Gear Talk: What’s in My Photo Bag? A Guide to Family Photography

Today, we are taking a tour! Not through Italy, not through a cool museum but rather through a family photographer’s camera bag!

Why does it matter what is in my bag? I feel like it’s kind of like looking into a magician’s hat!  Getting a close up into the tools someone uses to make their magic can really give you some insight. So here we go and welcome to my bag.

The Equipment

2 cameras

1 Nikon D800 & 1 Nikon D4

Favorite Lens’s to use

Nikon 70-200

Nikon fixed 50

Lens Baby Velvet 56

The EX-TRA’s

Memory Cards

X-Tra Battery

Cleaning Tools

Garbage Bag

Deep Relief

Ningxia Red

Scissors

Tissues

The Why

2 cameras

1 Nikon D800 & 1 Nikon D4

I love working with 2 cameras, this gives me the opportunity to shoot with 2 different lens’ without having to constantly change my lens.

Favorite Lens’s to use

Nikon 70-200 – Portraiture, Private shots like a Bride whispering to her Groom.

Nikon fixed 50 – Portraiture of any kind, easy to focus & frame out your photos

Lens Baby Velvet 56 – a little creative fun, creamy images

Memory Cards – lots and lots of memory cards for both cameras, I have had cards fail, so I keep extras on hand, just in case!

X-Tra Battery – I have 2 for my D800 and I need to get another for the D4, but you don’t want to run out of batteries mid shoot.

Cleaning Tools – I love my cleaning pen, I always clean my equipment before and after a session.

Garbage Bag – weird right, but Florida weather is a little nuts, if it ever started pouring rain, I just drop my whole bag in the bag and protect my equipment.

Deep Relief – Essential Oil Blend for sore muscles.  After a long session, I roll it on my shoulders and keep everything feeling good. You can find it under PRODUCTS I LOVE –  HERE

Ningxia Red – Look, I am 43 and tired! I need all the energy I can get.  Ningxia is another Essential Oil Supplement in my arsenal that I use to boost my energy before and and after a session. I just drink and go! (if this sounds like you, hit me up friend – I have something that will blow your mind)

Scissors – I always find with kids that you never know what is coming, so I keep these on hand just in case. The faster that I can fix a problem and move forward, the less it disrupts my session. Kids are so easily distracted and I like to keep them focused.  We have had to cut tags off clothes, gum out of hair, extra strings off clothes…. You get the idea.

The bag I use is also all about function.  I use to carry a very swanky bag but it just didn’t hold what I needed, so I made the switch and the functionality of this bag has been mind-blowing.  I have traveled on planes, cars & on foot with this bag and have yet to be disappointed. It is fast, easy to switch out my gear and protects everything beautifully.  You can check them out HERE.

Last but not least, I am in love with the Dual Shoulder Leather Harness from Amazon. I did a TON of research before purchasing these two years ago. My equipment can get pretty heavy and I wanted something that would be comfortable for me and strong enough to hold my cameras.  I have used this on several on location photo session, I have walked more miles than I can count wearing them and they hold up beautifully.

So, there you have it. That covers everything I can think of!  Feel free to reach out and ask me anything. I hope you enjoyed the peek into the magicians hat!

Amanda Star

P.S. Wants some hints to ROCKING your next family photo session, go HERE.

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