What do you really need.???????

Hackbone

What do you really need to take quality photographs? Make a list of what you find useful for you.

Lets start with just outside since there are not many here that have a studio.
ME
2 reflectors
flash with small softbox
electronic triggers
My Hoodman....would not be without it

With this I could do a good bit of general photography.

What do you think you need or like?

Bilsen

I'll play.

My bag for my normal outdoor shoot is:
My 70D w 24-105 on it
70-200 f4 IS for when I want something I can post here
Tamron 28-75 f2.8 for if I REALLY want something to post here
85mm f1.4 for specific headshots
580 ex w small attachable softbox and a small lightstand
Sekonic L- 358

If I'm shooting outdoors at high noon with no chance of shade I may bring an AB800 and Vagabond Mini with a 24" Photek Softlighter.

Bryce Wilson

If I had too, I could do it with less, but at a minimum I would prefer to have:

1 small and 1 big ass large reflector
2 Speed Lights
Pocket Wizzards
Shoot through umbrella or umbrella softbox
Two light stands
Camera and lens
Small cardboard box (cheap version of hoodman)

D3Sshooter

That is good question, What do you consider a "quality picture".

For me that is technically:

-Absolute sharpness where it is needed
-Low noise
-No defraction
-No chromatic distortion
-True color
-High dynamic range (details in the blacks and shadows and high lights)
-Balanced light

I am not considering: Composition, mood, light conditions /angles etc… as those are parameters that are not really technical and under the full control of the photographer.

What do I take:

- Prime lens (80mm and 45mm) f2.8
- Leaf shutter lens or ND filter for the Prime lens
- Color Checker / gray card
- reflector
- Defuse screen
- 14 or 16 bit camera ( the more bits the more granualarity in the shadows and blacks)
- Light meter
- Battery pack for flash units ( I always shoot with flash, just a way to have full control on the light)
- At least two Flash units (900 or 1200 Watt)
- Light shapers (open reflector, snoot, Octa, strip and Para)

divamum

Couldn't live without:
Camera - ff preferred, but crop is fine if it's what's on offer.
Fast aperture lens (if I could only pick one, I hate to say it but it would be the 70-200 2.8 is - never in a million years thought I'd say that about an anvil that costs the earth!).
Light

I could probably shoot 75% of what i do with just those (and often have lol).

Things I like to have:
2x flash + ettl/manual triggers
Modifier (umbrella or softbox - if I could only have ONE, I'd go for the Photek Softliter since it can act as shoothru, bounce, or softbox)
Reflector (Anything from white card, to a real reflector, to a strategically placed building or puddle)

D3Sshooter

I see that a 70-200 is a popular lens, I have it as well and decided not to use it anymore. The same for the 24-70 lens. The best zoom are my legs. And Prime lenses are so much better and have so much to offer…. I think you should give it a try with a…..80mm 0r 45mm prime lens, and it is good for the calories as you will have to move around instead of turning the ring. hahahaha

michaelglenn

I'm a simple man. For my lifestyle sessions, just give me my 5d mkiii, 35L, 50L, and a lens hood. Also a pair of board shorts in case I'm knee deep in ocean water.

divamum

D3Sshooter wrote: »

I see that a 70-200 is a popular lens, I have it as well and decided not to use it anymore. The same for the 24-70 lens. The best zoom are my legs. And Prime lenses are so much better and have so much to offer…. I think you should give it a try with a…..80mm 0r 45mm prime lens, and it is good for the calories as you will have to move around instead of turning the ring. hahahaha

I'm a prime lens fanatic: I have the lovely Sigma 35mm 1.4, a beautiful 85 1.8 and the luscious 135L. And love them all. BUT if I could only have ONE (and I believe the question was what was your most essential gear) ... I'd go with the zoom, which has become my most-used lens. Why? It's actually the sharpest and most reliable lens I've ever used. And it has IS, which my primes don't The zoom is actually the least important thing about it to me!

