Essentials: The Creative Timelapser

Chris Gampat The Phoblographer Essentials the Creative Timelapser (1 of 6)ISO 4001-50 sec at f - 4.5

Essentials is a series where we round up specially curated kits for different photographers in different situations. Other items could surely be substituted, but these are what we personally recommend. 

When it comes to creating timelapse videos, you only really need a few things. For starters, a big hard drive will help greatly–but what will also help are some of the right tools. As we’ve always said in our Essentials series, you can use whatever you want. But to give you some sort of guidance, we’ve created a kit for that type of stuff. Sure, time lapse videos are getting overdone, but if you find that you get a bit too tired of them, this kit will help you to transition into other things like studio work, landscapes and much more.

Overall, we’re emphasizing versatility for the creative timelapser.

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Essentials: The Lightweight Macro Shooter

Chris Gampat The Phoblographer Essenials the Walkabout Macro Shooter (1 of 7)ISO 1001-200 sec at f - 4.0

Essentials is a series where we round up specially curated kits for different photographers in different situations. Other items could surely be substituted, but these are what we personally recommend. 

When it comes to shooting Macro images, you often want to get close. But when you get close, you’ll also want to take other measures to ensure that you’re getting the sharpest images that you can possibly obtain.Whether you’re shooting the intricacies of a watch’s interior or a beautiful flower, you’ll also need good lighting and a reliable camera that can help you get the job done.

Luckily, this is now available and you can also keep the package down to something very portable and small.

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Essentials: The High End Architecture Shooter

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Essentials is a series where we round up specially curated kits for different photographers in different situations. Other items could surely be substituted, but these are what we personally recommend. 

If you’re going for the high end Real Estate shooting gigs or photographing architecture, you’ll always need the right gear. Now, we know that using high megapixel DSLR can always do a great job, but to get the most performance from your files and the most versatility overall in post-production–and lots of post-production is needed to get the very best photos of buildings.

Here’s what we recommend for photographing buildings in the high end world.

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Essentials: The Beginning Street Photographer

Chris Gampat The Phoblographer The Beginning Street Photogrpaher (1 of 7)ISO 1001-250 sec at f - 5.6

Essentials is a series where we round up specially curated kits for different photographers in different situations. Other items could surely be substituted, but these are what we personally recommend. 

Documenting daily life as it happens can become incredibly addicting. The mere act of capturing an expression or a scene then looking back on it and never seeing that person again is one that can keep you shooting over and over until you capture a moment that you feel is perfect. Now, you can use a ton of different gear to do that, but when you’re really trying to get into street photography there are some selections that are better than others. And if you’re also trying to do this at a more affordable price, we’ve got a couple of suggestions for you.

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Essentials: The Street Fashion Blogger

Chris Gampat The Phoblographer Essentials the Street Fashion Blogger (1 of 8)ISO 8001-60 sec at f - 3.5

Essentials is a series where we round up specially curated kits for different photographers in different situations. Other items could surely be substituted, but these are what we personally recommend. 

They appear all over the web: street fashion blogs and images are the thing of Tumblr and Instagram amongst many of the images that you see on Pinterest. The street fashion world is one of finding cool locations out in the busy streets of a city and capture a moment that looks candid. And to do that, you don’t need the most sophisticated of gear. However, the details and a vision can surely help.

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Essentials: The Hipster Party Animal

Chris Gampat The Phoblographer Essentials hipster photographer (1 of 5)ISO 1001-160 sec at f - 7.1

Essentials is a brand new series where we round up specially curated kits for different photographers in different situations. Other items could surely be substituted, but these are what we personally recommend. 

This kit was cool before photography was cool. In fact, it’s probably not going to be cool any more since everyone now knows about it. What are we talking about? Well, it’s something that has to do with making a statement. Capturing a real life photo of someone instantly and making a print means that no one else in the world will ever have that photo. It can’t be duplicated, and even though you can surely scan it, it still won’t be the same as the original.

