Inside My Camera Bag | Romeo Bravo

I am a Fashion Photographer based in Dallas Texas, but I have worked all across the US. I love black & white, and draw inspiration from iconic Fashion Photographers Peter Lindbergh and Ellen von Unwerth.

My path to photography is long and winding. I’ve been blessed throughout my life to do what I love. I worked as a model out of high school, and loved working and traveling throughout the world. I then decided to pursue my childhood dream of becoming a fighter pilot and joined the US Marines. After 6 years, I was finally given the opportunity to earn my wings of gold. Again, I loved working and traveling across the globe.

After I retired, my wife asked me what I wanted to do – but since I had done everything I had set out to, I had no idea what to do next. So…I started helping her in her Photography business. Eventually I borrowed her Canon 1DS Mark III, and started shooting. I got bit by the photo-bug pretty quick.

Since I was a jock in high school, and a Marine for most of my life – most people assume I’m a meat-head. What they don’t know is that I’m a pretty big technology geek – I’ve been building my own computers since College. So I love experimenting with new, and vintage, cameras and lenses.

Since shooting professionally, I’ve shot with every major camera brand including Canon, Sony, Leica, Fujifilm, Olympus, and Hasselblad. Buying, trying, and selling is a lot of fun. Almost as much as shooting ;)

I can’t stand large and heavy DSLR’s, and I can’t shoot without an EVF anymore. Shooting with my wife’s Canon 5DS-R is like taking a time machine back to 1999…and it ain’t as fun as Prince’s song!

Cameras:
Hasselblad X1D-50c –AMAZING! I love the files this thing produces. The X1D produces the type of images I’ve always wanted to create.
Sony a7R III – The best all-around camera for the money. Does everything I need and does it well. The Eye-Af is INCREDIBLE! I do have fun adapting vintage lenses on it too. I really, really like this camera, but for some reason, I don’t love it.
Leica Q – An amazing 28mm f/1.7 Leica lens that comes attached to a free camera! I don’t like Zoom lenses, so I often use the Q to complement my Hasselblad/Sony with a portrait lens attached.
Leica CL – I just got this little stunner, and I really like it. I’m writing a review for Shotkit right now. Early indications show that the CL along with TL lenses renders at least as much detail as the a7R III with Sony lenses.

Lenses:
Hasselblad XCD 45mm f/3.5 – Compact MF lens, very little distortion, renders beautifully.
Hasselblad XCD 90mm f/3.2 – My X1D portrait option. Love the images from this.
Sony Zeiss 55mm f/1.8 – Small, compact, and fast AF.
Sony GM 85mm f/1.4 – If it wasn’t for this lens, and Sony’s Eye-AF, I would not own the a7R III. All things considered, I think it’s the best portrait lens I’ve owned…and I’ve owned A LOT of them.
Sony GM 100mm f/2.8 STF – Awesome portrait lens. The AF is a little slow, and at f/2.8 it only gathers as much light as an f/5.6 lens, but it creates great painterly images.
Leica Summilux TL 35mm f/1.4 – Wow this thing is sharp! It is exactly like a Summilux 50mm f/1.4 in that it is like a razor at the point of focus, and then melts away everywhere else. It’s only flaw is that it is a little large for the Leica CL/TL.
Leica Summicron TL 23mm f/2 – Small, and SHARP.
Leica Summicron Collapsible 50mm f/2 – Made in 1955, and looks as beautiful as it renders. Classic Leica look.
Leica Summarit 50mm f/1.5 – Made in 1956, and also looks as beautiful as it renders. Very soft at f/1.5, but sharpens up nicely at f/2.
Zenit Helios 44 58mm f/2 – My Flare monster. I’m pretty sure this thing flares under starlight.
Jupiter 8 50mm f/2 – Nice bubble bokeh with a lot of contrast.

Other Tools:
Macbook Pro 2017 – This thing is small, light, and powerful
Apple iPhone 7 and Apple iPad Pro 12.9” – great tools for wifi tethering, and showing one’s portfolio.
CREE LED Flashlight – I used this all of the time as a Marine – no use stopping now.
Leatherman Micra – A necessary tool for any Marine to ‘Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome’ and I’ve never been flagged at airport security with it in my bag.
Prisms and Crystals – Great for creating flare, and unique light effects.
Brass US Marine Business Card Case– I don’t know where I got these, but they are great!

