Whats in my camera bag ?

In this blog I am going to cover what I carry in my camera bag. I always get questions about key tools that I have with me when I am shooting. I will also go over things I carry but don't always use. I will start with my tripod because I find that my tripod is a key element to a successful photograph. I use a Pro Foto Carbon Fiber tripod with a ball mount. Carbon Fiber is nice because it is light weight when packing it and the ball head mount allows for great maneuverability when composing my photographs. If there was only one tool I was allowed to bring on a photo shoot I would have to say that this would be it. Also you should always try to get into the habit of using your tripod for every shot if you can. To compliment your tripod you should also invest in a wireless shutter release because any camera shake will show up in your photos. Camera shake can leave a picture feeling like it was rushed.

The next key to success when heading out for a photo shoot is to make sure you have more than just the battery in your camera. Even if you have a fully charged battery in your camera it is absolutely crucial to carry at least 1 extra fully charged battery on hand. I have a total of 3 batteries in my bag at all times that are fully charged. Sometimes depending on the weather if it is hot or cold batteries can have a shorter duration period. There is nothing more frustrating than having plenty of storage on your memory card and not enough cells left on your battery to take the picture you came to shoot. Also it's okay to look at your photos after taking them but, the images always look a lot better on the monitor than they do on the camera. So think of it as wasting energy when spending too much time gawking at the images when you should be shooting more instead. I have had my moments pass me by early in my years of photography and there is nothing more heart breaking than a completely dead battery with nowhere to charge it.

Now I am going to talk about memory cards and how a fast card can make a huge impact on your shots. Different SD cards write at different speeds and if you are going to shoot any video at all it is best to always shoot with SDHC cards which are the fastest of them all. Most cards now are all SDHC and have also dropped in price and have doubled in size. I carry 6 SD cards and make sure that they are all clear of space so when the time comes I am ready to shoot. I shoot with 16 gig cards which is approximately 1000 raw images. Shooting 1000 images is not as hard as it sounds in some cases.So I always have extras tucked away and for those of us who enjoy shooting video it is even more important to make sure you have plenty of space so you can capture the whole event and not just part of it.

Your lens is a great investment when starting in DSLR photography. I would take a high quality lens attached to a mediocre camera body any day of the week. When I first starting shooting with a DSLR I was using a Canon Rebel at the time with the standard 18-55mm kit lens that comes with the camera. I started talking to professional photographers about gear and realized how important having a quality lens is to getting high quality images. So I invested in the Canon 16-35mm L Mark ii Lens which was a huge upgrade in image quality all together. This lens also gave me the opportunity to upgrade my camera body and switch from APC crop sensor to Full Frame and now I shoot on the Canon 6D. When picking a camera it is important to find a camera that shoots in RAW and has Manual settings so that you can control the ISO and speed of your camera. Most point and shoot cameras don't shoot in RAW and lack the ability to adjust all the settings giving the photographer full control of the outcome of the image.

Here are a few tools I carry in my bag but, don't always take out and use. I always have Neutral Density filters in my bag especially when shooting landscapes. ND filters allow you the photographer to control the light more precisely. These filters come in colors as well. I have recently started using my filters more in my landscape work and have gotten great results from it. Combining your tripod with quality glass and using an ND filter if necessary or just to add a new dimension to your work. Will get stunning results ! Also another tool I carry in my bag but don't always use are Allen wrenches to tighten my tripod if it gets loose. These have come in handy many times over. Also carrying rain protection for your camera is probably not a bad idea as well. I carry a rain coat for my camera and have only used it a handful of times but have been grateful when the situation has come up.

So these are the main items I carry in my bag when going on a photo shoot. If you want to share any of your favorite items that you carry in your bag or find handy let me know. Also if you have any questions regarding how to shoot a specific subject let me know and I can do a blog on a certain style of photography. Thanks for checking out Big Grin and happy shooting .

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