How to build the perfect kitbag

When beginning your career as a professional photographer, investing in the right tools to suit your style involves making smart kitbag choices. Choosing versatile lenses that will suit your changing needs as you evolve and explore different avenues, for example, is key – but where's best to start?

Canon Ambassador Emmanuel Oyeleke has been on his own evolutionary journey with equipment. Born and based in Nigeria, the acclaimed fashion and portrait photographer didn't have the most traditional start in the field: "I studied computer science, then stumbled on photography after university through playing Scrabble, which I used to do professionally," he explains. "I travelled so much that I thought I should take pictures of my trips."

After attending a two-week photography workshop in 2011, Emmanuel knew he had found his calling, so he quit his job as a computer programmer and began developing a career in photography. His fine art style portraits, fashion and lifestyle images have helped build a striking portfolio and a client list that includes Nigeria's leading magazines, as well as international brands. But how did he develop a kitbag that has grown with him in his profession?

Here, Emmanuel shares his gear pathway and his advice for students who may be unsure where to begin.

"I would always advise starting with what you have and making the best of it," says Emmanuel. "When I first began, I had the Canon EOS 60D [now succeeded by the Canon EOS 90D], which I found ways to use as creatively as possible, and the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens, which was fast and I got really nice portraits from it. Then I got into shooting events and weddings, and quickly realised that a 50mm lens on its own wasn't going to cut it, especially for shooting groups and wider photos."

Emmanuel's next investment was a standard zoom perfectly equipped for shooting events and parties while he was developing his craft. "I didn't have enough money to buy the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM I wanted, but I could afford the EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM, so I bought it and made sure I used it to the best of my ability," he continues. "That lens stuck with me for quite a while and produced some stunning images. I grew to love it, because although the aperture wasn't as fast as my 50mm lens's, it was very fast in terms of focusing. When shooting events, I discovered that I didn't miss moments. That became an advantage for me, and I was able to use my Canon Speedlites to compensate for the aperture and raise my ISO."

For students looking for a set of versatile lenses to use with their EOS R System cameras and help grow their career, Canon's RF trinity lenses are a good investment that cover a range of focal lengths. The RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM, RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM and RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM enable photographers to shoot any situation from landscapes, portraits and sports to interiors and fashion.

Emmanuel's equipment requirements continued to change as his career evolved. "I started shooting weddings because I needed money, not because I really wanted to," he admits. "I really wanted to do artistic fashion work. This shift did influence my gear needs. For example, I found I didn't need the EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM for my fashion work. The EF 50mm f/1.4 USM worked well for me, and when I wanted to shoot wide, I purchased the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM."

These days Emmanuel rarely shoots weddings, but he has kept his equipment. "I don't like selling gear because sometimes I'm sentimentally attached to it," he explains. "It becomes an extension of my own body, because I intrinsically understand it. Even when I moved away from DSLRs to the EOS R System, I still kept all my Canon EOS-1D X bodies."

All this equipment is still put to use in his business. "For Emmanuel Oyeleke Photography, I have staff that I train and this gear is available for them to use on assignments, so it becomes like a library of equipment for when the need arises."

Emmanuel's kitbag now contains two Canon EOS R5 cameras, which is what he uses most of the time, and a Canon EOS R. He uses his second EOS R5 as his main backup and his EOS-1D X Mark II (now succeeded by the EOS-1D X Mark III) for any sports or action-focused work because of its speed and responsiveness. His current favourite lens is the Canon RF 50mm F1.2L USM. "It's very versatile, sharp and fast, as well as being very robustly built, so it's my go-to lens," he says. "I use this for fashion, lifestyle and portraits."

The switch from DSLR to mirrorless has brought benefits, not least in terms of weight. "EOS R System cameras are drastically lighter than DSLRs," he says. "After 10 to 15 years of carrying cameras, you start to feel the effects on your body. Also, the autofocus system is much better, making it easier to freeze action effortlessly. With the mirrorless technology, I now focus more on the artistic side of my photography, rather than the technical, because the cameras are so intelligent."

Just as his kit becomes an extension of his body, Emmanuel's workflow follows the same theme. "My mantra is to get it right in-camera, even if I want to do special effects or light painting, and it's important to have the right gear to be able to do that," he says. "That helps my workflow.

"I have a photo handler which I use to sort, select and cull files," he adds, "then I import into Adobe Lightroom. If an image needs to be refined further, for fashion or beauty photography, it goes into Adobe Photoshop. However, I sat behind computers for long hours when I was a computer programmer and I don't want to do the same as a photographer. I enjoy creating and shooting much more."

Helpful tools for student photographers looking for support also include Canon's Digital Photo Professional software, which is useful for photographers looking to process, edit and organise their images. And for technical backup and repairs, there's Canon Professional Services (CPS), a free service for professional and semi-professional photographers/videographers who use qualifying Canon products.

As Emmanuel's experience shows, no matter what stage you are at when it comes to building your kitbag, making the best of what you have and learning to use it creatively in a variety of settings will pay dividends now and in the future.

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