What Camera Gear do they use?

  Paul Strand – The Father of Modern Photography Paul Strand (1890–1976) is often hailed as one of the founding figures of modern photography . His career bridged the worlds of art and social documentation, shaping the medium into both a form of creative expression and a tool for truth-telling. From his abstract studies in New York to his portraits of ordinary people and vast documentary projects across Europe, Africa, and the Americas, Strand’s work established photography as a serious art form on par with painting and sculpture. His uncompromising vision, combined with his mastery of photographic tools, continues to influence generations of photographers. Camera Gear Strand primarily used large format view cameras , including 5x7 and later 8x10 models. These heavy, tripod-mounted machines gave him the precision and detail he sought in his landscapes and portraits. For his early street photography, he often relied on a Graflex camera , modified with a dummy lens that allowed ...

Nick Knight: Avant-Garde Glamour, Tech Pioneer, and the Gear Behind the Image Nick Knight (b. 1958, London) is a celebrated fashion photographer, filmmaker, and founder of SHOWstudio.com , known for redefining fashion imagery across decades—whether directing music videos for Björk and Kanye West or crafting conceptual portraiture exhibited worldwide. The Gear Story—Evolving with Vision 10×8 Polaroid & Large-Format Film (1980s–2000s) Knight began with 10×8 large-format Polaroid and sheet film —allowing him to create monumental test images. Though the film is now obsolete, he continues to maintain large-format workflows when needed . He used a custom ring-like rig of Broncolor strobes —a pentagonal array of light heads—for campaign shoots, creating expansive highlight reflections and precise controlled shadows . Medium Format & Transition to Digital As film availability declined, Knight embraced digital capture—using Medium-Format digital backs and high-resolution sca...

Hiroshi Tabata: A Quiet Eye on Movement, Light & Everyday Humanity Born in Japan and now based in Brighton, UK, Hiroshi Tabata is celebrated for his contemplative black‑and‑white street photography. His visual sensibility is rooted in simplicity, observation, and the quiet poetry of human movement. Vision & Philosophy Tabata returned to photography around 2015 after a hiatus, rekindling his passion through candid street work—first in London, now in Brighton. His interest lies in “people on the move”—the fleeting gestures, crowds, and delicate rhythms of daily life. He creates what he calls “photography of presence”: moments captured at particular times and places, now part of his personal visual diary. Camera Gear & Workflow Though few photographers openly disclose all their gear, Tabata’s setup reflects his minimalist, mindful approach. Leica Film Rangefinder (M-series) Tabata began shooting around 2010 with a Leica M6 , drawn to its quiet shutter and reliabil...

  Mary Ellen Mark (1940–2015) was a renowned American photographer celebrated for her compassionate and intimate portraits of people living on society’s margins—from street children in Seattle to circus performers, mental hospital patients, and twin festivals. A Format for Every Story 35 mm Street & Documentary Work Started with analog film: Kodak Brownie at age 9, then Leica M-series rangefinders (e.g., M6 TTL ) and Canon EOS-1N with wide angles (24mm–35mm). Leica M6 She favored 35 mm for fast-moving, immersive street or reportage work—pre-focusing at common distances for rapid response and discretion. Medium Format (6×6 & 6×7) for Portraiture and Formal Essays Employed Hasselblad bodies (often with 60mm lens) and Mamiya 7 with 43/50/65 mm focal lengths. Mamiya 7 Medium format allowed her to build slower, more considered portraits—each frame weighted with presence and visual clarity. Large Format & Polaroid 20×24 ≈ Monumental Projects For amb...

  John Sypal is an American-born, Tokyo-based photographer whose keen observations of analog camera culture evolved into Tokyo Camera Style (TCS) —a celebrated platform documenting the vibrant world of film photography in Japan. His journey is deeply tied to film, darkrooms, and a disciplined aesthetic built around simplicity and consistency.  Camera Gear: Minimalism in Motion John’s gear reflects his belief in becoming inseparable from one reliable tool, avoiding distraction by excessive choice. Core Setup (Film-Based) Leica MP (often chrome) with 35mm Summicron lens is his primary camera—and often the only one he carries. Around since 2006, it’s handled countless rolls. Leica MP He also has a Leica M5 , a 28mm Elmarit , and 50mm Summicron / Elmar‑M lenses—though the MP + 35mm remains his steadfast tool. Leica M5 He shoots exclusively on film: Fuji Presto 400 and Super Presto 1600 , which he develops at home with Kodak HC‑110 . Prints are made in his darkroom and ...

