I started my career as a
North East freelance photographer with a basic kit consisting of a couple of lenses and
a Canon 20D camera.Over the last 8 years I have developed my skills working in many sectors including Editorial, PR, Commercial, Architecture, Portraits, Sport, Education, Corporate and Industrial Photography across the North East and Yorkshire area. Therefore over the years I've built up a extensive professional camera kit, now helping me produce the
best possible pictures for clients ranging from advertising and PR agencies to industrial plants and local authorities.
After cameras and lenses, studio lights
are the next most important kit. A location magazine photography shoot might take 1-3 hours in total, to set up the right lighting and create the right
look and feel – sometimes it could be a simple white or plain background for maximum flexibility.
I often have to work quickly and
effectively so I’ve fine tuned the kit that I use. I have a set of four lightweight portable Elinchrom lights, usually only using three of them, but carry a spare in case of emergencies. I’m often
faced with fluorescent light issues which is a nightmare to work with as it gives a
yellow cast and a flicker that totally ruins the images especially on the Canon 5D III. I invested in a powerful 1000w and 500w kit that can light up even the biggest of spaces, such as a
games hall or a large gym beautifully. This helps me to strike the medium between needing
good light and not wanting to battle with the mixed
I have 10 Canon lenses in
my collection, from a 11mm extreme wide angle, tele-convertors to a 300mm F2.8 IS lens, giving me optimum flexibility
and quality for sport, commercial or architecture work. One of my favourite and my least expensive lens is the 85mm F1.8 portrait lens that delivers fantastic quality portraits. I used the Canon 100mm F2.8 IS lens for commissions such as a recent Teesside photography job to document a jewellery exhibition
at the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA).
The key to creating the
right set of camera kit is to build a collection that allows the photographer
to work fast without sacrificing quality. I have two camera bodies, a Canon 5D
Mk III which delivers high quality performance in very low light.
I eagerly awaited the launch
of the new Canon 5DS this year, but it’s proved a big disappointment for me! Canon have gone
for increasing the megapixels rather than boosting low light capacity or other
elements that professional photographers look for and since the quality remains
really the same as the previous model I don’t see any benefit in spending £6600 on two new cameras. The changes
seem to be aimed at landscape photographers rather than documentary and PR photographers.
My camera kit is versatile
enough to produce pictures with a wide range of types and uses, and at quality
levels good enough for large format work such as billboards, and for event
photography ranging from indoor awards ceremonies and outdoor sporting occasions
through to royal visits and night-time ‘fire and ice’ winter festivals.
Continuous investment pays
off as in most walks of life, but of course it’s not always about the gear, it’s about
how you use it (cliche I know). Even a £300 camera can produce great quality pictures in the
right hands and in good light. There can be an element of snobbery about what camera kit someone is using, but when you cover many jobs a week you want it to work well and not let you down.
These days I’m not afraid to
admit that I can get excited about camera bags than technical kit. Being able fit all the cameras,
lenses, lights and other paraphernalia into two lightweight bags makes me one very happy commercial photographer.
