10 Camera Bag Essentials for Event Photographers

One of the most common questions I get asked is “what’s in your camera bag?” So I figured what better way to answer, than to break it all down and link to all of the products I swear by.

THE “WELL, DUH”s:

1. FIRST OFF….A GREAT CAMERA BAG
Shocker! It all starts with a great camera bag. I use the ThinkTank Airport Advantage. I adore this bag mainly because it fits into any (and I mean ANY) overhead compartment on an airplane. Time and time again the flight attendant tells me I’ll have to check the bag plane side and then I waltz down the aisle and prove them wrong. It’s sturdy, no frills, and sleek looking. There’s a laptop sleeve in the front pocket, inner zipping compartments, and a fully customizable framework of padding to protect your gear.

For a backpack, I swear by (as does just about every photographer that I know) the Peak Design Everyday Backpack. I’ve used this bag for about five years now and it’s held up under some extreme situations of me overfilling it, shoving it under airplane seats, etc. Peak’s entire product line is gorgeous and functional which is such a rarity in the photography bag field. Again, fully customizable interior, and even has an exterior pocket for my water bottle.

2. CAMERAS (With Vertical Grips and Screen Protectors)
As a theater photographer, the most essential thing for me in a camera is the ability to perform well in low light. To this day I’ve yet to find anything that tops the Sony A9. The performance of this camera is unrivaled. The focus tracking is mind bogglingly accurate leaving me with more useable shots than ever before. The ability to see exposure through the viewfinder as you make changes (it being a mirrorless camera) is a game changer for the difficult world of constantly changing lighting conditions. For the whole beginning of my career I used Canon 5D Mark IVs (which I loved and still use for studio work). But now I’m a proud Sony Alpha stan now. With all of my cameras I make sure to get a battery grip. This allows you to have two batteries at all times and easily switch between landscape and portrait orientation without twisting your shoulder around. Also always be sure to get a screen protector for your LCD screen.

3. FAST GLASS
“What’s fast glass,” you ask? That simply refers to the maximum aperture of a lens, which allows for even more light to hit the sensor in dark situations. I use lenses that have an aperture of f/2.8 (both a 24-70 and a 70-200) to ensure I’m able to get as much light in the lens as possible while still maintaining a useable range of sharpness. (If I go any faster than f/2.8--because let’s face it, sometimes I shoot scenes lit by candlelight--, the depth of field becomes so shallow that for theater photography it’s often too soft.)

There’s no “golden rule” for settings, other than that they will constantly change with live performances. I always shoot on manual mode. I rarely go below 1/160th of a second (as a general rule it becomes hard to alleviate camera shake if you go lower than the max focal length of your lens…so for a 70-200 lens, I’m usually trying to stay around or above 1/200th in order to make sure there’s no motion blur).

THE NOT-SO OBVIOUS, BUT STILL ESSENTIAL:

4. SPEEDY MEMORY CARDS
With a powerful camera comes some large files, usually between 30-60MB per image. In a large production number or dance shoot, I may take 10 images in the course of 20 seconds, so I need the card recording those images to do some heavy lifting and not lock my camera from shooting as the information writes to the card. I’m always writing RAW files to two cards at once to do an immediate backup should one card fail. I tend to work with 64GB cards, but I do have a few 128 GB cards as second slot cards. I use SanDisk Extreme Pro cards that write up to 300mb/sec.

5. TWO MEMORY CARD CASES
I use a large Pelican memory card case that holds 12 SD cards (I take a LOT of photos during a production shoot so I always like to have backup cards). I also have a small 4 SD keychain card case that I use to put my second slot cards in and put in my pocket. I always leave my shoots with one set of the cards on my person, and the other in my camera bag. The last thing you want is to leave a once-in-a-lifetime event with all the files in only one place.

6. CAMERA HARNESS
During every production shoot I have two cameras on me at all times. This means I need something to alleviate the stress on my neck that a normal camera strap creates. Additionally I need the ease of switching between bodies quickly and safely. In comes the need for a harness which distributes weight evenly to your shoulders. I use the canvas Camera Swag harness, which locks each body securely in place and allows each camera to glide up to your eye with ease.

7. CLEANING TOOLS
No bag is complete without a few tools to help keep your camera as clean as possible. Because the Sonys are mirrorless, that means the sensor is immediately exposed to dust and debris as soon as the cover comes off. As soon as anything lands on that sensor you’re going to see spots covering your image which become a pain to remove in post. Before each shoot I do a quick air blast of my sensor to make sure I’m removing as much debris as possible between full camera cleanings (which I get done professionally at Photo Tech). Add a nice microfiber lens cloth to your arsenal and you make sure to keep your images as crisp as possible. For a quick clean of the camera body, I do a wipe down with an electronics-safe disinfecting wipe. If you want it all in one kit…my absolute favorite is the Sensei Optics Care and Cleaning Kit.

8. TRIPOD
Another category where Peak Design takes the cake. I’m not going to lie. I almost never use tripods. I find them to be constraining and usually a last resort for me as a photographer. Despite my reticence to use them, there are times where they become essential and the Peak Design Travel Tripod is absolutely gorgeous. It’s lightweight, compact, and packed with features that make me actually excited for the moments when my work calls for a tripod.

9. BATTERIES AND CHARGERS
I always make sure I have at least four fully charged batteries with me in addition to the chargers. (And always charge them the night before.)

10. FOLDING MINI STEP STOOL
Sometimes you’re mid shoot and want to scream because if you just had a little more height you’d get that perfect shot. If you’re not in the position to set up ladders, don’t hesitate to use a small foldable step stool. That extra foot of height might be just what you need to get the shot.

THE BONUS POINTS

11. GUM AND SNACKS
Every intermission calls for two things: lots of water and a Quest bar. I try to always carry my Hydro Flask with me to ensure I’m hitting daily water goals, and although I often make a pit stop at the tech desk with the snacks (who doesn’t love a Reese’s cup or Butterfinger mini?), I always have a Quest Bar (usually a Blueberry Muffin Flavor) in my bag in case my energy lags. Also I’m never without a fresh pack of gum.

12. LACROSSE BALL
Shooting a performance (or a wedding) is tough on your body. You’re holding a camera up for hours on end and inevitably you’ll…want to play lacrosse? Probably not. But you may need to roll out your muscles at the end of the night, and nothing gets into those knots quite like a lacrosse ball.

13. INSURANCE
So technically this isn’t IN the bag, but it’s just about the most important part. One of the first things I did when I purchased my initial batch of equipment was to make sure it was all insured. For the past decade I’ve worked with Package Choice by Hill & Usher and have found them incredibly helpful not only for certificates of insurance, but for claims when the dreaded moment happens and equipment is damaged or stolen. It may take a little out of your pocket up front, but the peace of mind it provides is absolutely worth it. I always joke that I have better insurance for my equipment than for myself.