Joe Thomas (@joethommas) is a travel and architecture photographer based in New York City. His passion for exploration has led him to create work for clients like Four Seasons, EDITION Hotels, Adobe, JetBlue, Lufthansa and more. He specializes in capturing details that show new perspectives of both lesser known and iconic locations, and he uses a compact and lightweight Sony Alpha kit to make it easy to be on the go. We connected with him to learn more about the Sony Alpha camera and Sony lenses you’ll find in his bag. Keep reading to see what he packs in his kit and why.

With a Sony Alpha 1, a fast prime and a wide zoom, travel and architecture photographer Joe Thomas makes stunning shots on the go.

Camera

Sony Alpha 1: The Sony Alpha 1 is the camera I use for everything. I’m constantly photographing the streets of New York and it can handle anything no matter the conditions. It is small and lightweight and easily able to fit in a side bag with two lenses. It has incredible low light capability and the weather proofing allows me to photograph in the rain or snow. I’ve been using the Sony Alpha 1 as my main camera ever since I upgraded from the Sony Alpha 7R III. While the image quality on both cameras are amazing, the main thing I’ve been impressed with is the video quality, higher frame rate, and great ergonomics and viewfinder. The Alpha 1 has such high megapixels that you can easily crop into any image and still have a high resolution image.

Photo by Joe Thomas. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 55mm f/1.8. 1-sec., f/4.5, ISO 100

Lenses

Sony 55mm f/1.8: This was the first lens I’ve bought for my Sony and it is the best lens I’ve ever used. It is the sharpest lens I’ve used and the small size allows me to take it everywhere. The 1.8 aperture creates beautiful depth of field and is great for low light conditions. Since I’m running around the city and rarely bring a tripod, it is important for me to have a lens that can handle low light. It is great for street shots, architecture, interiors and portraits.

Photo by Joe Thomas. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 55mm f/1.8. 1/50-sec., f/2.8, ISO 1600

Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master: This lens is so useful to have in my bag because it allows me to have a nice range of wide angle focal lengths without having to bring multiple lenses. It is great for architecture, landscapes, and interiors. It is very consistent throughout the focal lengths and the 2.8 aperture is great for a zoom lens. It allows me to still capture low light conditions at any focal length. It has also been very useful when I’m doing video.

Photo by Joe Thomas. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master. 1/320-sec., f/3.5, ISO 100

Accessories

The Rockaway by ONA: This bag is great for carrying a body, two lenses, and any additional small items everyday around the city.

See more of Joe Thomas’s work on Instagram @joethommas.