Bilsen

divamum wrote: »

I'm a prime lens whore: I have the lovely Sigma 35mm 1.4, a beautiful 85 1.8 and the luscious 135L. And love them all. BUT if I could only have ONE... I'd go with the zoom, which has become my most-used lens. Why? It's actually the sharpest and most reliable lens I've ever used. And it has IS, which my primes don't The zoom is actually the least important thing about it to me!

OMG Diva, we agree on something. My 70-200 (only an f4 :cry) IS is my sharpest, bestest lens. It also keeps the hounds here from nipping at my heels on bokeh.

zoomer

my camera and my 85....model with some attitude....

Bryce Wilson

FWIW...

I'm about to sell my 70-200 VRII. For portrait work, I like the images from my 135mm F2 DC bunches better.

When high school football/cheer season is over and the daughters last dance competition for the year is done, up for sale it goes.

jonh68

Right now it's:
Off camera flash- I used to think lens is the most important, but now it's lighting. In an increasingly competitive market customers will make happy accidents with their cameras and phones. They can't duplicate off camera flash.
Fuji x100s- I'm colorblind so I love the automatic great looking skin tones shot in jpg. The built in ND filter coupled with a polarized filter makes shooting outdoors at f2 with flash a breeze. Small but serious look of the styling makes a positive impression with customers. I'm liking the x100s so much I am considering dumping my DSLR gear for the x-series of fuji cameras and lenses.

Lenses on full frame Nikon. 70-200 2.8, 70-300.
The 70-200 for single portraits, 70-300 for family and groups. Much as has been said about the value of shooting primes in the 50 to 85 range. I love shooting primes and when I want to go light or fun I grab them. However, the 50 and 85 just cannot duplicate the telescoping effect shooting at 200 or 300 mm. On a full frame camera shooting at 300 7.1 melts away the background as well as fast primes and you get compressed backgrounds as well. The 70-300 is light and that is a bonus for me. The 70-200 f4 has no interest for me. Would rather have 2.8 at 200mm,300mm at 5.6 or primes at 1.8.

kdlanejr

When I shoot HS Sports a mkIV/400mm f/2.8L IS on a monopod (add the monopod to the list), mkIV/70-200 II and a mkIII/24-70 on a dual rapid strap ensure can cover any aspect of a football game. I also carry 1.4x extenders to add to the 400 and 70-200 to get a different viewpoint of the action. This year I'll also be carrying a 2X extender II to try out. For Volleyball I only use a mkIV/70-200. For baseball, the 400mm and 70-200 II. For softball I've been known to remote a mkIV/400 from the outfield fence while shooting from the baselines with a 70-200.
Must have accessories include: Canon 52mm drop-in polarizer for the 400mm lens, custom white balance calibration target, passport colorchecker, sekonic L-758DR light meter, Hoodman Loupe and depending on the temperature outside, a domke vest or a thinktank belt to hold the accessories.

When shooting events:
-MkIV or DsIII, depending on the ISO requirements
-24-105mm f/4 IS, 70-200 f/2.8L SI II
-black rapid single or dual strap (prefer the dual strap so I have a second body on me at all times)
-Custom Brackets camera bracket (mine are similar, but older than the QRS-E2)
-Canon speedlite (550ex or 580exII) or Quantum T5D-R with Turbo 2x2, external battery pack for canon flashes
-depending on the event, additional off-camera flashes on light stands with small to medium softboxes.
-same accessory list as football

For outdoor portraits / senior photos
-85mm, 70-200 II and/or 200 f/2, I prefer the speed of focus and bokeh of the 200 f/2 at f/2.
-DsIII with DsII or MkIV as backup
-Black Rapid single strap
-PW FlexTT5's, AC3, (3) 550ex speedlights on stands equipped with softboxes
same accessory list

