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What else is in your camera bag?

September 6, 2014 Neil vN 29 Comments

Non-photography goodies in my camera bag

Work as a wedding photographer isn’t just about taking photographs of key moments, or about the photo gear. Often enough it is up to you as the wedding photographer to help guide the day’s time-line and flow, and also just to help.  For me, wedding photography isn’t just a passively observed event where I take photographs. And if you shoot with a photo-journalistic style in mind, it doesn’t mean you have to remain uninvolved.  I’m there to record the day’s events, but also to help, if necessary, making it a spectacular day.

In the photo above, I took over from the maid of honor when her fingers weren’t strong enough for that final button and clasp at the back of the bride’s dress. My fingers were stronger, so I finished the last button. So as a photographer I’m often called on to do more than just take photographs.

With that in mind, here’s a look into my camera bag, and the non-photography related goodies I keep handy:

A wide assortment of camera gear – lenses, flashes, battery packs and such. But it’s the random “what-not” that I keep in the roller case pouches and pockets, that is interesting. The smaller items we keep around to make life easier or to help us in a minor emergency.

 

Small bags & pouches

I keep some of the smaller flat items in the zipped pockets in the inside lid of the roller bag. Larger items I keep in the exterior zipped pouches of the roller case. To help keep stuff organized, I keep most of the loose items in small zip-bags with a see-through mesh front. I like these “cubes” made by Eagle Creek (Amazon) – they are soft rectangular pouches, and the see-through front make it easy to figure out what is inside.

  • Eagle Creek 3-pc cube set  (Amazon)
  • Eagle Creek small (quarter cube)  (Amazon)
  • Eagle Creek slim cube  (Amazon)

 

Very necessary items

Travel sewing kit:
In addition to whatever might be in the travel sewing kit, I also keep:
–  a number of extra buttons,
– more safety pins in various sizes, as well as
–  bobby pins / hair pins.  There will always be a bridesmaid that needs a bobby pin.
You’ll save someone the effort of scurrying around trying to find a simple hairpin.  While hotels and catering venues usually keep some on hand for guests, it will just save everyone a lot of effort if you readily have them on hand.  This is an easy way to look like you’re really prepared and on top of things.

  • Traveling sewing kit  (Amazon)

 

Gaffer’s tape:
This might very well be the most useful extra item in your camera bag. Unexpected multiple uses for gaffer’s tape will crop up – from taping the hem of a dress, or the inside of your pants should it tear. You may well laugh now, but really, keep a small roll of gaffer’s tape around.

  • Gaffer’s tape  (Amazon)

 

Small pocket knife (with scissors and pliers):
A traveling sewing kit will have small scissors in them, and you might have a small toolkit as well, but it makes good sense to have a small pocket knife within easy reach – a pocket knife that has scissors and pliers.

  • Leatherman pocket knife  (Amazon)

 

Small tools

Jeweler’s screwdrivers in specific sizes:
These are essential to fasten any screws that may come loose.  For example, you might need a small flat screwdriver to fix your camera’s hot-shoe. So go over your equipment, (including light-stands and such), and inspect them for any screws that might need fastening on the spot during a shoot, and make sure you have the specific tools handy in your camera bag.

  • Mini toolkit  (Amazon)


Various hexagonal keys / Allen keys: 

Keep hex keys for specific gear. For example, there are certain light stands that I used to have, which had hex screws that often loosen with use.

  • Hex key set  (Amazon)


Multi-purpose tool:

Leatherman makes a wide range of multi-purpose toolkits (Amazon). It’s one of those things you are guaranteed you will need sometime, somewhere. You can even get the Leatherman as a wearable arm bracelet (Amazon).

  • Leatherman multitool  (Amazon)

 

Other electronic necessities

Cell-phone charger:
There are various sizes of these Anker battery packs (Amazon). I really like the larger (heavier) one too, since this will charge your iPad (at least) twice, and your phone / iPod numerous times – perfect for those long flights where you need to ward off boredom and your electronic toys are essential.

