What's In my Bag
- Photographer's Edition -
What comes with me to every Muse Session
There's a version of this post where I list the obvious things. Camera. Lenses. Memory cards.
But the Muse Session isn't a standard photoshoot, so the bag isn't a standard one. Here's what actually comes with me, and why each thing matters.
1. Blanket
Sometimes the most beautiful shot is the one where you're sitting in the grass, fully dressed in a ballgown, completely at ease, the world quiet around you.
I bring a blanket because I want you to be entirely comfortable getting there. The small things matter when you're trying to create space for something genuine.
2. Reflector
Natural light is everything. It's why we shoot outdoors, why I choose locations carefully, and why the time of day matters more than most people realise.
However, sometimes natural light needs a little encouragement. The reflector is how I make sure every face is seen exactly as it deserves to be: no harsh shadows, no lost detail, no unflattering angles. Just you, lit well.
3. Portable Chargers
A fully charged camera and a fully charged phone.
This sounds obvious until you're mid-shoot, something extraordinary is happening, and a battery warning appears. The worst time to run out of power is mid-shoot, mid-magic. So we simply don't.
4. Water & Cups
Hydration matters, especially on a warm afternoon in a ball gown in a park.
But water comes with me for another reason. A quiet moment with a drink is often where the best candid shots happen. People relax. They laugh. They forget about the camera for a moment.
And that's when I take the picture.
5. Lip Balm
A small thing that makes a real difference.
Comfort on the day is everything. The more at ease someone feels, the more honest the images become. I'd rather think of the tiny details so you don't have to.
6. Cameras x 2
One is never enough.
Two cameras mean no missed moments, no changing lenses mid-shot, and no reason to pause when something beautiful is happening. The 85mm and 35mm live on separate bodies, ready for whatever the moment calls for.
7. 85mm Lens
My portrait lens.
This is what creates that soft, dreamy background blur, the one that makes the subject feel like the only person in the world. Which, for those 90 minutes, they are.
8. 35mm Lens
My storytelling lens.
Wider, more environmental. This is how I capture the whole scene, the ball gown, the woodland, the space between them. The contrast that defines a Muse Session. Where the 85mm isolates, the 35mm contextualises. Both matter.
9. Calming Persona
Possibly the most important thing in the bag.
Most people arrive a little nervous. That's completely normal, and it usually passes within the first five minutes. My job is to make sure it does.
Leaving you feeling seen, relaxed, and quietly delighted-that's the real work. Everything else is just equipment.
The Muse Session is open for bookings. If this speaks to you, find out more at ancestorsmuse.com/muse-sessions.
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