Landscape / Architectural photography
-DsIII, TS-E 24 II, TS-E 90mm, 100mm f/2.8L macro, B+W CPOL MRC, L-758DR Tripod with gear head.
-L-758DR, CWB Calibration target, passport colorchecker, hoodman loupe, anglefinder C, hotshoe bubble level, Canon Timer Remote Controller TC-80N3
There are a number of things I always have in the bag that I don't always pull out, 16-35 f/2.8 II, 15mm fisheye, Two pocket Wizard Plus III's, four FlexTT5's, spare tripod quick release plates, spare custom brackets quick release plate, Giottos Rocket Blower, Zeiss lens wipes, allen wrenches to remove RRS L-Brackets on occasion (I take them off to mount a body on a custom bracket). PW accessory cables for firing remote camera bodies.

As you can see, my must have list changes iaw my subject matter. I think this sums up my non-studio must have stuff to help me capture great images.

lifeinfocus

Question.

For outdoor portraits, do any of the people who have posted to this thread, use either a tripod or unipod?

Thanks, Phil

divamum

I don't. I avoid 'pods as much as I can because I like to move around, and thus handholding feels more natural (although not always more "comfortable"!!)

That said, I sometimes wonder if I should leave the camera where it is and focus on moving the subject more. One of these months when I have an amenable subject I might try it, but in general.... handholding for me.

Bryce Wilson

lifeinfocus wrote: »

Question.

For outdoor portraits, do any of the people who have posted to this thread, use either a tripod or unipod?

Thanks, Phil

For sports like football, baseball and soccer, I use a mono-pod. It just makes things easier and causes less fatigue when using a 300mm or even a 70-200.

For portraits, I typically only use a tripod if shooting a large group or family. This, at least to me, makes getting good expressions from everyone easier as I can frame the shot and then concentrate on good looks from each of the subjects without looking through the viewfinder. Most of the time, I will use an ECR for this too.

kdlanejr

lifeinfocus wrote: »

Question.

For outdoor portraits, do any of the people who have posted to this thread, use either a tripod or unipod?

Thanks, Phil

Usually NO. However, if I have an outdoor set with several generations in a group photo, a tripod is essential. It allows you to frame the shot and then pose everyone while firing the camera with a handheld remote. If (when) you end up needing to clone something out or transfer facial expressions, open eyes, etc., it's much easier when the background and perspective isn't changing between images.

I've used a monopod for "portraits" when shooting graduations where I have several hundred imaged to capture in a short period of time. I don't have to use a monopod, but find it easier to concentrate on the shot without having to deal with the weight of the camera bracket, quantum flash and battery pack.

Both of these are specialized uses. For the majority of portrait sessions, tripods and monopods just slow you down.

Bilsen

lifeinfocus wrote: »

Question.

For outdoor portraits, do any of the people who have posted to this thread, use either a tripod or unipod?

Thanks, Phil

Don't even own one since mine got stolen. Even in the studio I find hand held suits me better. PLUS, I'm old and don't like to bend down too much.:D

lifeinfocus

Bilsen, kdlanej, Bryce Wilson and divamum.

Thank you all, I am going to research buying a monopod for outdoor portraits. I have two older tripods, which work well enough for group shots.
Phil

Hackbone

Why a mono for outdoor work, you are a mono pod basically. Many folks like a tripod outside so they can interact with the person. When you face is glued to the back of the viewfinder and trying to talk to a model it becomes impersonal. Get with a friend and see the difference when you can step out from behind the glass and smile at the subject they almost always smile back. Just "sayin"!.

Bryce Wilson

Hackbone wrote: »

Why a mono for outdoor work, you are a mono pod basically. Many folks like a tripod outside so they can interact with the person. When you face is glued to the back of the viewfinder and trying to talk to a model it becomes impersonal. Get with a friend and see the difference when you can step out from behind the glass and smile at the subject they almost always smile back. Just "sayin"!.

I agree. A mono-pod really only makes sense if you have to be able to move about when using a big ass lens.