It’s easy to forget the difference between wanting and needing in all aspects of life. Infomercials understand this and try to exploit it whenever possible (usually at 3am). Do you really need a knife that can cut through a shoe? Understanding this difference can become especially critical when making purchases for an expensive hobby or profession such as photography – where a few unnecessary shopping sprees can keep your business from succeeding and your kids from going to college. On the other hand, let’s acknowledge that the right tools are necessary for creating images that will stand out in a world where you can’t walk down the street without bumping into a fellow photographer. With that said, here’s a list of the ‘must-have’ tools for my survival as a commercial swimwear photographer:
Camera Bodies and Lenses
Lighting Tools and Accessories
Cases, Tripods, and Stands
Accessories
I certainly have a few more toys in my gear closet and if you’re interested in a more complete list, hop over to my “About Me” webpage:
www.joeywrightphoto.com/about. Now that you’ve seen the list, please allow me to elaborate as to why some of these items are a “must have”. Let’s start with lenses since I think they’re the most important piece of gear we can invest in.
While my zooms give me great range and flexibility, I tend to reach for my primes first. Why you ask? I’ll tell you - they’re fast, sharp, lightweight, well-sealed from sand and water and smaller-in-size than their zoom cousins. Lens size is very important when it comes to the psychology of portrait photography. A dinky pancake lens such as a 50mm f/1.8 doesn’t command much respect for a “professional photographer” but a cannon-sized zoom can be quite intimidating to your subject. If I could only grab one lens for any given shoot, it would have to be my 85mm f/1.4. It’s tack sharp, super rugged and impressive looking. On the other hand, it doesn’t intimidate with it’s size and I can easily carry it all day thanks to its manageable weight. Its focal length is perfectly flattering for portraits but also keep me at a safe distance from my subject. I don’t have to enter a subject’s personal space for a close-up yet I can full-lengths can be achieved without breaking the minimum distance needed to communicate and direct.
Camera bodies… what can I say, they’re just the computer behind a lens which became obsolete before being removed from the box. I’ve gone with Nikon for no particular reason other than it being what my father introduced me to before I purchased my first DSLR. As long as I have a reliable brand, nicely weather-sealed body and enough pixels to print, I’m a happy camper. I’m not worried so much about shutter speed or ISO performance because my subjects aren’t usually moving too much and available light is My D3s is great for day-to-day portfolio sessions on the beach, from which most images will end up on the web. When to shooting campaigns for print, my D800 offers those extra megapixels that keep my images looking crisp on paper.
Ultimately, figuring out which tools we actually need to survive will always remain a complex task which is often misled by our desires, limited by our wallets and frustrated by our inexperience. If a new piece of equipment will be critical for meeting a client’s expectations or turning your vision into reality (without depleting your kid’s college fund), you should probably consider it justified. On the other hand, never assume that any particular piece of equipment will automatically produce great photographs—because at the end of the day, it’s not the arrow… it’s the Indian.
Although I’m a huge buff for the latest and greatest gear, I try not to forget how much I loved photography when all I had was my first camera and a kit lens— because those are the only tools I truly need to make pictures. While our lighting tools play an important role in sculpting an image, let’s not forget that an interesting subject, great location and good composition are the essential ingredients of the final product. Even with the right tools and ingredients, a true masterpiece still requires the hands of a great chef.