Inside My Camera Bag | Anya Anti

I’m Anya Anti, a fine art conceptual photographer who specializes in on-location female portraiture. I’m originally from Ukraine but now based in Brooklyn, New York.

I’m a dreamer! For me, photography is not only what I love and what I do, it’s also how I see the world. It’s a reflection of my deep emotions and passion for beauty. What I want to show is not just a beautiful image, but also to convey an idea, to capture the atmosphere and play with associations.

I strive to tell imaginative stories through my art, I never just take a photo. I always use photography as a way of collecting material to create something that is not possible to capture. Installations, costumes and Photoshop manipulation help me to embody my fantasies into a finished piece of art.

The Nikon D600 is my first and only full-frame camera which I bought five years ago. My very first camera was a Nikon D60. When I bought it, I just liked the way it felt in my hand and it was within my budget. Since then, I have stuck with Nikon and don’t feel the need to switch to any other brand.

I have a widely recognized signature dreamy style, which I achieve by shooting with vintage manual lenses such as Helios 77M-4 50mm f/1.8, Helios 81N 50mm f/2 and Helios 40-2 85mm f/1.5. I love their famous swirly bokeh and their imperfections help me be more creative to achieve that dreamy effect of my photographs.

I have two Nikkor lenses: the Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G and the Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D. But, most of the time I shoot with my go-to Helios 77M-4. It’s tiny and sharp compared to other vintage lenses, and the wide aperture gives really nice swirly bokeh.

Most of the time I shoot on location and prefer to work with just natural light. So a silver reflector is a must-have in my bag. But for special effects, specific mood, or when natural light is not enough, I use additional lighting.

When I need to pack very light and be mobile, I use Yongnuo YN460-II speedlites. When I have more time and the resources to work with quality and complicated light setup, I use a Broncolor Move 1200 L Battery Power Pack kit with two MobiLED flashheads and Broncolor Siros L 400Ws.

Occasionally I use a tripod and a Nikon ML-L3 Wireless Remote Control when I shoot self-portraits. While I don’t usually carry it in my bag, I edit with a Wacom Intuos Pro.

www.anya-anti.com | @anya_anti_art