What to Bring to a Workshop
If you are joining me for an in-person workshop, here is what to bring.
As long as you have a camera, a lens and a tripod, you have all you need.
Everything else we can find ways to work around.
- Camera
- Lens
- Tripod
Bring these too, if you have them:
- Camera release
- L bracket
- Spirit level
- Lights (flashlight or headlamp)
- Spare batteries
- Spare memory card
- Cleaning supplies
- Camera bag
- Filters (circular polarizer, graduated neutral density, neutral density)
- Filter bag
- Rubber band
The why behind every piece is below.
The Gear I Use
I used to be a gear head.
Thirty years working in hardware and software development will do that to you. I learned to appreciate tools. Gadgets. New technology. The thing that does something a little faster, a little better, or a little differently.
But the longer I worked, the more I started to appreciate something else.
Simplicity.
Instead of having a lot of tools, I started looking for the tools I actually needed to get the job done.
That lesson eventually found its way into my photography.
The Less I Carry, The More I Photograph
I was hiking in the Smoky Mountains one day with a backpack full of photography gear.
Two camera bodies.
Spare batteries.
Four lenses.
Two tripods.
I wanted to make my standard photographs, but I also wanted to create some behind-the-scenes video while I was out there.
By the time I got anywhere, I was exhausted.
I had brought everything I might possibly need.
And that was the problem.
I was carrying the gear instead of carrying the camera.
The solution was simple.
A much smaller bag.
I started carrying only what I actually need to make the photographs I want to make.
That doesn’t mean my gear is the smallest, cheapest, or lightest gear available. It means every piece has a job.
So here’s what I use, and more importantly, why I use it.
The Camera
Here’s where I will probably get some pushback.
You don’t need a top-of-the-line camera.
I’m still selling prints of photographs I made with a Canon Rebel XSi and a Sigma 10-20mm lens.
Yes. A Rebel XSi.
You do not need the latest and greatest camera to make a great photograph.
If you’re buying your first serious camera, my advice is simple:
Go to a camera store.
Even if you have to drive a couple of hours.
Hold the cameras.
Pick them up.
Look through the viewfinder.
Push the buttons.
Move through the menus.
See how they feel in your hands.
Because if you’re going to do this, you’re going to be sitting in the cold and the dark. You’re going to be standing on a beach before sunrise. You’re going to be out there when your fingers are freezing and your brain hasn’t had enough coffee yet.
You want a camera that feels comfortable.
The buttons should make sense to you. The controls should feel right. The menus should make sense.
That’s what matters.
The brand?
To me, it really doesn’t matter.
Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Sony, Olympus and the other major manufacturers all make cameras capable of taking amazing photographs.
Pick the one that feels right in your hands.
Then learn how to use it.
The Lens
Now this is where I think money counts.
Camera bodies change every few years.
Good glass can last you decades.
If you’re going to spend money on photography, I’d rather see you invest in the best lenses you can reasonably afford.
And here’s where my needs as a landscape photographer are probably different from some other photographers.
I don’t care much about “fast glass.”
A fast lens is a lens with a large maximum aperture, such as f/2.8 or f/1.4.
Those lenses are incredibly useful for some types of photography.
But I rarely need them.
I’m usually shooting at f/8, f/11, or somewhere around there.
I’m not looking for fast.
I’m looking for wide.
And even that needs some explanation.
Sure, wide angle is what you see in those sweeping, grand landscapes.
Majestic mountains.
The Grand Canyon.
Huge skies.
But for me, wide isn’t really about wide.
For me, wide means close.
A wide-angle lens gives you a very close minimum focusing distance and a very wide field of view.
That means the little rock I found on the beach can become huge in the foreground of my photograph.
That rock might become the main character in the story.
The ocean, lighthouse, clouds and sunset become the supporting cast.
That’s what I want my wide-angle lens to help me do.
The Tripod
I use a tripod for almost every photograph I take.
A tripod gives you stability. It keeps the camera from moving and helps eliminate tiny vibrations that can turn an otherwise great photograph into a soft one.
I have two.
The first is a big, heavy aluminum Manfrotto.
It is heavy.
It is also something I’ve used for years.
It’s solid, reliable and capable of supporting my heaviest camera and lens combination.
My other tripod is a much smaller and lighter carbon-fiber Benro.
It’s significantly easier to carry when I’m going on a long hike.
Because it’s smaller, it doesn’t extend nearly as high as the Manfrotto.
How tall does it go?
I have absolutely no idea.
I’ve never tried.
I like keeping my camera low to the ground.
And that’s one of the things I love about a tripod.
It slows me down.
And that’s a good thing.
When my camera is on a tripod, I can take a photograph, look at the LCD, and move the camera a quarter of an inch to the left and an inch lower.
Look again.
Move it again.
Deliberate.
Specific.
Repeatable.
Have you ever tried squatting down into the same position over and over again while you’re composing a photograph?
It’s not fun.
Get down once.
Get back up once.
Pro tip: I’ve actually carried a rolled-up yoga mat with me when I know I’m going to be working somewhere particularly rocky.
Your knees will thank you.
The Tripod Head
The legs are only half of the tripod.
