MY PHOTOGRAPHY AND ADVENTURE GEAR WISH LIST

At times, photography gear can be a never ending quest for more. I know it shouldn't be this way, but I have a few pictures in mind that I'd like to make this year and they require purchasing some specific gear. Other items are on this list for safety reasons while some of the bigger items are motion based. One of my goals this year is to shoot a couple of professional quality videos that I'd feel comfortable sharing. Luckily, I have a full-time job that allows me to put the money I'm making in my photography business back into the business. Most of the time that means covering expenses and marketing myself, but on the rare occasion that means purchasing some new toys. Here are a few of the items on my radar for future purchase:

CANON 1DX MARK II - $5999

Canon EOS 1DX Mark II

Canon EOS 1DX Mark II

This new camera was just announced a couple of days ago. Everything I'm reading and seeing about the camera is that it delivers on nearly all of the expectations coming from the Canon community. If you'd like to know if it's a great camera jst look at the camera it's replacing. I won't get into a tech breakdown here, but the new Nikon D5 and the Canon 1DX Mark II are both VERY impressive! You can get into the nitty gritty of tech specs on which camera you think is better, but I'm just excited to see some of the content that will be made using these new tools. I've already seen a short film from Corey Rich (I'll post this outdoor inspiration soon) using the Nikon D5 and I know there's more to come.

 

LIGHT & MOTION STELLA 1000 - $499

Light & Motion Stella 1000

Light & Motion Stella 1000

I have had this vision of a few images I would like to capture deep in a Southern Utah canyon, but they would require the use of an external light. One image may or may not include back lighting a waterfall with someone on rappel. Another warrants lighting a frigid pool of water as someone swims through amidst the high canyon walls. At 1000 lumens and fully waterproof to 328 feet, the Stella 1000 light from Light and Motion can easily accomplish this. The additional mounting options and light modifiers that accompany the light make this an ideal tool for my intended use. I've put off purchasing lights for several years now waiting for the right tool for the job, and I think I've finally found it.

AVIATOR TRAVEL JIB - $697

Aviator Travel Jib

Aviator Travel Jib

This one may still be out a little ways before purchasing, but it's definitely on my list. I have been looking for a lightweight travel jib that I can take with me as a one man band into the backcountry. This would allow me to get some motion into my videos for more incredible footage. I've done a bit of searching online and I've come up with the Travel Jib from Aviator. It's carbon fiber and mounts to a standard tripod for that added bit of umph. At under 3 lbs this could definitely go in my camera bag to add to my shot variety.

 

 

SPOT GEN3 GPS TRACKER - $149.99

Spot Gen3 GPS Tracker

Spot Gen3 GPS Tracker

The Spot Gen3 is awesome! It tracks where you go for your friends/family to review online. It allows you to send pre-programmed text messages to family while you're away. Not to mention it's a beacon that sends out an emergency signal if you do need help. What a great tool to have with you on an adventure. Pair this with a Goal Zero Venture 30 and you have a pretty good emergency plan.

What's on your list? Anyone have experience with a good travel jib they like? That's the one item I'm probably least sure of on this list.

5 ADVENTURE GEAR ITEMS I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT

There are a few non-photography equipment items I find I'm taking with me on every adventure, and I wanted to share 5 of those here.

Qalo Ring | $25

I kept seeing ads for the Qalo Ring show up in my Instagram feed. I always used to remove my wedding ring when traveling to protect it from getting scratched or beat up. More often than not, what ended up happening was I would go for long periods of time without wearing my ring because it was more comfortable. I (and my wife) didn't like this so I bought a new ring from Qalo for $24.99 and it has yet to leave my finger. The ring is made from a durable silicon I can lift weights and the knurling won't scratch it. I don't worry about banging it on things or If I get too hot or hike too far and my fingers swell, I can still stretch the ring and take it off. I've been impressed with how durable it is and I'm excited for the weather to warm so I can give it a test run in a Southern Utah canyon. The only downside, which isn't really a downside, is that it doesn't spin well on desks or tabletops when you get bored.

Key Knife | $ .99

If you carry a small knife with you every day then you have inevitably forgotten to remove it from your keychain, wallet, pocket before traveling.  I've had to throw away/mail to myself a half dozen knives that I used to carry with me on a daily basis. However, a few years ago for Christmas, Santa brought me a pocket knife shaped like a key. This might not sound like something that's very important, but I assure you it makes all the difference. It's easy to bring with me everywhere because it's always on my keychain. Also, I'm a little reluctant to share this because it may give someone a bad idea, but the best part for me is that I've flown with it dozens of times and never had to throw it away. When my keys go through security the knife blends right in and never gets noticed. I even had a Swiss Army card that made it through security several times before having to throw it away.

North Face Winter Boots | $170

Aside from moon boots as a kid (see Napoleon Dynamite footwear), these are the first good Winter boots I've ever really owned. They are extremely light weight, filled with Duratherm® insulation, feature Vibram® Icetrek soles, and are made from breathable Gore-Tex®. They are a great boot! I've spent hours in these boots hiking and standing in the snow and they have never required breaking in or additional feet warmers. Match them with a good pair of gators and you are in business for Spring hiking with lingering high-altitude snow pack.

