Equipment

Camera Bodies

  • Canon 5DSR
  • Canon 1DX Mark II
  • Canon C100 Mark II

Lenses

  • Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS II
  • Tokina atx-i 100mm f/2.8 FF Macro
  • Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8L Macro Tilt-Shift

Continuous Lighting

  • 3 x Litepanels Astra 6X Daylight LED Panels

Strobe Lighting

  • 3 x Paul C Buff Einstein 640 WS
  • 3 x Bolt Manual Hotshoe Flashes

I currently own three camera bodies. I use the 5DSR for studio work, particularly product photography and still life images. The high resolution of 50 megapixels allows me to print 20″x30″ at 300dpi. It’s great for studio work but a little slow for general purpose use. The 1DX Mark II complements it very well because it is a much faster camera albeit with lower resolution. The 1DX Mark II is great for general purpose use such as portraits and photojournalism. The C100 Mark II is my cinema camera which I use to make short films. As an amateur filmmaker, the 1080p resolution at 60fps is more than enough for my needs.

I have found that I only need three lenses for my current work. The 24-105mm zoom lens is a great all around lens for general purpose photography. It is also great for handheld video work because it has image stabilization. I originally bought the Tokina macro lens for scanning medium format film but now I use it for product photography. I use the 90mm tilt-shift lens for product photography and still life. The ability to tilt and shift the focus plane also allows for creative effects in short films.

I chose the Litepanels Astra 6X Daylight LED Panels because they have been a broadcast standard for years. I love the professional build quality of these lights.

I started out with one Paul C Buff Einstein and eventually added two more. They are great studio lights for portraits, product, and still life. The lack of HSS or TTL are not a problem for me because I always control them manually and use them indoors. I like that they plug directly into an AC outlet and don’t require batteries. I use the basic radio trigger with one of them and trigger the other two optically. I have three Bolt manual hotshoe flashes. Two of them are newer models with radio triggers. The older one can be used on camera or triggered optically. They are great when I need portability. Combined with some lightweight light stands they can be deployed just about anywhere and used directly or bounced off of the ceiling. I always use them manually and indoors so the lack of HSS or TTL is not a problem for me. I use Panasonic Eneloop Pro AA batteries in them.

Printing

Making prints is a great way to display my work and share it with others. I use a DNP DS820a dye sublimation printer to make 8×10 prints at home. The printer is very reliable and doesn’t take up much space on my desk. 8×10 is a very useful format because there are many options for storing and framing prints of that size. I use Itoya Art Portfolios to store and view my prints. When I occasionally want larger prints to hang on the wall I order them from a print shop. I’ve ordered prints as large as 20×30 from the print shop.