612-875-4100 jpalomophotos@gmail.com

My Gear


“Taking pictures is all about having an eye.”

lensLooking at objects from a different perspective is what drives my photography. To do so, I have learned to be patient and let’s not forget flexible. This list is not meant to be the answer to your questions to taking good photos. As I alluded to earlier, having patience and flexibility will deliver the best results. It’s not about having the most expensive lenses or camera. The reason for this list is because often time’s folks ask me what equipment I use or what equipment I prefer. That said, I am partial to certain brands but at the end of the day if the equipment is not reliable or can’t take a beating, chances are I will never use it again. The gear I have has proven to be both reliable and tough.

 

I do not find myself upgrading gear as often as most photographers do. I have my core components that always go with me on shoots. Depending on the job that I am doing, that dictates what comes along. The picture of the bag you see is what comes with me to most jobs and I am able to bring all my gear in one bag.

 

bag2As I said earlier, I am partial to certain brands and Nikon is my choice of camera. I have owned Nikon cameras since as long as I can remember. My first Nikon was a Coolpix, and some of my best shots came from that little point and shoot camera. Do not misunderstand me, I am not here to tell you that other cameras are not as good, it’s just a matter of choice and the performance experience I have had with this particular brand. I am also partial to the lenses I use. Remember at the beginning I said, “Patience and flexibility” are more important that having the most expensive equipment. The gear below allows me to be creative and capture the colors, details, and expressions of the people and objects I photograph.

 

 

 

 

Cameras and lensesbag

  • Nikon D800 SLR Digital Camera FX Format 36.3 MP (I do most of my work with this beast)
  • Nikon D300s SLR Digital Camera DX Format 12.3 MP (back up body for fast shooting)
  • Nikon D50 SLR Digital Camera DX Format 6.1 MP (my last resource as a backup unit)
  • Nikon AF-S 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED VR (this is my all-around lens)
  • Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED (ultra wide angle zoom)
  • Nikon 35mm f/1.4G AF-S
  • Tamron 90mm f/2.8 SP AF Di Macro Lens for Nikon AF (for very close up shots)
  • Tamron 200-500mm f/5-6.3 Di LD IF Autofocus
  • Nikon MB-D12 Multi Power Battery Pack for D800 Camera and 2 batteries
  • MB-D10 Multi-Power Battery Grip and 3 batteries for my D300
  • Nikon SB-900 AF Speedlight with Deluxe TTL off-camera cord
  • Promaster 7200EDF Digital speed Light

Bags

  • Kelty Redwing 50 Internal Frame/Laptop Backpack (this bag fits my F-Stop ICU and all I need for going international)
  • F-Stop ICU Large Pro Series
  • Sling Shot 100AW bag (for small jobs)
  • Guatemalan handmade cloth cross body bag (this one comes in handy when I do not want to call attention to my gear)
  • Waist bag when on location for small items

 

 

Accessories

  • The Manfrotto 190CXPRO3 Carbon Fiber Tripod
  • Manfrotto 324RC2 Light Grip Joystick Tripod Ball Head
  • Manfrotto monopod, essential for holding my 200 X 500 Tamron lens. This is the lens I use for most of my animal shots in the field
  • 4 Sand Disk Extreme three compact flash cards, 4 GB each
  • 5 Transcend 600X- 8 GB compact flash cards
  • 4 Sand Disk SD 8 GB cards

 

Clothing

My philosophy has always been to blend in with the surrounding culture. You need to be comfortable and wear items that are made to last. If I am shooting sunsets, I will have my favorite flip flops (Reefs) with the beer bottle opener in the bottom. You never know when you will need to hydrate. I always have a bandana to use as head gear or a camera cleaning tool. My favorite shoes to take are the Nike free run 2 for long walks or my hiking boots. I also include some cargo shorts, army pants with lots of pockets and a few T-shirts. My friends will tell you, I’m a fashion guru but when I travel on photo shoots, I tend to be very practical and I am always looking for comfort.

gearPhoto Management

  • Dell XPS L511Z with an Intel core 17, with 500 GB of hard drive, 2.70 GHz, 64 bit Operating System, 8 GB of memory ram, and a killer video card to get the best viewing
  • Apple iPad 3 (to record interviews and GPS location)
  • WD Smart Ware 1 Terabyte External drive
  • Triple Interface drive for memory cards

 

Software

  • Adobe Lightroom 5.0 (this does all my file management and most of the initial editing)
  • Photomatix Pro 4.1 for my HDR work
  • Panorama Maker 6 for those panoramic images
  • Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 (this is where I get to work some magic)

Some things that can make your trip more comfortable and your shoot a success are:

  • A few AA batteries, carabiners, a lens cleaning kit, some good cigars, a hand full of plastic Ziploc bags, a pocket knife that you will check in your suitcase, and a bottle of Aleve (just in case).

As my needs and my photography evolve, so does my gear. It takes time to determine what you really need and what you can do without. My objective for putting this list together was for you to get a good idea where to start from. I sincerely hope I have been able to give a starting point and as my equipment evolves and grows, I will make changes to this list. Remember, when traveling it’s all about being prepared and comfortable. You will only have one chance to take that shot that will make the front page.