Equipment We Use

Since equipment seems to be a big topic with photographers, this page will list my most commonly used bodies, lenses, and lighting kits. While I’m not an equipment junkie, I do tend to buy high quality equipment for all my main gear. Where I am a junkie, is lighting tools. Although not necessarily from a brand perspective, but more in terms of functionality. Be it manufactured, home made, or using found objects such as shooting light through glass block window because of the interesting results it created, whatever works is fine with me

Canon 1Ds MkII - 16MP, most often used body
Canon 1D MkII - 8.2MP backup, fast shooting, motion
Canon 24-70mm f2.8L - most often used lens
Canon 85mm f1.2L - second most often used lens
Canon 70-200mm f2.8L IS - third most often used lens
Canon 50mm f1.4 - becoming a favorite
Canon 20mm f2.8L
Canon 28-135 IS zoom - rarely used
I also have a 300mm f2.8, 100mm f2.8 macro, and a 14mm f3.5, but these don’t see much use. The above constitutes my main camera setups.

For lighting, I’ll use anything that puts out light. I love light! My main studio lighting gear is White Lightning, with 4 X800 units, and 2 X1600 units. Second most used are my Canon 580EX flashes, of which I own 4. These are used both in a wireless arrangement, as well as in manual mode with Pocket Wizard remotes used to sync the flashes. I also use tungsten lighting, mostly Lowell Omni, DP, and Tota kits, and a Arri 650w and Lil Pepper 250W Fresnel. A couple Speedotron pack/heads for backup. I’ve also been known to bend sunlight with acrylic mirrors, ambient lighting with large reflector panels, use car headlights, contractor work lights, space blankets, and even bare light bulbs hanging from a 120v power cord. Every light has character, and I just love a crowd of characters.

For lighting modifiers I use an arsenal of methods. Reflectors, snoots, grids, beauty dish, soft boxes, diffusers, cookies, flags, aluminum foil over cardboard, and so on. Whatever works for the lighting styles I’m after. My favorites would probably be the beauty dish, strip soft boxes, and grids. I also like to mix strobe, tungsten, and ambient for the interesting qualities they can deliver.

Then there is all the grip equipment. The MacGyver’s tool box as I refer to it, which contains a little bit of everything. From rubber bands, to equipment allowing me to mount cameras to cars, airplanes, or just about anything I want. Studio booms, 8′ camera stand, light stands, ladders, fog machine, wireless triggers for the cameras and strobes, and so on. Each project seems to require something different, so the collection never seems to end.

For the most part, I am not brand centered. If someone builds a better mouse trap, I’ll switch. I recently sold off all my Nikon gear and moved to Canon because the image quality of the full frame sensors were a better mouse trap, better high ISO images, and full use of wide angle lenses. I’d switch back if there was a reason to do so, but right now I feel Canon is leading in the digital arena for 35mm systems, and will continue to dominate for the foreseeable future. They have such an advantage in that they make their own sensors as well as the glass. Although, I hear the calling of medium format digital, and its been mentioned once or twice with my leasing company. But not yet, as I don’t see the need coming from too many of my clients at this time. But it is on the horizon.