Have you ever seen a photographer loaded down with a ton of accessories, to say nothing of two camera bodies swinging from the neck, each with its own super-powered flash unit? This belt and braces approach to photography is really not necessary for the average photographer.

A simple principle applies here – the image is created in your head before you ever push the shutter button. Expensive, top-end gear does not guarantee outstanding images. A good quality, less expensive camera is quite capable of rendering brilliant results in the right hands. Most reputable brands of cameras have crystal sharp lenses, precisely made using computerised grinding techniques and their metering systems are so accurate as to be almost foolproof.

However, there are a three pieces of equipment which can be added to your kit bag over time which will make a noticeable difference to the images you create.

1. Use a Jake the Peg.

The extra leg (or legs) of a monopod or tripod are the surest way to sharpen your images. No matter how steady your hand may be, how fast your lenses are, or how fast you set the shutter, the hand-held camera will still experience some vertical and horizontal movement. A monopod will eliminate vertical movement and a tripod will eliminate both horizontal and vertical movement.

Notes:

• Bracketing when using a tripod allows you to choose the best elements of three different exposures of three identical images. This is particularly useful where there are extreme light conditions in the one scene eg. harsh sunlight and dark shadows. Most digital cameras will have a bracketing function which allows you to automatically set three different exposures of the subject for the one shoot.

• Limited light: With shutter speeds as low as 1/10 second you can still be confident of producing sharp images. It is important to gently squeeze the shutter button to keep the action as smooth as possible.

• If you want to be absolutely confident about your results in poor light conditions, use a remote control shutter device or set your camera on ‘timer’ mode.

• Match your tripod to your camera. Lightweight tripods work well with small, compact digital cameras but do not provide the stability needed for a heavy SLR camera with larger lenses. Better to pay a bit more for a quality, rugged tool than to opt for a cheapie. (Personal dislike - tripods with crank handles - they break.)

• If your camera or lens has a stabiliser, make sure it is turned OFF when using a tripod.

2. Invest in an external flash

There is no substitute for the magic of natural light. However, there are times when you will want to supplement or override what nature provides, or fails to provide, whichever the case may be. Probably the most important thing about flash is that you control the flash, not the other way around. A fixed flash, for example, fires directly at the subject and is in effect in charge of the situation. This may be okay for happy snaps, but the results are harsh and flat. You will produce much more pleasing shots with bounce or reflected flash which you control.

If your camera has an external flash mount, purchase a dedicated flash unit that will synchronise automatically with it.

Notes about using bounce flash.

• A white, low ceiling is an excellent reflector. Tilt the head up to the ceiling at an angle of about 60º. Do not use this technique on a coloured ceiling. Your image will be bathed in the dominant hue.

• Choose a flash unit that has a built-in pop-up reflector. This small addition to the flash head is amazingly effective at diffusing the light. If you cannot find one, a good alternative is a Flash Bounce diffuser that fits snugly over the head

An inexpensive white/silver or white/gold reflector is lightweight and highly portable. It will collapse into a small bag and should never be far away.

For food or product shots, direct the flash into a round reflector (right) to get brilliant images with even, white light. The technique is very simple. Use a tripod to place the camera. Use a circular reflector which can be bent around the object to be photographed, and direct the flash into the reflector. Take several shots, changing the direction of the flash and position of the reflector. One will stand out above the rest. This technique works best if you can utilise natural daylight as well as flash. Avoid direct sunlight but shoot in bright shade.

BITS AND PIECES

Sometimes the obvious needs to be stated. Always carry a fully-charged spare battery and a spare memory card which has been cleared of images from a previous shoot. Cards and generic brand batteries are so cheap that there is no excuse not to have backup.

For the more prolific photographer I recommend purchasing a portable storage device. which will allow you to download and store images as you go. I use the X-Drive a versatile tool that allows you to download the contents of your card in a few minutes. Pocket-sized, rechargeable and a storage capacity of up to 160 Gb, it is a vital part of my kit.

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