Andrew Link
Automobile | Last Updated: April 4, 2024
About 10 years ago I decided I wanted to photograph cars and I haven’t looked back. I got my feet wet assisting at RIDES Magazine and was eventually turned loose on a few cars myself.
Today, I’m the Photo Director at RIDES where I’ve shot 29 Covers and countless features, I’ve built a network of the best talent in the country to shoot assignments for us, and I still make time to shoot freelance assignments for clients such as Lamborghini North America, Mercedes – Benz USA, and Chevrolet.
The kit I carry today has evolved from the ridiculous amount of gear I used to lug around the country in my early days. Back then I was dragging a Pelican case with my camera and lenses, a backpack with my laptop and some clothes, a Tenba air case with a Profoto 7B pack, heads, and two enormous batteries, a stand bag with my tripod and 3 light stands and a wheeled cart to help transport it all. Looking back at it, I can’t believe I carried that much stuff around, but its what we had and I made it work.
Being that I’m on the road so much, I need to keep everything as small and light as possible. Now I’ve condensed as much as I can and I credit experience on location for allowing me to feel prepared for anything with far less gear.
I think my habit of carrying way too much gear came from fear of forgetting something, or not having the right piece of gear for a given situation, or any number of other horrible scenarios I dreamed up.
10 years later I know myself and my style enough that I know exactly what I need to have with me and will be able to figure something out should any problems arise.
My current kit consists of a Sony A7R body with a Metabones IV adapter to mount my Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L and Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L lenses. The quality of the Sony A7R sensor is outstanding, eventually I’ll pair it with its native Sony / Zeiss glass to really get the most out of it, but for now I’m very content with the quality of the files this setup is producing.
My cameras, lenses, laptop, filters, triggers and batteries are all housed in a Dakine Reload 30L backpack.
For light, I carry a Pelican 1510 with two Profoto B1 strobes if I’m going to be out on location, A Pelican 1650 with three Profoto D1 strobes (2 500W and 1 1000W) if I’m staying indoors with access to power. I used to carry the D1’s everywhere with a Profoto BatPac for location power, but once the B1’s came out I was glad to shed the weight of the BatPac from my travel kit. My last must have is my Westcott Ice Light. I love the Ice Light for lighting cars at night and if I’m positive I have a night shoot I can get away with only carrying my camera, lenses, and the Ice Light which makes for easy travel.
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