LTD Sunglasses | $40

I am notorious for losing sunglasses. This wasn't a problem when I was a high school kid living in Texas (my dad's an optometrist). However, I have spent more money on cheap sunglasses from Wal-Mart and Target than I care to admit. Last year I went on a canyoneering trip with Scott Hansen (founder of LTD Optics) and he passed me a pair of Black Chameleon glasses with Zebrawood frames. The rubber frame was super comfortable and and the wood was lightweight but still stylish. I've since bought a second pair and they go with me everywhere. I like knowing gear is well-made, yet inexpensive enough that I can be less than fragile with it. My LTD glasses have been amazing and I will continue to be a loyal customer in the future.

NOTE: I received no additional free glasses for writing this.

 

GEAR ROOM

This last piece of gear isn't gear at all, but my gear room. My wife and I finished building a new home back in September and I have a whole utility room with shelves and a small table for dumping gear, packing equipment, and storing all things photography. This has been so exciting for me! I finally have a spot where everything can live and remain easily accessible. I outfitted the unfinished walls with pegboard and hooks and it has made a world of a difference. Side note, if you like your electronics organized, pegboard works great for running cords from underneath and zip ties through to hold things in place (see photo). This isn't really a man cave as I only spend time down there when prepping for a trip or an adventurous outing, but it does beat cramming everything into a closet or under the stairs.

On that note we'll wrap. What non-photography items do you take with you everywhere?

 

 

 

 

MY PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS - THE BASICS

After typing up my post regarding the apps I'm using for my business, I thought I would outline everything I have done to get my business ready to grow. Before getting too far down the road of making money and needing to backtrack, I took a few steps to ensure my business was setup and ready.

PICK A NAME

This might seem like an easy step, but there are a few places you want to check before going down the road of getting registered. I would check with your state's business registry to see if your desired business name is available. I would then purchase a domain name and register social media accounts before paying to register that business name. My recommendation would be to put your name in your business name so you can establish a recognizable brand. If you're creating a second studio or business (i.e. Neil Krauss Weddings and Neil Krauss Adventure) I would then consider using a unique business name for the second business.

ENTITY/EIN

This is an easy step in the process because it can be done entirely online (in Utah at least). I used my state website to register my business name and then applied for an EIN (Employer Identification Number) through the US Government. If you have questions or need help during this process I would highly recommend getting in touch with an attorney or an accountant. Often they will set up your business for a flat rate (roughly $400) and this will ensure everything is entered correctly and all of the necessary paperwork is completed. They will also help you decide if you should be member managed or manager managed and if you should be giving equity away to help reduce tax responsibility.

DOMAIN/WEBSITE/EMAIL

Your web domain name will be an essential part of your business. I can't tell you how often I have searched for a photographer's name and not found his or her website. Try and get your own name and your business name both. For example, I own www.neilkrauss.com and www.neilkraussproductions.com. I don't currently use the second domain, but at least I own it so a competitor can't purchase it and put up a website. I know there are cheaper sites out there for registering a domain name, but I use GoDaddy to buy, track, and auto-renew all of my domain names. One login and one account makes it easy. One side benefit is that you can purchase a single email address to go with your domain name to up the professionalism. I would use your own name or something generic like hello@ for your email address. I also forward all of my business accounts (I have several) to my main Gmail inbox. I then set up a colored tag and different signatures based on each address. This helps me keep all of my email in a single location.

Using multiple tags and address forwarding helps me keep my inbox straight.

Using multiple tags and address forwarding helps me keep my inbox straight.

PO BOX

You don't want to publish your home address on a website that advertises the fact that you own $10,000 worth of photography gear that you keep in your attic. Spend $56 and get a PO Box for the year. This will come in handy when you create business cards, print checks, and put up your website. You can always forward your mail to your home address for convenience, but at least you'll have home and work separate out in the digital world.

PHONE

Get a second number for your business. I know I talked about this in my last post, but a second phone number is cheap ($15/month through Line2) and easy to manage. Not to mention the fact that it will make you appear more professional. Nothing turns off a potential client like "Whaaaaaaaat's uuuuuuup? Beep" on your voicemail. In fact, it might be nice to spend 5 bucks on fiverr.com and get someone to record your voicemail greeting for you. If you're a man, a woman's voice might be a nice touch and give the appearance of a studio manager.

SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS

Social accounts are an easy sign-up. While you're at your computer, sit down and do it. Maybe even put up a first post to get things under way. I would at least register your business name and then focus on one platform at a time. As a photographer, Instagram definitely makes sense as a good starting place.

BANK ACCOUNT

Did you know you can't cash/deposit a check made out to Neil Krauss Productions the business as Neil Krauss the person. I must have a separate business account to do this. In order to open a business account, you will need an EIN number from the federal government.

LOGO/MARKETING MATERIALS

Now that you've registered everything, you can start printing checks, designing a logo, creating a website, and printing business cards. Most of these are easy items to change and update at any point down the road so pick a direction and run with it.

The last thing I would do is set up all of my business apps using my new business information. This would include templates for incvoices and estimates, email signatures, and the like.

I hope these helped in some way.