I’ve always been one to gravitate toward a more minimal setup when it came to work. Less is always more when it comes to creating in my mind. It’s not about the challenge of limitation but rather the knowledge to master the tools you have to create before finding a small reason to buy new or bigger.
Watching my colleagues buying half a dozen lenses, lights, multiple camera bodies, and then reselling all of it to switch manufacturers every other year seems insane to me, not to mention a waste of money in loss of resale value in the exchange.
What’s in the bag?
Let’s first start with the bag itself, the biggest change for me in a number of years. Incase has always been my go to brand for camera bags over the years and their DSLR Sling was my first camera bag I ever owned. I love it. Super small and lightweight with a strong strap with thick padding. It had dividers for camera gear and the easy access to swing it across my body to grab any camera, lens, or pieces of gear I needed while on the go was brilliant.
The reason for the update over their much larger DSLR Pro Bag was a simple downsize. I knew I could cram in a ton of gear with the pro bag but in the end I wanted something smaller that could be a better everyday carry vs the big boy. That and I can always go back to the larger bag if I want to go on a more intense trip.
The main reason I went back to the sling was build quality, more robust fabric options along with the addition of a separate laptop zipper sleep on the inside. It does fit a 15 inch laptop but for me, I go the 13’' MacBook Pro and I can also fit my iPad Pro alongside it.
The Main Guts and Gear
My kit hasn’t changed much over the years but more often than not I have been attracted to the idea of mirrorless cameras and the more compact and speed they offer. I’ve always had my love for Canon and my 6D with Sigma 35 1.4 is a beautiful combo but my Olympus EM5ii and 12-40 2.8 lens is way more versatile and offers far more options in features and customizability. Both cameras offer wifi which is a must for me if I am shooting for social and always on the go and want to access the images immediately to share on social or with clients while on a shoot. Yes, I can shoot, edit, and share with clients on the spot to help give the full pictures all while on location.
The drone is the Mavic Pro (version 1), I bought this when DJI dropped a huge discount on it during the launch week of the version 2 but then delayed that and removed the discount. So I grabbed it at a solid price and I have yet to see it drop below that price since I bought it. When it comes to drones, most are great and you have to remember it’s essentially and iPhone in the sky. The new Mavic Mini seems outrageously powerful for $399, though my only concern would how well that tiny little guy holds up in any kind of wind.
I will mention that I plan on selling my Canon 6D and Sigma 35 as package to simplify my overall workflow and gear set. That way I can push more into the Olympus family and grab a lens or two that will pair nicely with my 12-40 (24-80 equivalent on a full frame).
The Mobile Workflow (iPhone + iPad Pro)
The latest addition to help with workflow is the iPad Pro with Apple Pencil. I’ve had an iPad for a number of years and have always paired them with some sort of sketching pencil and truly believe I could move my entire creative output to this machine eventually. It’s already in the process with just a few things missing that my MacBook Pro handles better.
The other thing that I have always coveted as a major piece to the kit is my iPhone. I owe so much to this little devices and the tiny camera sensor it has to offer. The thing is a robust device that I have no idea where my career would be without it. From the instant quality photos in the tap of a finger to the connected apps and social platforms that come with it. It also makes phones calls and sends text messages. One incredible add on that I really think are wonderful for anyone wanting to get into photography with a minimal amount of money, if you already own an iPhone or mobile devices, is Moment lenses.
Moment offers a wide selection of focal lengths in a small but strong build. Below are all the options.
58mm Telephoto (put this on top of the telephoto lens on most mobile phones and get an even longer length)
Anamorphic (Such a fun lens for a more cinematic look and feel, including some JJ Abrams lens flares)
What else?
I’ve begun to really push my photography over to the iPhone 11 Pro and the Olympus to then transfer and edit images on the iPad Pro. I’ve always had a strong mobile photography workflow and I think that will be a totally separate blog post but thats my full setup in the bag. Adding an Apple iPad Keyboard to the iPad really does give you a full package of a laptop without all the bulk, it also helps with writing emails and these blogs.
Having worked in this field of freelance commercial photography and social media consulting with many clients I know what I can do with what I have and feel this is my ideal setup currently to get the job done and done well for my clients.
What do you guys think? What kind of setups are you using? What are you using them for? Do you primarily do this for hobby or are you on the lookout to push this as a career? What can I help with? As always shoot me any questions you have, reach out on Instagram and Twitter. Love to chat.