  Peruvian-born and London-based, Mario Testino is known for his glamorous, intimate portraits of royalty, supermodels, and celebrities—from Princess Diana to Kate Moss , Gisele Bündchen , Madonna , Rihanna , and beyond . His work has defined modern fashion photography and is featured across Vogue , Vanity Fair , Burberry , and Gucci campaigns . Gear Evolution: From Contax Point‑and‑Shoot to 100‑MP Hasselblad Contax Point‑and‑Shoot Cameras Early in his career, Testino relied heavily on compact Contax point-and-shoots , often carrying two at once. These small cameras, paired with on-camera flash , allowed him spontaneity and intimacy—hallmarks of his style in early editorial and candid portrait work.   A Reddit thread confirms: Fashion photographers Terry Richardson and Mario Testino both shot on a semi‑regular basis with relatively inexpensive point and shoot fixed lens cameras. Contax T3 Transition to High-End Digital Systems As editorial demands grew, Testino adopted sta...

  Alison McCauley , based in Cannes and Geneva, is a photographer exploring identity, belonging, and memory through non-linear, highly atmospheric images. Her projects—ranging from Anywhere But Here to Another Cannes and Shimmers —blend abstraction, emotion, and geographical dislocation to evoke a moody state of mind more than a place. She's part of the UP Photographers collective. Artistic Vision & Visual Approach McCauley’s imagery often registers as dreamlike and elusive rather than documentary. She seeks to express a feeling of perpetual transition—physical and emotional—through blurred references, obscured details, and layered symbolism: Anywhere But Here (2008–present) emerged from a nomadic life, expressing dislocation and restlessness through intentionally blurred, hazy visuals. Another Cannes (2013–2018) offers an offbeat portrayal of the Cannes Film Festival—documenting the unseen through surreal, everyday moments in contrast with red-carpet glamour. Shi...

  Nan Goldin (b. 1953) is an American photographer whose raw, diaristic imagery in The Ballad of Sexual Dependency became a benchmark of confessional street photography. Her visual diary chronicles love, gender, addiction, grief, and intimacy within the underground scenes of 1970s–80s Boston and New York. Aesthetic Ethos & Emotional Vision Photography became Goldin’s voice after her teenage years, marked by family tragedy and immersion in Boston’s drag and LGBT communities. Her lens reflects empathy over voyeurism—always capturing subjects she shared life with. Her breakthrough work, The Ballad , premiered as a slideshow of nearly 700 images paired with music—an immersive, cinematic storytelling medium. Gear Journey: Modest Tools, Monumental Impact Instant Film Beginnings Goldin received a Polaroid camera in high school , which she credits with giving her the confidence to engage people and document her inner circle. Shooting Polaroid forced immediacy and direct connectio...

  Juergen Teller (b. 1964, Erlangen, Germany) is a celebrated fashion and fine-art photographer renowned for his intimate, arresting, and often ironic images. His work—whether self-portraits, celebrity campaigns, or everyday moments—is known for a raw emotional immediacy and a refusal to glamorize subjects or settings. Camera Gear & Setup Contax G2 with TLA‑200 Flash For the majority of his early career, Teller shot analog exclusively using Contax G2 35mm rangefinder cameras , often carrying two at once for constant firing. He typically paired these with the on-camera Contax TLA‑200 flash , which produced the high-contrast, shadow-modeling light that became his visual signature . I used the hell out of the silver Contax G2. The flash on it was fantastic Contax G2 Multiple Bodies in Dual-Hand Stance Teller famously held one Contax in each hand, firing in rapid alternating bursts to disarm and engage subjects. This method created an intense rhythm that helped freeze candid emot...

  Patrick Joust (b. 1978, Oroville, CA) is a self-taught photographer living in Baltimore whose work explores urban life at night, everyday rituals, and Americana. His photographs are deeply rooted in the slow, human pace of analog, yet they resonate with cinematic clarity and emotional depth. Visual Philosophy & Practice Joust views photography as a way to engage with time and memory—a method of making sense of daily life through visible evidence and quiet attention. Inspired by poetry, cinema, and visual diarists like William Eggleston and Joel Meyerowitz, he uses photography as both exploration and understanding. His photographic categories vary widely—street, nighttime, urban landscapes, nature—but his consistent emotional through-line is curiosity, observation, and poetic noticing. Gear & Format Overview Patrick’s equipment reflects his interest in variety, spontaneity, and tactile engagement with photography: Film-First Practice : Predominantly shoots medium fo...