Maglite:
I keep one in my car now, since my iPhone now has a fairly bright flash-light. Still, you never know when you need something much brighter than the LED on your phone.

GPS:
This is another of the non-negotiable essentials for a photographer, especially here on the East Coast of the USA.  The roads are a spaghetti bowl of strangely twisted and looping roads. You need 21st Century technology here! While your smart phone has a GPS, it makes sense to have that as a back-up and not a main GPS

 

Sensor cleaning tools

Often enough, even though you have cleaned your sensor and keep lens swapping to a minimum, you might see a big dust bunny in your images when you review them while shooting. For those dreaded times, to save myself endless editing afterward, I do a quick rescue there and then (if time permits) to remove dust and particles.

  • More info on cleaning your camera sensor

You do have to be careful with these items though.  I’ve had instances where it seems like I somehow added an oily smudge on my sensor due to either of these.  So make sure your Visible Dust brushes are super-clean.  So I only use these on-location when I see a big dust bunny.

 

Other essentials I keep around

Water (and Gatorade), and snacks which I keep in a small cooler box. You can’t always rely on being given a meal and it makes good sense to be self-reliant.

Ear plugs – these are essential for me. By the time you do 2 or 3 weddings a weekend during the peak season, your ears take a hammering from the DJ or band at the reception. Similar to when I drop my daughter and her friends off at rock concerts and have them solemnly recite to me as I hand each of them a set of ear plugs, “These are mandatory and not negotiable”.

Headache tablets, like Iboprofin.  Get them in individual wrappings instead of a bottle. Less things that clatter around, and more innocuous if you give someone a head-ache tablet and it is properly wrapped and sealed.

Band-aids – for the inevitable ouchies that you’ll sustain.

Nail clippers

Chewing gum

A pen and a Sharpie

 

Finally

That about sums it up for all the non-photography items I have accessible whenever I’m on a photo shoot.  Of course, most important of all is back-up of your camera gear and lenses.  Think worst-case scenario – will you be able to continue without skipping a beat when your camera or lens or flash dies on you? Cables? Batteries? Think in terms of back-up for your back-ups.

All of these things make life easier for you as a photographer when things veer away from what you anticipated.

Let us know what you keep in your camera bag.

 

Filed Under: gear, general photography, wedding photography Tagged With: wedding photography, wedding photography techniques, what is in my camera bag


 

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Thank you,

Neil vN

Books by Neil van Niekerk


 




29 Comments, Add Your Own

  1. 1Andrew says

    November 22, 2010 at 9:50 am

    Flip-flops! They slip into a large side pocket, and a bride will love you forever if you can magic them up when their feet have really had enough or if the grass is too soft for their Jimmy Choos.

    Reply
  2. 2John Ahern says

    November 22, 2010 at 10:22 am

    Besides the normal pins, saftey pins etc, I also have a couple of ornate pens, seen a few signing were only a plastic pen was available and it looks terrible in the photos.
    Also have two foldable plastic matts, black on one side, white on the other, for when the bride/groom are sitting on benches, walls, ground and it has been raining.

    Reply
  3. 3Dragos says

    November 22, 2010 at 12:07 pm

    I would add a small perfume bottle.
    Ear plugs–essential for me, too. I lost an entire day between clinics and hospital because of the noise (I filmed a party) and I was lucky I recovered myself.

    Reply
  4. 4Daniel Pasche says

    November 22, 2010 at 1:34 pm

    Great post!
    ..I would add:

    1. gaffers tape
    A few feet of gaffers tape tightly spun around an old plastic card (credit card size). I carry both black and white tape! Plus: I have a few smaller pieces of black gaffers tape on any piece of equipment, that allows it. On my lens hoods, lightstands, card reader, laptop, filter cases.. even on my phone. Saved me in a hundred situations

    2. wet whipes
    2-3 individually packed wet whipes to clean hands, clothing etc.

