Efficiency
Lately I have become slightly obsessed with efficiency, more so than usual. I often find myself enjoying conversations with other professionals and intrigued by their methods and practices, especially when it comes to equipment. Most people, especially in the photography business, will have their own opinion on what gear to take and what is necessary to achieve the shot they want. This is a point in which I will concede every time, but I will often argue the finer points of what is truly necessary. When I first started, I was like many new photographers, working with professionals who were using big name equipment. In many cases the power packs for the flash heads weighed 50 lbs or more. Moving this gear around did get you bigger biceps, however it was slow. In the beginning I did want this equipment because I felt that it made me a better photographer, I didn’t. I slowly started to realize that there might be a better way to achieve similar results without the back strain and snail’s pace.
I began to take note of the gear I was really using and removed items that were rarely used. This was great for two reasons. One, it reduced the weight of the overall gear I was hauling as well as the amount. Second, and not so obvious, it helped me to hone in on my lighting technique and helped me to be much more efficient at lighting.
I now have a package that includes 3 light-weight stands, 3 strobes, 2 shoot through umbrellas, 1 brolly box, wireless triggers, 2 cameras, 3 lenses, batteries, CF cards, and a tripod. All of this weighs under 50 pounds and fits into one backpack.
The best thing about this set up is complete mobility and the ability to give the client a number of looks quickly and efficiently. It saves you money by keeping your gear and overhead costs low and lets the client get more bang for their buck. I really like it because it gives me more time to experiment and find a real cool look and it really expands your portfolio.
Finally, I must say that the shrinking of gear and the light weight nature of the small package is great for traveling, location shooting, and allows me to save on my healthcare costs :P. Yet, I cannot say that this was mostly my Idea. The initial inspiration was a website/blog called strobist.com and I must say that it is a fantastic resource for anyone who wants to have the look of big lights, but in small packages.