But beyond that, you’ve got to get your name out there somehow. Here’s a kit that’ll make you the coolest party snapper around. PBRs for all!

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Essentials: The Environmental Headshot Photographer

Chris Gampat The Phoblographer Essentials The Mobile Headshot photographer (1 of 6)ISO 2001-250 sec at f - 4.0

Essentials is a brand new series where we round up specially curated kits for different photographers in different situations. Other items could surely be substituted, but these are what we personally recommend. 

After taking a short break, we’ve decided to head right back into the Essentials for what we think an environmental headshot photographer would use. So what exactly do we mean by this? Well, here in NYC, lots of photographers like using a combination of natural/ambient light and blending it with flash. And due to the fact that they’re on location and sometimes without assistants, they tend to try to pack as lightly as possible.

While we often recommend using monolights, they aren’t as portable as a couple of hot shoe flashes placed in the absolute right positions to give the right amount of kick.

And for that, we recommend the following.


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Essentials: The Urban Explorer

Chris Gampat The Phoblographer Essentials The Urban Explorer (1 of 11)ISO 2001-125 sec at f - 5.6

Essentials is a brand new series where we round up specially curated kits for different photographers in different situations. Other items could surely be substituted, but these are what we personally recommend.

There are a couple of major things that you need to keep in mind when you’re exploring abandoned places. First off, you’ll need to pack light–especially if you’re going to take pictures. What I’ve discovered once when exploring an abandoned tug boat graveyard is that some of those floors aren’t so sturdy–and they can give way at any time. Second, you’re going to need to go in a group or a two person team. Plus, you need to do your research.

And whatever you do, don’t be seen.

Not that we condone breaking into abandoned places, but photographers are bound to do that. And if it’s going to happen, we recommend sticking to just a couple of core essentials.

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Essentials: The Compact Comic Con Photo Kit

Chris Gampat The Phoblographer Essentials The Compact Comic Con Kit (5 of 5)ISO 2001-160 sec

Essentials is a series where we round up specially curated kits for different photographers in different situations. Other items could surely be substituted, but these are what we personally recommend.

If you’re on the West Coast, Comic Con has happened already this year. But if you’re on the East Coast, you’re probably ready to lick a nerd to get your weekend pass. One trend that we saw for years and years was that folks tended to bring better and better cameras. And last year was when lots of folks started coming out and bringing the heavy artillery–we did too!. If you don’t feel like you’re up to having huge light setups, then consider our setup two years ago that earned us these photos.

Our setup was mobile, effective when used by someone that has become one with their gear, and can earn you quite a bit of photos worthy of your portfolio.

And with some time to go still until NYCC, you can probably save up to get all of this relatively soon.

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Essentials: The Location Shooter

Chris Gampat The Phoblographer Essentials the Location Shooter (1 of 10)ISO 1001-100 sec

Essentials is a brand new series where we round up specially curated kits for different photographers in different situations. Other items could surely be substituted, but these are what we personally recommend.

Some of us have a crazy dream: we’re doing a location shoot involving models or even products, and we’ve got either a small crew or an assistant to help us out. While that dream is really sometimes very awe inspiring we never think about all the gear that we need to sometimes adapt and make the dream possible (on top of all that portfolio building.)

Now, don’t just think that you’ll be able to naturally light it all every time. There is sometimes lots of work that goes into it all and to give your potential clients great images.

And here’s a kit to start you off. More than anything though, we have to recommend and remind you all that the items are interchangeable. But here’s a starter guide.


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Essentials: The Medium Format Beginner

Chris Gampat The Phoblographer Essentials Medium Format Beginner (6 of 6)ISO 1001-125 sec at f - 4.0

Essentials is a brand new series where we round up specially curated kits for different photographers in different situations. Other items could surely be substituted, but these are what we personally recommend.

