The kit I carry into the field.

People often ask what I shoot with. The honest answer is that patience matters more than any of this — but good gear helps you be ready when the moment finally arrives. Here’s what tends to come with me.

Cameras

  • Sony α1

    Full-frame flagship with a 50-megapixel stacked sensor and up to 30fps blackout-free shooting — the body I reach for when fast action and resolution both matter.

  • Sony α7R V

    61 megapixels of full-frame detail. The high-resolution choice for when cropping in or capturing fine feather detail counts.

  • Sony α7 IV

    A 33-megapixel full-frame all-rounder that handles both stills and video comfortably.

  • Sony α6700

    A compact 26-megapixel APS-C body — the crop factor gives extra effective reach on long lenses without the extra weight.

  • OM System OM-1 Mark II

    Micro Four Thirds flagship — weather-sealed, light to carry, with strong stabilisation and computational features built for the field.

  • OM System OM-1

    The original OM-1 — the same rugged, compact Micro Four Thirds system that earns its place on long days carrying gear.

  • Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III

    An earlier Micro Four Thirds body that's still a capable and highly portable option.

Sony lenses

  • Sony FE 200-600mm

    Super-telephoto zoom — the workhorse for birds and distant wildlife when getting closer simply isn’t an option.

  • Sigma 500mm F5.6

    A light, sharp super-telephoto prime for reach without the bulk of a big zoom.

  • Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 Sport

    Fast telephoto zoom for closer subjects and lower light.

  • Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 II

    Fast standard zoom — the everyday lens for landscapes and general work.

  • Viltrox 35mm F1.2

    Fast wide-standard prime for low light and shallow depth of field.

  • Sony FE 50mm F1.4

    A fast standard prime with a natural, true-to-eye field of view.

  • Sony FE 85mm F1.8

    Short telephoto prime for portraits and tighter framing.

  • Sony E 11mm F1.8

    Ultra-wide prime for expansive landscapes and tight interiors.

  • Sony E 15mm F1.4 G

    Wide-angle prime for landscapes and environmental shots.

  • Sigma 56mm F1.4

    Fast short-telephoto prime for portraits and detail.

  • Sigma 18-50mm F2.8

    Compact, fast standard zoom for the APS-C bodies.

  • Viltrox 27mm F1.2

    Fast standard prime for APS-C — excellent in low light.

  • Viltrox 75mm F1.2

    Fast telephoto prime with strong subject separation.

  • Sony E 70-350mm

    Compact super-telephoto zoom for APS-C — extra reach when travelling light.

OM System lenses

  • OM System 300mm F4 PRO

    Super-telephoto prime — with the Micro Four Thirds crop it reaches a very long way for wildlife.

  • OM System 40-150mm F2.8 PRO

    Fast telephoto zoom — a versatile field lens.

  • OM System 8-25mm F4 PRO

    Wide-angle zoom for landscapes and big scenes.

  • OM System 90mm F3.5 Macro

    Macro prime for close-up detail and small subjects.

  • OM System 60mm F2.8 Macro

    Macro prime for insects and fine detail in the field.

In the air

  • DJI Air 3S

    A capable dual-camera drone for aerial work — wide and medium telephoto lenses for scouting locations and capturing landscapes from a perspective you can’t reach on foot.

  • DJI Mini 4 Pro

    A lightweight, sub-250g drone that’s easy to carry into the field — ideal for quick aerial shots where packing light matters.

  • Commercial authorisation (GVC / PDRA01)

    I hold a General VLOS Certificate (GVC) and operate under a PDRA01 Operational Authorisation — the qualifications required for commercial drone work in the UK.

In the field

  • YC Onion Pineta Pro carbon-fibre monopod

    A lightweight carbon-fibre monopod with a pedal base and quick-release plate — support for the long lenses when handholding stops being realistic, without the weight of a full tripod.

  • Hide & camouflage

    A pop-up hide and muted clothing — getting close enough often comes down to not being seen at all.

  • Layers, flask, patience

    The unglamorous essentials. Most of wildlife photography is sitting very still in the cold and waiting.

Back at the desk

  • Adobe Lightroom

    My hub for importing, culling and editing — where the day’s frames get sorted before the best of them make it to the galleries.

  • Adobe Photoshop

    For the detailed work — retouching, cleanup and finishing on the frames that deserve the extra care.

  • DxO PureRAW

    RAW pre-processing — noise reduction and lens corrections that give the long-lens and low-light shots a cleaner starting point.

  • Capture One

    An alternative RAW editor I turn to for its colour handling and detail.