2016

I am a Fashion Photographer based in Dallas, Texas, but I have worked all across the US. I love black & white, and draw inspiration from iconic Fashion Photographers Bruce Weber and Ellen von Unwerth.

My path to photography is long and winding. I’ve been blessed throughout my life to do what I love. I worked as a model out of high school, and loved working and traveling throughout the world. I then decided to pursue my childhood dream of becoming a fighter pilot and joined the US Marines. After 6 years, I was finally given the opportunity to earn my wings of gold. Again, I loved working and traveling across the globe.

After I retired, my wife asked me what I wanted to do – but since I had done everything I had set out to, I had no idea what to do next. So…I started helping her in her photography business. Eventually I borrowed her Canon 1DS Mark III, and started shooting. I got bit by the photo bug pretty quick.

Since I was a jock in high school, and a Marine for most of my life – most people assume I’m a meathead. What they don’t know is that I’m a pretty big technology geek – I’ve been building my own computers since college. So I love experimenting with new, and vintage, cameras and lenses.

Since shooting professionally, I’ve used a Canon 1DS Mark III, and Canon 5D Mark II, a Sony a7R II, and now a Fujifilm X-Pro 2. I have also tried several Leica, Nikon, Olympus and Panasonic offerings.

I ended up sticking with the Fuji mainly because of the colors, and the stunning B&W ACROS film simulation. The Fuji files have a magical look to them. I may get crucified for saying this, but I think the Fujifilm files have more magic than Leica files! The high ISO noise looks more like film grain than any other digital camera I’ve tried.

The camera has a very vintage Rangefinder look, and is very rugged. I’ve shot in all kinds of conditions, and I’ve even dropped it a couple of times. It takes a lick’n and keeps on tick’n ;)

I also love the size and weight of the system compared to DSLR’s. Finally, Fujifilm’s lenses are top-notch.

Cameras:
Fujifilm X-Pro2 – It’s small, and AMAZING! I love the files this thing produces. I’d put them up against any full frame DSLR.
Olympus PEN-F – I use this as a second body, and when I want to travel really light.

Lenses:
Fujinon XF 16mm f/1.4 WR – Great wide angle weather resistant lens
Fujinon XF 23mm f/1.4 – I love 35mm, and this is an amazing lens
Fujinon XF 35mm f/2 WR – Small, compact, and weather resistant – yes please
Fujinon XF 35mm f/1.4 – For when I need a little more light
Fujinon XF 56mm f/1.2 APD – Awesome portrait lens
Fujinon XF 90mm f/2 WR – Wow this thing is sharp! It’s every bit as sharp as the Leica Summicron 90mm f/2
Fujinon XF 16-55mm f/2.8 WR – I prefer primes, but this is a great zoom
Fujinon XF 50-140mm f/2.8 WR OIS – Again, I prefer primes, but this is a great zoom and the only OIS lens in my stable

Adapted:
Leica Summicron DR 50mm f/2 – Classic Leica look
Leica 60mm f/2.8 Macro – Cool portrait lens with that Leica look
Zeiss Sonnar 50mm f/1.5 – Another German Classic – Ze Germans make amazing lenses
Zenit Helios 44 58mm f/2 – My Flare monster. I’m pretty sure this thing flares under starlight
Meyer Optik Goerlitz Trioplan 50mm f/2.8 – Bubble Bokeh!
Meyer Optik Goerlitz Primoplan 58mm f/1.9 – Bigger Bubble Bokeh at a portrait length
Jupiter 8 50mm f/2 – Nice bubble bokeh with a lot of sharpness and contrast

Other Tools:
Macbook Pro Retina – I am actually not an OS-X fan, but this thing is small, light, and powerful
Apple iPhone 7 and Apple iPad Pro – great tools for wifi tethering!
Yongnuo YN-560 IV Speedlight – This thing puts out a lot of light!
Nissin i40 Compact Flash – A more compact lighting tool that is still very capable
CREE LED Flashlight – I used this all of the time as a Marine – no use stopping now
Sony AS200V – A great little tool for capturing BTS moments
Leatherman Micra – A necessary tool for any Marine to ‘Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome’
Prisms and Crystals – Great for creating flare, and unique light effects
Dogtags – My battle-tested good luck charm…I never leave home without them!
Samsung 128GB USB 3 Flash Drives – Handy little buggers that also look cool