Suggested Equipment
Let’s make it clear right here at the beginning of this article that none of the equipment that we recommend below is required to participate in any of our photography programs. We believe that you can capture great images using any camera body or tripod system. None of the items listed below are mandatory but we hope that you will find this article helpful if you are considering a new equipment purchase.
We know that it is easy to spend a fortune on photography gear that you do not really need. Please don’t let this list overwhelm you and remember that much of the equipment that we recommend in this article is available for rent from reputable companies like BorrowLenses.com. Renting a camera body, or a nice lens, for a photographic workshop makes a lot more sense than buying something that you are unlikely to use again on a regular basis in your daily photographic endeavors.
Camera Body Advice
Working with a modern mirrorless camera, or dslr body, makes life much easier. We live in an amazing time where each generation of camera body get better and better. This is by no means a complete list, and it one with a clear bias towards the kind of camera bodies that we think best suit landscape and travel photographers, but any of the following camera bodies are excellent choices for any of our programs.
Please remember to bring a couple of spare camera batteries, your camera’s battery charger, and plenty of extra memory cards along with you when no matter which brand of camera system you choose.
If you are looking for more detailed reviews of specific camera bodies then we strongly recommend consulting the experts over at cameralabs.com.
Lens Advice
High-quality wide-angle lenses are always useful on the photography workshops that we teach. Lenses in the 16-30mm (full-frame equivalent) range are our favorite for sunrise and sunset shots in the kind of beautiful places where we usually go. Canon, Nikon, Fuji, and Sony all make excellent wide-angle and telephoto lenses.
In addition, the Sigma Art line of lenses are among our current favorites. In general, all of the Sigma Art lenses are incredibly sharp and they often cost hundreds of dollars less than some of their competitors.
Telephoto lenses in the 100-300mm range are also useful on our workshops. The narrow field of view that a telephoto lens offers is helpful when you want to eliminate a distracting background or draw in a distant subject. Telephoto lens are also great for close-up photos and portraits.
A reasonably powerful telephoto lens should be more than adequate if we encounter eagles, elk, or any other types of wildlife in our travels together. You are welcome to bring longer telephoto lenses along too but since wildlife photography will never be a major focus on our workshops, super powerful telephoto lenses are not necessary for any of our programs.
We believe that a dedicated lens hood for each of your favorite lenses is a good investment. Most high-end lenses these days come with their own lens hood but if you are shopping for used gear, or if your old lens hood has gone missing, then we think that these are a worthwhile small investment. Lens hoods offer some protection from the elements and they can produce sharper images in environments with lots of glare.
Tripod Leg And Ball Head Systems
David and I believe that no other piece of equipment will improve the quality of your photography as much as a sturdy tripod system. Many of the techniques that make landscape photography so rewarding, like shooting in low light or photographing moving water at slow shutter speeds, simply cannot be done without a reliable tripod.
One of the biggest choices that we all face when it comes to tripod legs is the difference between aluminum or carbon fiber. Carbon fiber legs have every technical advantage over aluminum but carbon is always more expensive. Unless the weight of your tripod is a top-priority for you then a sturdy pair of aluminum legs is always a more affordable option.
Along with the aluminum vs. carbon decision, please choose a tripod system that can adequately support your camera body and your heaviest lens. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to work with a tripod, or ballhead, that slips under the weight of your camera. Finally, we recommend selecting a leg set that will hold your camera at a comfortable height for you to use without extending the tripod’s center column. Recommend tripod leg sets include:
If you choose to buy a set of tripod legs only then you will need also need a ballhead to complete your camera support system. Some tripod systems, like the Peak Design models mentioned above, are sold with a quality ballhead already attached but many other leg sets are not. If needed, our recommended ballheads include the Acratech GP-SS Ballhead, the Really Right Stuff BH-40, and the Really Right Stuff BH-55.
I know that the price tag on a top-quality Really Right Stuff, or similar quality ballhead, is a hard pill to swallow. These are expensive items but in the long run a high quality ballhead is totally worth the money. Investing in a high quality tripod system is a purchase that you will use for many years!
Circular Polarizing Filters
Circular polarizing filters are essential tools when photographing water and other reflective surfaces such as fall foliage and wet rocks. Circular polarizing (CPL) filters do two things for us in photography. First, they remove glare which can be very helpful on sunny or rainy days around lakes, streams, and the ocean. Second, circular polarizers add contrast and saturation into our images especially on cloudy overcast days.
Recommended circular polarizing filters include the B+W Circular Polarizing Filter, the Hoya NXT Circular Polarizing Filter, and the Tiffen HT Circular Polarizing Filter.
