The Other Equipment

This entry is aimed at those who own a DSLR camera and I'll talk about the "other" equipment that you need in addition to your camera and lenses.

If you shoot anything other than fast action or portraits, the likelihood is that you will need a tripod. Not all tripods are created equally tho'. I use Manfrotto and I have two tripods. One is a metal constructed tripod that is extremely stable and I use this for indoor work or macro work. The other tripod is a carbon fiber one and I use that when I go on outdoor shoots as it is much lighter to carry. If you are going to use a tripod your next purchase should be a remote shutter release device - that can either be a length of wire with a controller on it and it attaches to your camera or you can purchase a wireless device. It is important that you get a remote shutter release once you've purchased your tripod as this will ensure that the camera does not move when you shoot and should result in beautiful sharp images.

Neutral Density (ND) Filters are a good option. The shot posted above was shot using a tripod, remote shutter release and a combination of ND4 and ND8 Filters. An ND filter allows you to take a longer exposure (thus, in this case producing the blurred motion/mist effect around the tree) without losing colour detail in the shot.

A good bag is essential and I have several. The one I favour most is made by Kata and is the 3In1-30. This bag can be worn as a standard back-pack or slung over one shoulder (While still being fully accessible) and can be augmented with a trolley attachment in order that you can wheel the bag along when travelling.

I'll talk about Flashes and other essential equipment in my next post.


http://www.jameschristiephotography.com/