Creating corporate portraits can be deceptively challenging. In addition to having the technical skill, it's very important to have the right gear to give you the depth of field and proper lighting that you need. Award-winning portrait photographer and Sony Artisan Tony Gale knows exactly which gear he needs on hand to efficiently create crisp corporate images. “When I am doing corporate portraits, every situation is different so I don't have just one kit for every project. This is an example of a common setup and what would be in my bag frequently.” See more on the Sony Alpha cameras and Sony lenses in his kit for corporate portraiture, and learn more about his process in his Pro Workflow article. Tony is also the host of the Sony Alpha Photographers Podcast. Check out episodes HERE. 

Award-winning portrait photographer and Sony Artisan Tony Gale shows us the Sony Alpha cameras, Sony lenses & more he uses to create corporate portraits.

Cameras

I always bring multiple cameras, you never know what could happen and being prepared is an important element of professional photography.

Sony Alpha 1 with the Sony VG-C4EM Vertical Grip: The Alpha 1 is a fantastic all around camera, great for almost any situation.

Sony Alpha 7R IV: The Alpha 7R IV is always a terrific all-around camera, there are times when I need the 61 mega pixels this camera delivers.

Photo by Tony Gale. Sony α7R IV. Sony 24-105mm f/4 G. 1/160-sec., f/5.6, ISO 100

Sony Alpha 7R III with the Sony VG-C3EM Vertical Grip: Another great camera. The Alpha 7R III is primarily a backup for the other two cameras, but can also be useful when the client doesn't need the 61mp of the Alpha 7R IV or the 50m mp of the Alpha 1.

Lenses

I use several lenses depending on the need.

Sony 70-200mm f/4 G: A great headshot lens. It's very compact for the zoom range and sharp.

Photo by Tony Gale. Sony α7R III. Sony 70-200mm f/4 G. 1/125-sec., f/7.1, ISO 200

Sony 24-105mm f/4 G: A great all-around lens. If I need a range from headshots to 3/4 length to full length on one person, the 24-105mm is a fantastic tool for that.

Photo by Tony Gale. Sony α7R IV. Sony 24-105mm f/4 G. 1/200-sec., f/8, ISO 100

Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master: When I need a super sharp shallow depth of field and a range of focal lengths, this is my go-to.

Sony 85mm f/1.8: An excellent, compact, sharp portrait lens. If I am going medium tight portraits or even shallower depth of field I love this lens.

Sony 135mm f/1.8 G Master: A truly incredible, crazy sharp lens. If I have the room, and don't need a range of crops this lens can't be beat.

Accessories

Sony SRS-XB13 Wireless Bluetooth Speaker: Many of the people I photograph are a little nervous about being photographed. Which makes sense, it's an unusual situation for most of us. How many photographers do we all know who hate being in front of the camera? Having some music streaming helps people relax, especially because it is so easy now to stream something they particularly like. It makes everyone more at ease.

X-Rite ColorChecker Passport: Accurate color is super important, especially when it comes to skin town. The color checker passport makes it easy to maintain the truest color possible.

Rocket Blower: It's easy to get dust on the camera sensor when switching lenses. The rocket blower helps get the dust out quickly and safely.

Gossen Starlite 2, Light Meter: Having a meter makes setting up strobes so much easier. I can easily measure all the lights and adjust as needed. It's especially helpful when I need to match a setup I have done in the past.

Manfrotto Light Stands: I really like the Manfrotto 10004BAX stands, they click together for easy transport and are super stable.

Photo by Tony Gale. Sony α7R III. Sony 70-200mm f/4 G. 1/125-sec., f/7.1, ISO 200

Manfrotto Lastolite Collapsible & Reversible Backgrounds: I often use a black/white or gray/white collapsible background. They stretch out with no wrinkles, are reusable and fold to a fraction of their open size.

Gitzo Traveler Tripod: When I am photographing all day, having the camera on a tripod helps with consistency, and keeps me from setting the camera somewhere strange. The tripod also makes it easy for me to do lighting tests on myself using the Sony Imaging Edge Mobile app on my Sony Xperia 5II phone, very helpful when I don't have an assistant.

Manfrotto Lastolite 8 in 1 Umbrella: A great compact light modifier, I can use it in any number of different ways, but my favorite is as a bounce umbrella with diffusion, essentially making it an octabox. I often have two with me.

Profoto B10X With Sony Air Remote: A compact, surprisingly powerful strobe. There are time when it is all the light I need.

Profoto ComPact 600R Monolight: A good, super sturdy 600 watt strobe.

PC Laptop: Great for tethering so I and the client can see exactly what we are getting.

Tether Tools Tether Cable: A very reliable, long tether cable. I like the orange because people are less likely to trip on it.