The other half is the head.
There are all kinds of tripod heads, but I like a simple ball head.
One control loosens it, and I can move the camera quickly and easily.
Tilt it up.
Tilt it down.
Move it left.
Move it right.
Level it.
Lock it.
Simple.
And because I am often working very close to the ground, that flexibility is important.
I can make tiny adjustments to the composition without having to fight the tripod.
And when I have the composition I want, I lock it down.
Then I can concentrate on the photograph instead of holding a camera.
The Camera Release
A camera release is one of those little pieces of gear that doesn’t look very important until you understand what it does.
The first reason I use one is simple:
I don’t have to touch the camera.
If the camera is sitting on a tripod, even touching it to press the shutter can introduce a tiny amount of movement.
That might not matter at a fast shutter speed.
It matters when you’re making a long exposure.
So I use a remote release as another way to make sure the camera stays exactly where I put it.
But there’s another reason I like having one.
Bulb mode.
Most cameras have a maximum standard shutter speed of around 30 seconds.
But what if I want an exposure that lasts several minutes?
That’s where Bulb mode comes in.
I press the button on the remote once.
The shutter opens.
I press it again.
The shutter closes.
A minute.
Two minutes.
Five minutes.
As long as I need.
Whammo.
Long exposure.
The Camera Bag
Now this is a can of worms.
I’ve been looking for the perfect camera bag for my entire photographic life.
My favorite camera bag might actually be the little orange camera holder that snapped onto my belt for my Kodak Disc camera back in 1982.
I’ve tried big bags.
Bigger bags.
Shoulder bags.
Messenger bags.
Backpacks.
You name it.
I’ve tried it.
At one point I had a giant bag that finally seemed to hold everything I owned.
And I carried it.
A lot.
But here’s the problem:
If you buy a bag, you will fill it.
I never once took that big bag out where it wasn’t full.
I would pack things “just in case.”
Not because I knew I needed them.
Simply because I had room.
Eventually I realized that the bag was determining what I carried.
So I went the other direction.
Now I use a much, much smaller bag.
It carries what I need.
Not what I might need.
Not what I could possibly need.
What I actually use.
And that has made a bigger difference than I expected.
Less weight.
Less stuff.
Less thinking about stuff.
More photography.
The bag itself matters too.
I want something lightweight and waterproof or at least highly water resistant.
Even better if it comes with a rain cover.
My current backpack carries my camera and the basic gear I need for a seascape.
That’s it.
And there is one feature I particularly like.
The openings are on the part of the bag that sits against my back.
That means the part of the bag that touches the ground doesn’t touch me.
How cool is that?
It also means I can put the bag down on the beach, rocks or trail without having to worry quite as much about getting the part that touches my back covered in sand and dirt.
The Little Things That Make a Big Difference
The big pieces of gear get all the attention.
Camera bodies. Lenses. Tripods.
But some of the most useful things in my bag are small, inexpensive and easy to overlook.
These are the accessories I actually use when I’m out shooting seascapes.
The L Bracket
I love a good L bracket.
It mounts to the bottom of the camera and wraps around the left side of the camera body. That lets me mount the camera to the ball head in either landscape or portrait orientation without moving the tripod head around.
And here’s a little terminology lesson.
Landscape and portrait orientation describe how the camera is oriented. They have nothing to do with what you’re photographing.
I shoot a lot of landscapes in portrait orientation.
And I shoot plenty of portraits in landscape orientation.
How’s that for rule breaking?
My L bracket cost about $15 on Amazon roughly ten years ago. It’s basically a machined piece of aluminum.
Nothing fancy.
It just does its job.
And that’s exactly what I like about it.
The $7 Spirit Level
This might be my most-used accessory.
It’s a little spirit level that slides into the hot shoe on top of the camera, the same slot where you would mount a flash.
Mine is glow-in-the-dark green and gives me a quick visual reference for whether the camera is level.
Yes, I can dig through the camera menus and turn on an electronic level on the LCD.
Do I use it?
No.
I can simply look up and see the little level sitting on top of my camera.
As I’m adjusting the tripod and ball head, I have a level right there in front of me.
Quick glance.
Make an adjustment.
Check again.
Done.
Can I fix a crooked horizon in post?
Yes. Yes, I can.
But why fix it later if I can fix it now?
The $7 spirit level wins.
Lights
I’m not talking about studio lights here.
I’m talking about lights so I can see.
If you’re shooting sunrise, you’re going to be setting up in the dark.
If you’re shooting sunset, you’re going to be packing up in the dark.
I usually carry two flashlights, plus a headlamp.
If I can, I use a light that has a red-light setting to help preserve my night vision.
Does it make a difference?
Yes, it does.
Will I use a white light?
You bet.
If I can’t see where I’m going, there is no point in protecting my night vision.
Bring a light. Use the light.
It’s incredibly easy to trip in the dark and get hurt.
Photography is supposed to be fun. Broken ankles are not part of the plan.
Batteries
Batteries?
You bet.
I carry spares for everything I use.
Camera.
Remote control.
Lights.
If it takes a battery, I want a backup.
And if something uses rechargeable batteries, I’ll bring a charger when I can.
