This monthly feature gives you a sneaky peek into the Billingham Bag belonging to one of the North’s top photographers – Carl Hodgson is February’s photographer of choice…..
Carl started his career 17 years ago – fresh out of college he spent a number of years freelancing with several photographers in the North, learning his craft from the best.
Since then, he’s started his own business and studio – which sees him working in the North and travelling nationwide and abroad with a range of clients including construction, fashion, interior and advertising.
Carl has received awards and merits from Shot Up North and London City Photographic Exhibition, in particular his New York shot and Diving Board image (see here).
Away from the lens, Carl spends a lot of time tinkering with his 1961 Lambretta LI, which he’s recently finished renovating (see left); he also travels between Ireland and the UK for both work and pleasure.
For more info on Carl, check out his website here.
In Carl’s Billingham is:
1. Apple Macbook – this is a must for Carl on every shoot
2. Lens Hood for Mac (Screen Shade) – Carl works a lot on location, so this helps him to see the screen no matter what the weather conditions
3. Card Reader
4. Sync Lead – to trigger the lights
5. Pocket Wizard – sounds more fun than it is! This allows Carl to shoot remotely without the Sync Lead
6. Business Cards
7. Black Book – the essential guide to New York – great for local insight!
8. Powerpack – Carl’s learnt that this is essential for any location shoot – if there’s no power, this can defo save the shoot
9. Portable Flash Light
10. Canon Eos 5D Mark 2 – has the ability to shoot film, which he uses to do web based advertising
11. Canon 24-70 F2.8 Lens – amazing all-rounder lens – at 2.8 and you get a lovely shallow depth feel
12. Canon 24-105 F4 Lens – Carl always has this in his bag as a ‘back up’ lens
13. Leica Compat Camera – this was bought in New York for its reportage feel – it was actually the camera he took the New York Bus image on
14. Memory Cards – great to shoot video on
15. 8 Gig USB Stick – handy to give to the client at the end of the shoot
16. Armoured USB Lead – these are amazing for location work – you could drive over it and it’d still work perfectly!