Questions I most often get asked as a entrepreneur and photographer are…

What camera gear are you using, or do you recommend?
What computer are you using and what editing software do you subscribe to?
How are you recording BTS from your camera while photographing?
How do you deliver your photos?
How do you keep your client information organized?
etc. etc.

I thought it would be best to write a blog that has all of these answers (and more!), that help clients see behind the curtain, and gives recommendations for fellow photographers still building, or looking to change their business model for success!

First ➡️ What’s in my camera bag? What gear do you take on photoshoots?

ProTatic BP 350 AW II - I love this camera bag! It fits under an airplane seat for a carry on, has multiple ways to access the gear inside, is completely customizable with velcro dividers, has several zipper pockets, stitched straps on the outside to attache items to, and comes with a tool belt (supposed to add support for your hips, but I give to my assistant to carry treats and toys.).
Two Canon R5 Bodies + 3 fully charged spare batteries- Coming from a wedding photography background, I have learned to keep a second camera body in my bag for all shoots. God forbid something happen to my main camera body, I can easily swap it out for my back up and not have to reschedule or cancel the photoshoot.
Sigma Art 135mm F/1.8 DG HSM - This is my primary lens! I use the 135 for ALL Equine Portraits, and majority of my Horse & Rider and Canine Portrait Sessions!
Sigma Art 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM - This is my back up lens for any Equine Portraits, should my 135mm be out of service or being professionally cleaned. If I had to choose between the 135 and 85, I would 100% go for the 135. I love the compression, focal length and bokeh effect more.
Canon RF70-200 f/2.8 L IS USM - I use this lens for unpredictable action shots or action further away than I can reach with my 135mm. Unpredictable action is usually horses at liberty or dogs playing off leash. The zoom allows me to more flexibility in capture a variety of action shots within a shorter amount of time.
Mount Adapter EF-EOS R - This adapter allows me to use my Sigma lenses on my mirrorless camera body! It has allows me to continue using my favorite lenses, and upgrade to mirrorless lenses slowly- without sacrificing quality or the bank account.
SanDisk Extreme PRO 128GB 200MB/s Memory Cards - I typically have a card holder with 12 SD cards with me, which should cover two full days of photoshoots!
Camera Hot Shoe Phone Mount - This allows me to mount my phone on top of my camera, where I can easily capture BTS videos for reels while I work.

Secondly ➡️ Back at the office, this is the gear and websites I use for uploading, editing, and delivering images to clients…

MacBook Pro 13'“ Apple MI (discontinued)- I travel too frequently to use a desktop computer, so I do all of my work off of a 13” laptop (Yes, using a 3x4” track pad for editing on. 🙈 This fits into my ProTactic bag too!)
Anker USB C Hub - I use this to upload all of my memory cards.
LaCie 5TB Rugged Mini - I work off of these external hard drives, allowing my laptop to run faster and if my laptop were to ever be stolen or need repair work, I could still access my files. I typically will require 2-3 of these hard drives a year.
Adobe Bridge + Adobe Photoshop - I use Bridge to organize and cull files, and Photoshop for all of my editing.
Pixieset - I use Pixieset for delivering galleries to clients and a custom product list, as many of my fine art products come from such as WHCC, ProDPI, BayPhotos and White Wall.
Honeybook - This is the Client Resource Management I use for my scheduling, communication with clients, invoices, contracts, book keeping and more. This CRM has been a life saver! It sends out automatic emails for me, keeps my schedule and client details organized, and allows me to provide a smooth and seamless customer experience.
Squarespace - You are currently on squarespace! I use their website building and hosting platforms to create this custom website, which allows me to provide clients with a professional landing space to access photography services, book a shoot, learn more about me and my travel schedule, read the blog, and purchase products.
Laptop Sun Shade Cover - For the days I am working on my computer while traveling, or simply sitting out in the backyard supervising my chickens free range time, I use this laptop sun shade. This shades my screen from reflections, and allows me to continue to be productive outside of the office.
Blue Light Glasses and Beats - To save my eyeballs when I’m not editing, and to keep my busy mind occupied while listening to podcasts, audio books, or EDM head banger songs.
Caffeine - Because what photographer doesn’t run on caffeine?? 😆 I need more hours in every day to get the never ending list of TO-DOs done as an artist and business owner.

And lastly ➡️ Other websites that I frequently use are…

Google Maps - I use this to look at layouts of properties I’ll be photographing at. This gives me an idea of what backgrounds we’ll be using and where the sun is during the day, as well as mapping horse barns and dog parks and planning travel routes and times between clients.
Weather.com + AccuWeather - Usually between these two weather apps, I can look at the hourly reports and plan or adjust timing of photoshoots to avoid unfavorable weather.
Google Docs + Sheets - I use these apps to organize information about upcoming trips, planning workshops, providing content for my virtual assistant, keeping track of leads, book keeping, and time sheets.
Chase Travel - Being a chase member, I have access to booking travel (flights, hotels, rental cars) through their website, earning 5x points back, travel insurance, roadside assistance and more! This has been a huge time and money saver during the planning process and monthly travel that the business requires.
Social Media - And of course social media - Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. This is where my clients are most frequently, and while I wouldn’t have a social media account if I wasn’t running a business, it has been a valuable way to continually reach clients and share my work.

Don’t forget to follow along on social media to see my latest work, upcoming travel plans, and educational opportunities for fellow photographers!