There is nothing quite as frustrating as getting to the perfect location, watching the perfect light develop, and discovering that the thing you need most has a dead battery.
A Spare Memory Card
There is nothing worse than getting out to your location, getting all set up, picking the perfect composition and realizing that your memory card is still back home, safe and sound in the card reader on your desk.
I admit it.
I have done it.
Now I carry at least one spare memory card in the camera bag.
I might not forget to bring one again, but cards do fail.
And they never fail when you don’t need them.
Cleaning Supplies
When you’re shooting close to the water, especially along a nice rugged, rocky coastline, you’re going to learn something pretty quickly.
The waves are going to get your lens wet.
It doesn’t matter how careful you are.
Eventually spray is going to find its way onto the front of that lens.
I carry some cleaning solution, a few microfiber cloths and a lens pen.
Because there is nothing worse than getting home after what you thought was a perfect shoot and discovering that your perfect exposure and perfect composition have a billion tiny water drops scattered across the frame.
Clean the lens.
Keep shooting.
Music
Now this one is a little different.
I love my music.
And when I’m really doing my best work, I’m singing and dancing behind the tripod.
Having fun.
Like we’re supposed to.
But I’m also a huge fan of situational awareness.
I always say:
Never turn your back on the ocean.
It’s also wise to keep your head on a swivel.
I’ve been approached by more than one stranger.
I’ve been knocked down more than once by a free-range dog running amok on the beach.
And I have even had a cow walk up to within three feet of me at two in the morning while I was photographing the stars.
When you can feel its breath on your face, well…
That’s a little too close.
It happens.
So listen to your music.
Have fun.
Sing.
Dance.
But pay attention to what’s happening around you.
I tend to use only one earbud at a time.
That way I can still hear the ocean, the people, the dogs, the wildlife and whatever else might decide to wander into my personal space.
Filters (Optional)
All of the filters are optional.
You do not need a single one to come to a workshop.
If you have them, bring them.
I could talk about filters for days.
There are three types that I use regularly.
Circular Polarizer
The circular polarizer, or CP, screws onto the front of the lens.
What does it do?
It polarizes the light.
Well, that makes it all clear as mud, doesn’t it?
The practical explanation is much more useful.
A polarizer can bring more life to clouds and can reduce reflections and glare from surfaces such as water, foliage and wet rocks.
It can make a dramatic difference in a landscape photograph.
I have photographs and videos that show exactly what happens when you rotate a polarizer.
Pro tip: A polarizer generally has its strongest effect when the sun is roughly 90 degrees from the direction your lens is pointing.
It’s one of those tools that you really understand once you look through the viewfinder and rotate it.
Graduated Neutral Density Filters
These are another favorite for landscapes.
I use rectangular filters that slide into a holder attached to the front of the lens.
The idea is simple.
Imagine you’re photographing a sunset.
The foreground looks great.
The sky looks great.
But they’re dramatically different in brightness.
If I expose for the foreground, the sky might become a blown-out blob of white.
No color.
No clouds.
No detail.
Just blah.
A graduated neutral density filter lets me darken part of the photograph while leaving the other part alone.
I can slide the filter into the holder and position the transition around the horizon.
Then I adjust it until the balance looks right.
I have .3, .6 and .9 strength graduated filters.
Neutral Density Filters
A neutral density filter is similar in concept, except the entire filter is dark.
It blocks light from reaching the camera’s sensor.
That means I can leave the shutter open much longer.
And that’s where things get fun.
Water starts moving.
Clouds start moving.
People disappear.
The world becomes something different.
I have 3-stop, 6-stop and 10-stop neutral density filters.
These are some of the tools that let me create the long exposures I love.
The Filter Bag
I have a small, separate bag for my filters.
Once I get on site, I set up the tripod and camera and get all my tools where I want them.
Then the backpack goes back on my back.
And it stays there.
Because if I leave that backpack sitting on the ground, there is little doubt that something will catch my eye.
And before I know it, I’m 200 yards down the beach without my bag.
The little filter bag only holds my filters, so I hang it right on the tripod.
Now the filters are hanging directly below the camera.
They’re easy to reach.
Easy to change.
And safely stored when I’m not using them.
Simple.
A Rubber Band
A rubber band?
Yup. A simple, ordinary rubber band.
If you ever use any kind of screw-on filter, there will come a day when it gets stuck on your lens.
And once a filter is stuck, it can be just about impossible to unscrew.
Put a rubber band around the filter and you will be amazed at how easily it comes off.
My Gear Philosophy
The focus is the craft.
We make the photographs. The tools help us.
If a tool doesn’t help, or it gets in the way, I discard it.
I try to keep my workflow as simple as possible, because I want all of my thinking to be on the artistic.
The mechanics of making an image should be all about the image, and not the tools.
If I am thinking about the tools, then I am not familiar enough with them.
When I get in the zone and I’m shooting for me, I have no idea what my hands and fingers are doing.
They are merrily adjusting settings and changing angles on their own, like two magical spiders dancing in the dark, making the tools do the work.
So I am free to think about composition and art stuff.
Come Shoot With Me
That’s the kit.
Pack it up and join me for a workshop.