Gear Check

A huge part of the process of taking photos and professional-looking ones is having the proper gear.

Depending on the type of session, I generally inventory what gear I’ll need: lenses, cameras, artificial lighting.

In the days of digital photography, a photographer must make certain they have several memory cards and several back-up (fully charged) batteries. One thing I’ve learned over the years is that while it is okay to save money and buy off-brand batteries, keep in mind they tend to discharge much quicker than the name-brand batteries. I use both and honestly, I prefer my Nikon batteries over the generic; it’s less I have to change out during a session.

I tend to always carry two cameras during a portrait session and definitely during weddings and events. The less I have to change the lens out, the smoother the sessions go.

Batteries charged and placed inside the bag, so not to be forgotten.

Cameras cleaned, lenses cleaned. Rain gear for the camera, not the photographer - Check as well!

You can never be over-prepared for a shoot, but you can over-pack, which I’ve learned over the years. I’ve scaled back. Oftentimes, a speedlight and reflector work just fine in an outdoors setting (make sure those batteries are charged too! And you have spares!)

The prep process also includes clearing my mind and envisioning the results.

Now, that I’ve fully prepped, I’m off to shoot! Til next time….