As we look to the end of the pandemic I’m happy with the prospect of traveling again for business and pleasure. However, live streaming will still be a big part of my day job. I live stream multiple times per week as part of my job at Adobe. I stream live Adobe tutorials regularly to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Behance as well. Since this is what I do for a living I’m always looking to improve my production values.
I have been tweaking my dedicated live streaming studio since 2016. Being a photographer I’ve set up a few photography studios and no matter how you equip your studio you can always find more gear that you want and ways to improve it. I’ve been building out this live streaming studio since May 2016. I have everything I “need” to do my streams, but I’m always looking out for ways to improve upon what I have or make it easier to do my streams.
As with a photography studio, your streaming setup can be very basic or very elaborate
I remember when I first started out in photography and wanted to get serious about it, I had lots of questions about what to buy? No one wants to make a large investment in the “wrong gear”. I often get questions from New Photographers or Photographers looking to set up their 1st studio, asking what equipment should they get? That’s a hard question to answer without knowing what you plan on shooting the most, your space, and your budget. My primary focus is Portrait – (Beauty, Fashion & Glamour). Rather than trying to address every single situation individually, I thought it would be easier to share with you the equipment I use, and then you can take it from there. I had a 4,800 sq foot studio space and yes I LOVED IT! If you see something you think you’d like to have in your studio then you can just go ahead and get it.
Your DSLR/Mirrorless most likely came with a camera strap and in big bold print, it advertises the brand and model of your camera. It’s like saying to the world, “Hey, I’ve got an expensive camera right here. Come steal it!” I prefer something a little less flashy and more versatile.
Black Rapid R-Strap – I like this one for photo walks and when I’m using longer lenses, or heavier bodies.
Up Strap – I like this one for travel and photo walks as it will NOT slip off your shoulder.
I used to use Elinchrom strobes for the first 10+ years of my photography journey. However, in February 2021 I made the switch to Westcott’s new lighting system.
3 Westcott FJ400 Strobes – these are awesome because I can use them in the studio AND on-location because of the built-in battery packs.
Arkon Clamp Stand for DSLR Camera, Tablet, or Phone this arm is simply amazing because it’s strong enough to hold my DSLRs/Mirrorless cameras so that I can get those shots straight down on top of my subject.
Kata R-103 – My smaller backpack when I don’t need to travel with as much gear.
I have a variety of smaller bags, but the 3 above are the ones I use the most.
Studio Music System
Music is a very important part of my shoots, therefore, the sound has to be good (sometimes loud) and able to be heard throughout the building. Therefore I stream the same music via my Bose Soundtouch 20.
DJI Mavic Air – for aerial photography/4K Video and behind the scenes shots
WD 1TB My Passport Wireless SSD for in-field backups and mobile editing workflows.
Apple TV 2 Set-top boxes – My photography is on display throughout the studio both in print and electronically via HDTVs and Apple TVs driving them.
Apple The New iPad Pro – I use it for portfolio display, image review, model releases and variety of other tasks. See how it fits into my workflow here.
Mac Mini Mac OS X Server with a Drobo 5D attached. There’s also a Drobo FS on the network for additional backups of the main Drobo – Network backups for every shoot I do before I leave the building
The list above represents equipment that I’ve acquired over the past 4 years. By no means do you “need” all of it, especially if you’re just starting out. Take from it what you will and keep in mind that I didn’t start with it all on day one! That’s the thing about photography, “there’s always something to buy!” No one ever told you to get into photography because it would be a “cheap” hobby! 😉
