Inside My Camera Bag | Neil Walker

Hi, I’m a corporate events photographer shooting mostly in London.

I can remember wanting to be a photographer when I was 14 and my dad gave me my first camera, a Canon AV-1. I moved on quickly to a Canon AE-1, which I loved, and then a Canon F1.

I’ve been a photographer my whole working life, starting as an assistant to various photographers.

When I went out on my own I shot advertising and corporate work, in particular annual reports. I opened a studio for a few years, built it up to sixteen staff, but then sold the business when I realised I wasn’t taking any photos myself any more.

Going back to being just me as a photographer was fantastic!

I shot weddings for about ten years along with some events, but events have now really taken over as the bulk of what I shoot.

I shoot events in a documentary style, very much influenced by the way I shoot as a wedding photographer.

Up until recently I’d always shot on Canon as well as medium format cameras such as the Mamiya RZ67 for my early corporate work.

More recently I’ve moved over to Fuji, shooting on the Fuji X-T2 and now the Fuji X-T3.

I absolutely love mirrorless, and in particular the Fujis. Whilst I know that it’s not the camera that takes a great image but the photographer, I also believe it’s important to shoot on cameras you really enjoy shooting with, and that is certainly true for me of the Fujis.

I mostly shoot with available light, very occasionally using a bit of flash. I prefer using prime lenses, though I do have a Fujinon 16-55mm f/2.8 in my bag as a backup.

My absolute favourite lenses are the Fujinon XF 23mm f/2 and the Fujinon XF 50mm f/2. They are both small, extremely light and very fast.

I carry all my kit in a Tenba Messenger DNA 15, unless I will be walking a long distance, in which case I use the top loading, rolling Think Tank Airport Navigator. Both work well for what I need, in particular with side pockets for drinks bottles!

What’s in my camera bag:

Fuji XT3
My main camera at every shoot.

Fuji XT2
My second body, I’ll be updating this to another XT3 shortly.

Fujinon XF 23mm f/2
I keep this on my XT3 as it’s the lens I use most. I have this slung across me on a Peak Design Leash camera strap.

Fujinon XF 50mm f/2
I have this on my second body on a Black Widow Holster on a Think Tank Thin SkinBelt V2.

Fujinon XF 16mm f/1.4
This is a beautiful lens, it’s very sharp and has a widest aperture of F/1.4 for when I need to shoot in very low light.

Fujinon 16-55mm f/2.8
This is my backup lens, I rarely need it, but it’s useful when I do.

Godox TT685F
When I do need flash I use the Godox.

I also carry….

Water, and lots of it! I used to get back from shoots feeling really tired. Drinking lots of water during shoots completely changed that for the better.
Elastoplasts (not always for me, I often need to give them to guests who have hurt themselves!)
A black bin bag, which is incredibly useful for a whole variety of reasons
My MacBook Pro for the occasional shot that needs to be output on site for social media
Lots of spare batteries, each in a Think Tank Battery Holder
2 x spare SD cards in a Think Tank SD Pixel Pocket Rocket
A Think Tank Trim Changer which is on my belt with spare batteries and SD cards
A flannel for wiping down my cameras and lenses after they’ve been rained on, or for wiping myself down when it’s very hot!
Various name tags I’ve been given that I take to wear at shoots for repeat clients.

As events can take place pretty much anywhere from top London venues to building sites, I also have steel toe capped boots, and safety gloves you can buy with three of the fingertips missing – perfect for photography and health and safety compliant!

www.neilwalker.com | @neilwalkerphoto