Kit bag essentials
with JASON INGRAM
Lesson 6 of 27
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Really, all you need is a camera and a lens, but there are a few extra pieces of kit that Jason always has in his kit bag.
From the Lesson Workbook
Kit Bag Essentials
Really all you need is a camera and a lens, but there are a few extra pieces of kit that I find really helpful to have. These will make achieving a beautiful photograph a little easier - especially if you are shooting outdoors.
Spirit Level Bubble
Helps you to quickly make sure that your horizons are exactly where they should be, and that you're level.
Lens Cleaning Cloth and Blower Brush
Frequently cleaning your lens and removing dust will help to keep it in good working order and avoid unwanted dots on your images.
Pencil and Notebook
It can be useful to make a note of what you're photographing, or you may want to make a record of your f-stops or shutter speeds.
Memory Cards
Always make sure you have plenty of memory cards so you're not limited in the amount of photographs you can take.
Wimberley Plamp
A clamp that can be used to keep plants in place, or to hold equipment such as reflector cards or diffusers.
Tripod
I like to use a geared head tripod, as this enables you to make very controlled adjustments to the angle of view.
Cable Releases
If you're using a slow shutter speed, you might want to avoid touching the camera as doing so could blur the image. I find a cable release is a great way to remotely and precisely fire the shutter.
Kit Recommendations
Bag
F-stop camera backpack Tilopa 50 Litres
Really important to have a good backpack if you are planning on carrying more than a camera and a lens. This range of camera backpacks from F-stop are incredibly well made with the photographer's comfort and needs at the forefront of their design.
Camera
I use a Nikon D850 so very much in the DSLR camp. If buying new I would recommend a mirrorless system as all the lenses are now geared towards this.
Nikon Z5, Z 7ii or Nikon Z8
Lenses
Nikon Z 24-70mm F/4 S Z Mount Lens (F2.8 will cost you an extra £1,000 but not always needed for Garden Photography).
Sigma 105 macro lens
Tripod
Gitzo or Manfrotto, value option for this would be Manfrotto 055 or Gitzo for top end. I would only recommend a geared head as this is invaluable. Manfrotto Junior geared head is perfect.
Plamp
Wimberley Plamp
Spirit Level
Kaiser Spirit Level
Memory Cards
Keep to Sandisk and don't scrimp on memory cards as they can become corrupted. 64 gb is usually a good size for still.
Rocket Blower Brush
Giottos AA1900 Rocket Air Blower
Cable Release
Nikon MC-DC2 Remote Trigger Cord For Nikon
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Your Instructor
Jason Ingram
UK's leading garden and landscape photographer. Garden Media Guild 'Photographer of the Year'.
Jason Ingram is an award-winning garden photographer based in Bristol. He travels widely photographing gardens, plants and people for the UK’s leading magazines and provides photography for numerous best selling gardening books by top international garden designers. In 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2014 and 2013 he was awarded ‘Garden Photographer of the Year’ by The Garden Media Guild and ‘Features Photographer of the Year’ in 2019 and 2016. For his personal work, Jason has been photographing the landscape and coastline of Britain for over 25 years, and in 2008 was awarded ‘Landscape Photographer of the Year’ for "Living the View" category. Jason lectures on his work and teaches in-person garden photography courses. His work is held in numerous private collections and he receives regular commissions from HM King Charles III to photograph his private estate at Highgrove, as well as Piet Oudolf’s garden at Hauser & Wirth gallery in Somerset.
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