Monica Winters
Lifestyle | Last Updated: February 1, 2021
Hey there, I’m Monica! I specialise in lifestyle photography for brands.
I’m also a travel bug and hot sauce hogger. I’m not much of a gear head, but what I have in my bag I sure do love.
In my bag:
Canon 6D
Sigma 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM Art
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art
Pelican 0915 Micro Memory Card Case
Fujifilm Instax mini 9
Rode VideoMic Shotgun Microphone
Neewer NW-561 Speedlite Flash 561
Neewer Wireless Shutter Release Remote Control
Ravelli AVT Tripod
Sunnies, of course!
Canon 6D
I upgraded to a full frame DSLR about 2 years ago from a 60D
and have been loving it since. There is a definite improvement in lowlight performance and dynamic range. Sometimes I miss the swivel LCD screen on the 60D
, but a better image is always worth the cost of a little inconvenience. Let’s move on.
Sigma 24-35mm f/2 Art
One might notice I only feature two lenses in my flat-lay image because, would you believe it, I only have two LENSES. That’s because this baby is my everyday go-to. The aperture goes down to 2 f-stops so it’s great in low light settings. I can shoot wide at 24mm for concerts, landscapes, etc. AND I can push in to 35mm for a tighter angle.
This lens has not let me down and is singlehandedly the best investment I’ve ever made.
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art
Ah, my golden child. My Sigma 50mm absolutely *shines* for portraits. I can’t quite articulate the magic this lens makes at golden hour. The aperture goes down to 1.4 f-stops producing the softest, most beautiful isolation of the subject from the background. I’ll protect this lens with my life, forever.
Pelican 0915 Micro Memory Card Case
Back when I was in film school all of the equipment we worked with was protected by cases from Pelican. I decided to trade in aesthetic for reliable care of my memory cards, and went ahead with this case. I’m really glad I did. The case is crushproof, watertight and dust proof. I can rest assured my cards are safe and sound.
Fujifilm Instax mini 9
This little guy was actually a recent gift from a friend. I’m actually surprised I didn’t have one already! There’s something so special and nostalgic about instant film cameras. It’s nice to slow down and keep things fun and casual with film. I keep it handy any time there’s a moment I want to keep for a long time.
Rode VideoMic Shotgun Microphone
Remember that one time I said I was in film school? Before switching my major to graphic design, I was studying film in college. I used this on-camera mic for projects and filming wedding videos. I’ve pretty much sold all of my other video equipment, but I can’t seem to let go of this mic. You never know when it could come in handy, right?
Neewer NW-561 Speedlite Flash 561
I’m going to be honest, I’m not a huge flash nerd but a while ago I wanted to start having some flashy creative fun. I looked for the cheapest one out there with the best reviews, and we found our way to each other. The Neewer Speedlite
flash is very user-friendly and has simple modes to increase/decrease its range.
I’ve loved playing around with it and would definitely recommend it to a fellow flash beginner on a budget.
Neewer Wireless Shutter Release Remote Control
If you’ve peeped at my Instagram, you’ll probably notice there’s a good number of self portraits, sorry hehe. I had been looking for a cheap way to trigger the self-timer, after being tired of pressing the shutter, running to a spot within 10 seconds, and striking a pose.
This wireless remote allows me to point it at the camera and trigger the self-timer, while being able to stay in front of the camera for focus. Sometimes the sensor doesn’t pick up the signal though, so I’ll probably be upgrading this guy soon. Next!
Ravelli AVT Tripod
Ooh boy, the big mama llama tripod. Heavy weight and durable, she’s lasted 6 years and counting. I first invested in this tripod when I began my wedding videography career. I wanted something durable to ensure it wouldn’t tip over in the wind, or if someone knocked into it and this hasn’t let me down! It is very, very heavy, so lugging it around on long days gets pretty tiresome, but I reckon she’ll last me ’til the end of my creative career.
If I had to do it over again, I might’ve invested in a tripod with a ball head so readjusting the angle wouldn’t be so time consuming.
Sunnies: Always in my bag to block out the bright rays and my haters.
www.moniwinters.com | @moniwinters
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