ZTS Photography: Life In Focus
I got into photography when I found an old Minolta X-700 in my family's basement after a hurricane. My parents thought it was ruined due to flooding, so thought nothing of giving it to me to take apart. After making the tough decision of whether or not to take it apart, or try some film in it, I decided to take some pics. As it turned out, the camera was never broken- it just needed a battery. A few new batteries and rolls of film later, and I was hooked. Obviously my equipment has changed, but not the love and enjoyment I get from photography.
ZTS Photography: Life In Focus by Zach Schible
For those who are interested I would love to share my equipment list. What I have listed below is what I own and is always in my camera bag. I do however change equipment based on the type of photo shoot I am at. For example, a wedding with poor lighting I will rent the appropriate flash equipment, or for clients with special requests I am able to rent equipment tailored to their needs & wants, while charging only at cost for the rental of the equipment.
Nikon D90
The D90 serves as my main camera. It is a fantastic camera that offers a very fast shutter speed and great at low light performance. This comes in handy with the many indoor weddings I do.
Nikon D50
The D50 serves as my backup camera. This was my first digital SLR, purchased back in 2006. Don't let the age fool you though. The D50 is very capable, and I have fallen in love with its great image quality and ease of use.
Minolta X-700
This was my first SLR camera. It is extremely fun to use. You will usually find me using this at weddings and other photo shoots with black & white film. The quality is amazing and often surprising, especially when compared to the much newer and more complicated cameras of today.
Promaster 5-in-1 Reflector
The reflector helps me get the best possible use out of any light source. What is does is reflects the light and focuses it on any subject I want. Beyond that the reflector is able to "color" the light. This means that on a cloudy day, I would use the gold side and make the picture look like it was taken on a bright sunny day. There are many more uses than just that, but the reflector is an invaluable tool for me or any photographer.
Sigma 30mm ƒ1.4
This 30mm ƒ1.4 lens is my pride and joy. It allows me to take pictures that are incredibly sharp in some of the lowest lighting conditions. I typically use this for portrait shots, as it produces amazing detail and clarity that just makes the photo pop!
Nikon 18-55 VR
This is one of my favorite all around lenses. It is a wide angle, so it allows me to get in large groups of people at weddings, or capture those breathtaking landscapes.
Nikon 28-80mm ƒ3.3
This lens, while being considered "amateur" by many, is actually a very nice lens to have in my camera bag. It is sharper than many of the more expensive lenses offered by Nikon, all the while being more compact and light weight. I usually use this lens for nature and outdoor use.
Nikon SB-800 Speedlight
This flash allows me to get the best possible picture in just about any lighting situation. Better yet it allows me to brighten subject and make it look natural. Even though you would think a flash is only for dark or indoors use, you may see me using this outside for getting some really nice fill light on people.