposed to be stackable, but the little mechanism inside the feature has broken on all three stands. While they don’t lock in place anymore, they do stack enough to be able to save some room inside the light bag. I like how light-weight and durable these stands have been.
Manfrotto is known for its quality, so after breaking the umpteenth zipper on some cheap equipment bags, I opted for this bag for my on-location kit. With the above stands/umbrellas, this bag pretty much stays in my car 24/7.
15: Impact 5-in-1 Reflector (42” Circle)
Always in the car, ready to roll. Reflectors are cheap and handy photo accessories, and this particular one allows me to use it as a reflector, black flag or even a diffuser.
Etcetera
I’m short. This helps. I have many, many step stools, but this one is handy because it folds up so small. Also in the car at most times.
17: Notebook & Thin Sharpie
I often do headshots on locations, and it’s nice to have a notebook handy to capture names.
18: Lens Cloth & Sensor Swab
Dust and dirt happen, but they’re not great from a clear photo. I always keep these handy, just in case. Bonus? Lens Cloths help clean my client’s dirty eyeglasses too.
19: Breath mints
When you’re often in people’s face fixing hair, a breath mint is must.
20: Gnomski
This little felt gnome was a gift from a past client when a launched BTP. I’ve had this little guy in my bag ever since.
21: Think Tank Airport Bag
Last, but certainly not least, is my camera bag! I’ve had this thing for 13 years, and it’s barely shown it’s age. I’m able to fit mostly everything I need to shoot on location with this bag and I’m not sure what I’d do without it. 10/10 Would recommend
Not pictured (because I just thought of it now)
Aside from all that goodness, I also usually have some biz cards, BelVita cookies, a water bottle and a memory card holder in my kit. I also have a couple smaller camera/lens bags I bring along when I need some things close to me to grab and go. That said, I’m currently on the look out for the perfect small camera bag. If you have suggestions, please holla’!
Being Busy
Just when I thought August was my busiest month, in comes September! My week days have been solidly booked this month and I’m both so extremely grateful and so mildly tired. I know things will slow down as we tip-toe into winter, so I’m just soaking it in.
& Making plans
After working in the studio for over a year now, I’m finally ready to start fully promoting Studio Borealis as a rentable photography space. My pal Mark (The Creative Flow) has been helping out with social media, and soon we’ll be working on bigger strategies to get the studio consistently booked.
On the BTP side, I’m starting to think ahead to 2025 and what I want to promote, pursue, or let go of for the new year. It’s exciting to feel energized about business again after a bit of a summer lull.
In other news, being social is good
I can be a little indoors-y at times. But after an social September (and a particularly active past weekend) I’ve come to the conclusion that I need to force myself to be around people more. You guys, I think it makes me… happier.
This is selfishly mentioned in this post this to help manifest a more vibrant social-life for myself and my family. I mean, I have cool friends and family. I might as well see them more.
Five Fixations
And now it’s the part of the blog post where I share five things I can’t stop thinking about.
Cinnamon Altoids
My daughter and I have LOVED Cinnamon Altoids for as long as I can remember. They used to carry these at Target and the grocery store, but we’ve noticed the last couple years they have not. Well, instead of feeling sad, we looked up to see if Cinnamon Altoids are still a thing… and they are! And they’re at Walgreens. Now we’re stocked up, so the world is good again.
Hidden brain Postcast Episode - You 2.o: Taking Control of your Time
I’m a HUGE fan of Hidden Brain and recently binged a bunch of episodes I hadn’t heard before. For those who haven’t listened to this show, Hidden Brain is a social science podcast hosted by Shankar Vedantam. He often deep dives into human behavior and a recent episode - You 2.0: Taking Control of Your Time - really struck me. It made me rethink how I use my time, a seemingly endless resource that anything but. Would recommend it to anyone.
Summer September
The weather. Yes, the weather. I know it’s doom and gloom because it’s likely climate change related, but I really haven’t minded this summer-like September. Does this mean October will be like September? Will we have a short and glorious winter? One can only hope.
Roller Derby
Our friend Kalia has been playing Roller Derby since middle school, and this weekend we finally got to her in action. Her normal team is located in the twin cities, but she was filling in for her former Duluth team - The Minnesota Windchill - during their game in Fargo last weekend with the Fargo Derby Girls. HOLY CRAP. Roller Derby is SO MUCH FUN to watch, and the fans were fantastic too. Plus $1 hotdogs. Get outta here.
Aldi Pumpkin Spice Almond Creamer
I’m not ashamed to admit I love pumpkin spice everything. It’s the most basic of my basic-bitch tendancies. Of all the pumpkin spice things I like, the Pumpkin Spice Almond Creamer from Aldi is the best, followed by their Pumpkin Spice Sandwich cookies.
And, with that, this post in nearly complete. Here are 10 images, work or otherwise, captured in the month of September.
1: Emma & Caleb during their annual photo session at Studio Borealis. 2: The hot ladies of Samantha Turner Photography during their recent SNAP! Session. 3: Group photo of the crew at Wells Fargo Advisors. 4: Heads or Tails game, featuring the lovely Erica, for the Hope Blooms Harvest in Bloom Event. 5: Gorgeous Girly Karsyn during her recent grad session. 6: The hand of Dylan of Great Plains Greens with a lettuce plant. 7: Vibrant and bubbly Shelia during her recent UnStuffy Mini Session. 8: Candid image of Steve Swionek with a Gate City Employee during his recent campaign brand shoot. 9: Headshots of the Timberland Team. 10: The lovely Alicia Hauff during a recent UnStuffy Brand Session.
