Inside My Camera Bag | Rory Lewis

I am a stickler for accuracy. Every line, every mark, every mole is critical in order for my work to be treated as a source. History & Art have always been important to me. Originally studying medieval history at Kings College in London, I developed an interest in Tudor Art. Being a little bit of a nerd I was also fascinated by Science Fiction and German Expressionist Cinema.

With this cocktail of art and cinematic inspiration, I found my way into photography.

Working as a photographer, fashion never interested me even though I gained many commissions from magazines and brands. I wanted to be part of History, photographing those subjects whom a renaissance painter would have sought out. Everyone from Celebrities to Politicians, to Soldiers and Actors.

With this in mind I began seeking more editorial and gallery commissions, my work eventually being acquired by the National Portrait Gallery and featured regularly in the Times.

Equipment-wise for me it’s all about quality and portability. I was given a loan of the Mamiya 645DF Leaf Credo 40 back shooting a variety of studio portraits and fell in love with it. Far cheaper than its Hasselblad Equivalent so I purchased the camera.

The tonality, colour and dynamic range was incredible. The 80mm f/2.8 Leaf Sekor Lens was included in the kit but I found the lens limiting, and decided to invest in the 110mm f/2.8 Leaf Sekor which I favour more for portraiture, the slightly longer focal length gives a very shallow depth of field in my portraiture.

As a travelling portraitist, my photoshoot isn’t always in studio. I have found myself working in offices, apartments, army bases, bars, art galleries and even train stations. Being portable, I needed a small and effective solution to my lighting.

I heard about the Profoto B2 GO Kit and after seeing it in action, I had to invest. The Profoto B2 GO Kit is intended for the road, its Power Pack measures 6.3 x 3.1 x 6.7″ and weighs just over 1kg. I could pack it in my kit bag and transport it to LA or London with very little effort.

As for modifiers, Profoto’s off camera flash soft boxes and snoots are small and portable. I prefer Deep silver umbrellas and the tonality of light they create. Umbrellas are easy and quick to work with. A great deal of my sittings don’t last more than 10 minutes so its important to setup fast, umbrellas are ideal.

Light Meter, no photographer should be without one, the Sekonic LS-308 is simple, accurate and easy to use.

My Apple MacBook & iPad are essential kit, a constant list maker and note taker I can’t live without Evernote. The iPad enables me to keep in touch with clients, show work and it keeps me entertained with The Walking Dead and Vikings while I’m on the road.

Ever heard the phrase “don’t leave home without it?” My Amex is my card of choice, no foreign transaction fee’s on my Starbucks in Paris or Los Angeles!

Equipment List:

• Mamiya 645DF & Leaf Credo 40 Digital Back
• Mamiya Leaf Sekor AF 80mm f/2.8 LS D
• Mamiya Leaf Sekor AF 110mm f/2.8 LS D
• Mamiya Leaf Sekor AF 35mm f3.5 LS D
• Sekonic LS-308
• Lexar Pro USB 3.0 Card Reader
• Neewer Trigger
• Profoto B2 250 AirTTL To-Go Kit
• x2 Profoto Deep Silver Umbrella Medium
• Profoto Off Camera Flash Snoot
• Profoto 2ft Octa Soft Box
• Apple iPad
• Apple MacBook Pro Mid 2012
• Gaffa Tape
• Passport
• American Express Card