Neutral Density Filters
Neutral density (ND) filters are also fun tools to have in your camera bag. Neutral density filters are like sunglasses for your camera. These light-blocking filters are useful when you want to shoot at slow shutter speeds to create that milky water effect in waves or waterfalls during bright daylight hours.
Unfortunately, high-quality strong neutral density filters from brands like Nisi or Breakthrough are expensive. It is easy to spend a lot of money on these neutral density filters and holder systems. If you are serious about shopping for an advanced filter system before one of our workshops then please give us a call for more specific recommendations.
Cable Release / Intervalometer / Remote Trigger
Cable releases, and other remote triggering tools, are not essential items for our workshops but these gizmos can be very helpful when you are shooting long-exposure images and for creating sharp photos at night. Simple inexpensive wired cable release systems, or wired intervalometers, are our preference.
Anything wireless is going to cost you more and add additional complexity that you probably do not need to get great images at twilight or night. Intervalometer functionality is only necessary for time-lapse shooting and other advanced applications.
Accessories
The photographic equipment industry thrives on selling you endless accessories and gadgets. While it is true that there are a few extra items that we find really useful, most of the accessories that we have bought over the years end up sitting in the junk drawer. The following list includes some of those rare “extra” items that we find handy enough to bring along every time.
There are two other simple items that have nothing to do specifically with photography but that we find invaluable on our workshops. First, we always try to pack a flashlight or a Dual Color Headlamp. We cannot stress enough how often we end up needing a flashlight or a headlamp since so many of our photo shoots begin or end in the dark. Second, a small travel umbrella can keep you, and your equipment, dry during a short squall or keep the sun off your head on a hot afternoon.
Camera Backpacks
There are numerous options when it comes to camera bags and cases but we believe that backpack style bags are the best choice for our workshops. Camera backpacks are designed to protect and organize your photo equipment and many will also include space for additional personal items such as a water bottle, snacks, and a warm hat. We particularly like photo backpacks that open from the back, rather than from the top, since this will give you quick access to your camera without having to dig everything else out.
It can be challenging to find the perfect camera backpack, so you may need to try on a couple to see what fits. If available, we like packs with a supportive hip belt so that some of the weight is transferred from the shoulders to your hips. It's always a good idea to try out a backpack fully loaded with weight to make sure it's a comfortable fit.
After years of trying many different packs, we have found that packs made by F-stop are well designed and very comfortable for hiking. In particular, we like the Ajna pack and the Loka UL pack. With this system the internal compartment for organizing your camera gear is sold separately in different sizes. F-stop calls these ICU's.
Lowepro also makes good packs at an affordable price point. The Lowepro Pro Sport BP 200 AW II pack is a nice option for mirrorless cameras or other small cameras systems. A roomy pack for DSLR systems that also includes space for personal gear is the Lowepro Flipside Trek BP 450 AW.
Mindshift and Shimoda are two other high quality brands to consider for photography backpacks.
If you already own a non-camera daypack that you like, another option is to purchase lens and camera holders to protect your gear inside the pack. Lowepro makes several lens cases for this purpose. Thinktank also makes a great mirrorless camera holster and also a slightly larger bag called the Mirrorless Mover for carrying additional lenses. The disadvantage to using a regular daypack rather than a camera specific pack is that it usually is a little more cumbersome to dig out camera gear when needed. There also may not be an easy way to attach a tripod to the outside of the pack.
General Clothing Recommendations For Our Workshops
It is always a good idea to bring a raincoat, a warm insulating layer, and a wool hat along on all of our excursions. Trying to shoot while your fingers are freezing is no fun. Wool socks, and a light pair of mittens or gloves, are highly recommended even in the middle of the summer for all of our dusk or dawn excursions. It’s always better to bring more than you think you’ll need. Extra clothes can be left in our vehicle. Please pack some layers that will keep you dry and warm so that you do not have to miss out on any of our shooting opportunities if the temps drop or the wind blows.
Slick leather loafers, dress shoes, and flip flops are poor choices for our workshops. Please wear shoes with good traction during our field shoots. Seriously, slips and falls are dangerous so please bring along supportive walking shoes or boots.
Additional Questions
We are here to help you get the most out of your workshop experience. If you have any additional questions about equipment, or anything else, please give us a call at 406-285-8571 or send us an email.
Finally, if you are shopping for any type of camera equipment that is on not on our list then please give Alan Samiljan at Hunt's Photo & Video a call at 781-462-2383 or send him an email at alansamhunts@gmail.com. Alan, and the wonderful folks at Hunt's Photo, are often able to come up with special pricing and offers for our workshop participants.
Affiliate LinkS
We may earn a small commission at no cost to you when referring certain products and retailers that we have carefully vetted. No one has paid us for product placement on this page and we will not link to any products, or retailers, that we would not actually use or support.