Photographers often work in different environments, from the controlled studio setting to the dynamic challenges of shooting on location. If you don’t have a large entourage of assistants, it can feel overwhelming shooting on location. But as Lindsay Adler shows in this video from Adorama, you don’t need a ton of gear to take great shots on location.
As a versatile portrait and fashion photographer, Lindsay Adler has mastered the art of capturing stunning images both indoors and outdoors. In this video, Lindsay explains the essential gear that accompanies her on every location photoshoot.
The Camera and Lens
At the heart of Lindsay’s setup is the Canon R5 mirrorless camera. This camera is a powerful beast. The camera’s face and eye tracking capabilities allow her to shoot at wide apertures, like F1.2, while ensuring sharp focus on her subjects’ eyes. Lindsay relies on the 50mm 1.2 RF lens for most of her location work. This lens allows her to capture both close-up shots and environmental portraits with minimal distortion and impressive sharpness, even wide open at f/1.2.
Extra Lenses for Versatility
When the need arises for more variety or specific types of shots, Lindsay adds a couple of lenses to her kit. The RF 85mm 1.2 is handy for close-up shots, providing beautiful subject isolation and creamy backgrounds. The RF 24-70mm 2.8 is her go-to when she requires more focal length flexibility, allowing her to adapt to different shooting scenarios.
Strobes and Triggers
To add controlled artificial lighting to her location shoots, Lindsay relies on the Profoto B10 Plus strobe. Despite its compact and lightweight design, this strobe packs a punch with its 500-watt seconds of power, making it ideal for overpowering ambient light on brighter days. To achieve high-speed sync (HSS) and shoot at faster shutter speeds, she pairs the strobe with either the Profoto Air Remote TTL or the Profoto Connect Pro trigger.
Versatile light modifier
When it comes to modifiers, Lindsay prefers the Westcott Rapid Box Octa Medium. This mid-sized octabox opens quickly, allowing her to work efficiently on location. Its soft light quality complements natural light, giving her images a beautiful and flattering look. The versatility of this modifier makes it a must-have in her gear bag.
Innovative Light Stand
Using traditional light stands can be challenging in cities like New York. Instead, Lindsay opts for a Photoflex Light Reach Plus, which functions like a pole. Her assistant can easily hold the light overhead at various angles, adding drama and creativity to her shots.
Harnessing Natural Light
While artificial lighting is essential for many of Lindsay’s location setups, she recognizes the power of shaping natural light. The Profoto Medium Silver/White Bounce Reflector is her must-have tool for this purpose. With the silver side providing more specular fill and the white side offering a softer touch, Lindsay can achieve the desired lighting effect with just a single reflector.
Of course, although Lindsay doesn’t use a lot of gear, most of the gear she does use is fairly top-of-the-range, professional-quality equipment. However, you can still make awesome images on location with cheaper options. A camera plus a 50mm lens, an assistant with a strobe or a speedlight on a pole with a small modifier will all work equally well. This video is great for inspiration and watching how a professional like Lindsay uses minimal gear to capture these beautiful shots.
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