    3. contact lens fluid
    In small disposable packs, for myself and surprisingly many brides as well!

    4. usb memory stick
    I saved several DJs and last minute beamer slideshowsby carrying a cheap and small usb memory stick. I have my contact information as a pdf and a simple txt file on that too.

    Reply
  5. 5Neil vN says

    November 22, 2010 at 2:00 pm

    aaah, how could I forget about Gaffer tape!??

    I have strips of gaffer tape on my lens hoods for easy access.

    Reply
  6. 6Dragos says

    November 22, 2010 at 3:24 pm

    Costas, if you check the link (Maglite), you will see… LED.

    Reply
  7. 7Colin Tuff says

    November 22, 2010 at 3:50 pm

    Hi Neil

    You mention the Epson P-5000.

    Have you ever used your iPad as your backup device? I’ve done some reading online, and it seems to be the route I’ll take as an in-field backup device.

    Screen would be great compared to the Epson! (only downside is the CF compatibility)

    Thanks for a great article

    Colin Tuff

    Reply
  8. 8Neil vN says

    November 22, 2010 at 4:04 pm

    Colin .. I am sure you could use an iPad, although the iPad makes it difficult because you can’t directly access the files and folder structure.

    Also, my 64Gb iPad is at 80% capacity, what with apps, music and videos and stuff. Not much more room there for large RAW files.

    What makes the Epson handy, is that you push the CF card into the slot, and with one push of a button it downloads the card for you. Very simple.

    Reply
  9. 9Rob Grant says

    November 22, 2010 at 4:11 pm

    I highly recommend bringing a change of clothes in case you rip your pants or spill something on yourself. It can also come in handy on those 100 degree/high humidity summer weddings!

    Reply
  10. 10Neil vN says

    November 23, 2010 at 2:06 am

    A good one! I do carry spare pants and a clean shirt in my van as well. Having ripped a pair of pants before, and ‘sewed’ it close from the inside with a bit of gaffers tape .. I could see the necessity of having a good pair of pants spare in the car.

    Reply
  11. 11Sheri J says

    November 23, 2010 at 2:23 am

    I think it is also a good idea to carry an extra pair of shoes and socks too. Rain umbrellas too.

    Reply
  12. 12Verent Chan says

    November 23, 2010 at 9:49 pm

    I carry a lot of the same that you mentioned.

    Adding to it:
    -a bottle of 5-hour energy for those long days
    -Chapstick
    -Sunscreen (in the car)

    Reply
  13. 13Evert says

    November 24, 2010 at 4:45 am

    I don’t shoot weddings professionally but I have helped someone who had a pair of spare (wedding)rings in his bag. There are a lot of couples here who forget there rings on a busy day! Maybe it is because the weddings are with a lower budget and less organised than in your country, but you never know.

    Reply
  14. 14Christine Prisk says

    November 26, 2010 at 10:05 am

    For weddings, I also carry along a pretty satin hanger or two. (A personal pet peave of mine is to see a beautiful image of a gorgeous dress hanging on an ugly plastic hanger …) Thanks for all the posts – this site is the best :-)
    Happy Thanksgiving!

    Reply
    • 14.1Oliver says

      September 7, 2014 at 6:06 pm

      Same here. I won’t leave the house without a nice hanger. So many times a picture of the beautiful dress was spoiled because an ugly hanger. Nightmare!

      Reply
  15. 15frank says

    November 29, 2010 at 11:53 am

    I might have missed this .
    1. Cliff bars and/or larabars – too often the days are too busy to eat.

    I buy them in bulk from Amazon and keep a few in my bag for my assistant and me. There are times when I have given them to a bride/brides maid to keep them from fainting from lack of food.

    Just watch where you keep them on those very hot days. :-D

    A small cooler with ice and water for those very hot and fast paced days between the ceremony, portraits, and the reception hall.

    Reply
  16. 16Jeff says

    November 30, 2010 at 10:53 am

    Hi Neil,

    I was wondering what your opinion is on the new Rogue FlashBenders. How would they compare to your “Black Foamie Thing.”

