Ever wondered what’s in a photographer’s camera bag? Looking to get started in photography and want to know what you should start out with?

Nikon is the camera brand that I started with and it’s what I have stuck with for the last seven years! (It’s so crazy to think that it’s been that long!) The most often asked question amongst photographers tends to be “Nikon or Canon?” Canon is a great camera brand as well and they have awesome camera bodies and lenses! It really comes down to personal preference. You won’t go wrong choosing either. And don’t discount Sony cameras either. One of my good photographer friends is a huge Sony fan. When digital point and shoots first came on the market, Sony was my camera brand of choice.

What’s in My Camera Bag: Camera Body

Nikon D610: I chose the Nikon D610 vs. a Nikon D810 mainly because of the file size. The D610 has a 24-28MB RAW file size while the D810 has 34-36MB RAW file size. When you take a lot of photos in RAW, that fills up your memory card really quickly. I’ve been using the D610 for the last two years and I absolutely love it. It also shoot video (which I’m planning to start shooting more soon!) The other big difference is that the D610 uses SD cards and the D810 uses CF cards.

What’s in My Camera Bag: Lenses

My favorites are the 50mm 1.4g and 85mm 1.8g. I know, seems kind of light for a photographer, right? Well, now that I don’t shoot wedding anymore, I’m all about simplicity and rolling light. The 50mm is great for wider shots and the 85mm is great for portraits and close ups. I have some examples of photos taken with my two favorite lenses. Although, I do have a few more lenses on my wish list. I’m thinking about getting the 35mm next to have greater ability to shoot wider environmental photos.

Nikon 85mm f/1.8g

Nikon 50mm f/1.4g

Memory Cards:

SanDisk 16GB and 32GB are my go-to cards! SanDisk is my preferred brand and I’ve never had a problem with losing files or images. I do advise that you replace your memory cards at least every two years, especially if you are taking a lot of photos. (Like thousands!) Memory cards do have wear-and-tear over time.

Reflector:

I picked up the Omega Reflector last year, and it’s one of my favorite tools! It’s great for getting that extra pop of light onto my clients and it’s great that you can shoot through it. I usually use the silver side.

My Camera Bag:

I received the Bowery Ona Bag for Christmas about two years ago and it’s my favorite! It’s small and compact and I can easily wear it on a shoot. In the past, I’ve had bigger camera bags that were super heavy and I couldn’t maneuver very well with it on…plus, it was killer on my back and shoulders. This camera bag is the perfect size, plus it doesn’t scream “THIS IS A CAMERA BAG”. It’s stylish and simple and looks like a small messenger bag.

The Bowery: Ona Bags

 

My Wish List:

Nikon D810 

Nikon 35mm 1.8g

Nikon 35mm 1.4g

Nikon 24mm 1.4g

Nikon 28mm 1.8g

Nikon 135mm 2.0

Nikon 85mm 1.4g

Manfrotto Monopod

Mirrorless Camera – Sony Alpha a7II

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Other links to check out:

How to Know When to Hire a Brand Photographer

Brand Mini Session vs. Full Session: How to Choose