Medium Format photography is what many shooters yearn to do. While the digital counterpart is extremely expensive, its film predecessor is probably more affordable than most digital setups overall. An excellent kit can be had fairly cheaply and you’ll be rewarded with images that aren’t totally possible with most digital cameras.

So why make the move to medium format? Besides the obvious benefits of a significantly larger negative area, medium format film blows its 35mm brethren away in terms of not only overall sharpness but also in color depth, tonality, and more. And with the right lighting, it will beat anything that your DSLR might be able to produce.

Ready to take the plunge? Here’s our essential kit for the person ready to step up.

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Essentials: The Thrifty Time Lapser

Chris Gampat The Phoblographer Essentials the Thrifty Timelapser (1 of 7)ISO 1001-1000 sec at f - 4.0

Essentials is a brand new series where we round up specially curated kits for different photographers in different situations. Other items could surely be substituted, but these are what we personally recommend.

Time lapsers love to get super technical and uber geeky about their creations. But we all need to start somewhere and some of us will need to reach for lower hanging fruit at one point or another. And as creatives, we also need to remember that it’s not always about the gear. By using a very minimalist kit, one can create a mesmerizing time lapse if they’ve got the vision and know how to execute it.

For the visionary, the modest creative, or the introductory shooter–here’s our specially curated essential kit.

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Essentials: The Outdoor Photographer

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Essentials is a brand new series where we round up specially curated kits for different photographers in different situations. Other items could surely be substituted, but these are what we personally recommend.

When you’re headed into the great outdoors for the purpose of creating breathtaking imagery, you want to travel as light as possible, but still have the gear you will need. If at all possible, try to plan ahead so you don’t over-pack. It all starts with having a proper bag, then you load up from there. There are certainly a million other variations on what you could bring, but what I’m choosing to share is what works for me personally.

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Essentials: The Connected Photographer

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Essentials is a brand new series where we round up specially curated kits for different photographers in different situations. Other items could surely be substituted, but these are what we personally recommend.

There is a brand new workflow that some of the more cutting edge professionals are sticking to these days: and it doesn’t involve spending hours in front of the computer. With the advent of connected camera, Eye-Fi Mobi, and other extremely mobile software, we can create and edit images with loads of amazing looks just by working on the JPEGs that we created pretty much right the first time in the camera. The liberation that this delivers is truly mind blowing if you can embrace it.

And here is our recommended kit.

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Essentials: The Summer Concert Photographer

Chris Gampat The Phoblographer Essentials Summer Concert Shooter (1 of 7)ISO 2001-200 sec at f - 5.6

Essentials is a brand new series where we round up specially curated kits for different photographers in different situations. Other items could surely be substituted, but these are what we personally recommend.

One of the biggest rules of shooting summer concerts is to not bring a bag. Many venues don’t let you bring one, but even if you have a press pass, it can be really tough and slow you down a lot. While many photographers still use DSLRs, a major fact is that mirrorless camera performance has gotten so damn good that we really can’t deny them their strengths. And a mirrorless camera will keep things lighter and more compact whether you’re in the front row or the pit.

And for that, here’s our essential and a couple of tips that run down our choices summer concert photography. For even more tips, check out this interview we did with Rolling Stone Photographer Nicole Fara Silver.

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Essentials: The Street Photographer With a Strobe

Chris Gampat The Phoblographer Essentials for th Strobist Street Photographer (9 of 9)ISO 2001-200 sec at f - 3.5

Essentials is a brand new series where we round up specially curated kits for different photographers in different situations. Other items could surely be substituted, but these are what we personally recommend.

Every Street Photographer has their own style, and many prefer to work with natural light. But once you start to work with strobes, you begin to realize just how much different your work can start to look. Taking photos of people candidly in the street already requires some bravery, and we’d be lying to you if we said that adding a strobe into the picture (pun not intended) also didn’t require some major stugots.

In the end though, you’ll be rewarded with not only different photos from everyone else but also with the satisfaction of knowing that you’ve learned a new skill.

Here’s what we recommend.

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