    I’ve been using my own variation of the “Black Foamie Thing” for about a year now, and I was tempted to try a Rogue FlashBender.

    Thanks!

    Reply
  17. 17Neil vN says

    December 1, 2010 at 10:44 am

    Jeff .. I saw the Rogue Flashbender, and I must say it looks like one of the few flash modifiers that makes sense in that it doesn’t promise to solve all your flash problems, but needs *you* to become involved in adjusting it as you need it.

    Reply
  18. 18Patrick says

    December 2, 2010 at 1:05 pm

    That is why I came up with the ShootKit!

    It carries all of the stuff I need during a shoot.
    Neil, if you want one, just mail me back.

    goto http://shootkit.blogspot.com
    to see the actual kit.

    Reply
  19. 19Patrick says

    December 2, 2010 at 1:30 pm

    I carry stain wipes, sewing kit, advil paks, bandaids,hairspray, stain stick, bobby pins, safety pins and those 2-3 Oz sample bottles fit perfectly into my canvas kit to carry.

    ( sorry for double post)

    Reply
  20. 20John Martin says

    February 8, 2011 at 5:18 pm

    We give all our brides a wedding day “survival kit.” It has Advil, q-tips, nail file, moist towelettes, Kleenex, a small first aid kit, antiperspirant, bobby pins, safety pins, a sewing kit, Band-Aid friction block, a couple little 1-oz. bottles of booze(if they’re of age), bottled water, 5 hour energy drinks, a couple of Luna bars and some stuff I’m probably forgetting to mention. Anyway it costs us about $15 and our brides really love it. More importantly they use it. Especially the friction block and the booze. We put it all in a white gift bag with a sticker version of our business card affixed to the front and give it to them when we show up to shoot. We don’t advertise it or even mention it to them at all before the wedding. It’s just something we do that’s thoughtful and seems to help them relax in front of the camera.

    Reply
  21. 21adi says

    July 24, 2011 at 9:10 am

    deodorant…hehehe

    couldn’t do without one as we, wedding photographers tend to be on the move, straight 4-6 hours plus under the hot sun.. =D

    Reply
  22. 22Steve says

    September 7, 2014 at 1:48 pm

    Usually carry most of the items you listed but one you don’t have is very strong, thin & flexible plastic coated wire from the garden supply aisle. It comes in 5m flat lying spools and has proven very useful.

    Reply
  23. 23Mary-Claire says

    September 7, 2014 at 5:20 pm

    The primary shooter I was with the other weekend handily had Super Glue available for when a bridesmaid broke the bride’s earring!

    Reply
  24. 24Claire says

    September 7, 2014 at 5:41 pm

    Do you really want to know? I have tissues, an asthma pump, chewing gum, energy bar, gaffer tape, cable ties, plastic clamps, personal hygiene for girls (sorry, but it is there!), pen and notebook, paper clips, and a coin to use for my base plate of my tripod.

    Reply
  25. 25Jason says

    September 8, 2014 at 4:08 am

    A white shower curtain for the bride to sit on if requested to sit on the grass or a dirty bench.

    Reply
  26. 26Roy Barnes says

    September 9, 2014 at 7:18 am

    Those headache medications aren’t just for handing out…they’re just as useful for the photographer. A week ago I shot a Lebanese function where they introduced a very large drum to the proceedings – on top of the dj’s music. The result: I had to keep shooting through an absolute pounding headache (though had nothing by which to self-medicate)!

    Reply
  27. 27Robert says

    July 1, 2016 at 3:14 am

    Hi Neil,

    Those flowers on your lenses. Is that tape. I love it, takes away the big black monster look of the camera.

    Robert

    Reply
  28. 28Neil vN says

    July 2, 2016 at 1:57 pm

    They are called Lens Skins

    Here is a blog post about why I use Lens Skins on my lenses.

    Reply

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