Do you have everything you need for a successful photography shoot in your camera bag? We asked some pro photographers to give us a peek inside their bags in our current series, What’s Inside My Camera Bag.

This week, portrait photographer David Hakamaki—who is also the owner of Cutting Edge Photography and a speaker at WPPI August 15-19, 2021—shares with us his go-to photography gear, lenses, lighting and even his camera bag’s special “wow factor!”

What’s inside David Hakamaki’s camera bag? Let’s have a look.  

Camera & Lenses

• Nikon D850 camera body
• Nikkor 85mm f1.4 G lens
• Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 VRII lens
• Nikkor 24-70mm f2.8 lens

When asked about his camera preference David reveals what he says is his “wow factor” for clients: “It [Nikon D850] allows me to shoot at a high resolution, as well as use the secondary card slot to transmit low-res display images directly to my iPad for immediate viewing by the Senior’s parent(s). This gives me the ‘wow’ factor of immediate gratification by seeing the images straight out of the camera.” We must say, an iPad for immediate viewing is such a smart move. We now know why David has become known as the “Home Based Photography Guru”!

His favorite lens is his 85mm f1.4 G Nikkor lens. “It gives me crazy-low light gathering capability and a really shallow DOF. I also will carry either my 70-200mm f2.8 VRII and/or 24-70mm f2.8 Nikkors, depending on the need for greater reach or wider angles.”

Lighting

David is a true appreciator of proper, quality lighting setups. His lighting kit consists of three main features:

1. Flashpoint (Godox) V1 speedlight—used for fill, catch lights, and/or triggering my OCF lighting.
2. Two Flashpoint (Godox) eVolv AD200Pro lights—with the accessory kit to serve as my main lighting source(s). I can use one AD200 light in a softbox or with the diffusion domes my main light, with the other AD200 being a fill or kicker/background light.
3. For more power—I couple the two AD200s with the AD-B2 dual head attachment to create a powerful studio light, that can be used with a reflector or softbox.

When discussing complex lighting setups David states that his setup “allows me to provide multiple lighting options and power needs, as well as being able to fit inside my camera bag (except for the softboxes, AD-B2 and light stands). This ‘kit’ is a fast and light setup that I can use for virtually all of my senior and sports needs.”

Audio

David prefers to have good tunes playing during his sessions to set the vibe and prevent from having “dead air”, especially in the studio. Giving a great bit of advice, David notes, “Royalty free music from Triple Scoop Music keeps me from violating music usage regulations.”

Accessories

“I love my Savage Multiflex light stand,” says David. “The Multiflex allows me to work on uneven ground and the wide base minimizes the chance of my lighting setup will tip over. My 13′ light stands give me greater flexibility for groups or unusual lighting locations -or- the need to create more extreme lighting directions. A tripod is always with me, in case I need for more stability or to give my arms a break on long shooting days.”

• 10′ or 13′ light stands
• Tripod

Miscellaneous

David thinks ahead when it comes to the miscellaneous things. Here are four essentials that he’s always carrying inside his camera bag:

• WATER!—Bring water. On hot days a bottle of water will make for a much more pleasant day, as well as keeping you hydrated.
• Extra batteries—You never know when you need to swap out a set of flash or camera batteries to keep chugging along.
• Umbrella—It may rain and will save your electronics from certain death.

There’s one more item that he advises to include in your camera bag, “Hairspray,” he notes with a hint of humor, “keeps the flyaway hairs tamed. Also works better than spit!” We must agree there, David!

The Pro Photographer’s Go-To Camera Bag

“This is my go-to bag for photographing high school seniors and high school/youth sports,” says David. “It allows me to move fast and light, allowing for multiple lighting setups and looks. I can add light in crappy lighting situations, fill ambient light to create a well-lit portrait, or overcome existing sub-par light to create a better lit scene.”

We hope you enjoyed our fourth installment of the What’s Inside My Camera Bag 2021series featuring portrait photographer David Hakamaki. What’s inside your camera bag? Hit us up on Instagram and let us know!