One of my favorite things to see on other photographers’ sites are “what’s in my bag?” posts. It’s so interesting to see what kind of equipment goes into making the types of unique images each photographer produces, and I love the accompanying explanations of which lenses they use for certain parts of the day, which ones are their favorites, and which lenses they’d rather do without. Since I’ve already blogged my major equipment (it may need to be updated soon, though), I thought it’d be fun to show y’all the smaller things I keep in my bag that, while are still important, aren’t at the MEAT of my wedding days. Here we go!

You guys already know that I use the Kelly Moore Classic as my lens changing/carry-it-with-me-whilst-shooting bag, but the Classic doesn’t get loaded up with lenses and such until after I arrive at the bridal suite. I carry EVERYTHING I need for a wedding day in my ThinkTank Airport International V 2.0. It’s AWESOME. It holds all of my digital equipment I need for a wedding day and keeps it really well organized. Plus, it looks like a regular piece of luggage, so I’m much less paranoid about leaving it in the trunk of my car when I’m downtown for engagement shoots.

Just the inside view of my ThinkTank. I’ll do a further review on this later on.

In the top row of pockets, I carry a lens cloth, a Tide To Go pen (I ALWAYS keep one of hand), and my velcro straps for attaching gel filters to my flashes, should I need to do so.

Next row down- gels for my flash, all of my lens caps (I don’t keep them on my lenses- I have Hoya filters on all of my lenses and if I don’t keep my lens caps in one central location, I know I’ll lose them), Tylenol (MUST-HAVE!), and an extra thing of Chapstick. Just in case I lose one of the two Chapsticks I keep in my Kelly Moore bag.

The red rocket thing on the left is an air blower- it’s there in case I get a piece of dust on my mirror or sensor during a wedding day. It doesn’t remove ALL dust, but if there’s a big piece of fiber, it can generally help in an emergency until I can take my camera in for a cleaning. I need to learn to clean my own sensor but I haven’t gotten around to it yet… The thing on the right is my light meter. I don’t use it for my digital work but it’s with me whenever I break out my film camera (more about this in next week’s Gabby Tuesday!)

I always have two extra fully-charged batteries on hand for my mk3, and I keep a couple of extra 2CR5 batteries in my bag for my Contax. And film!

I started getting REALLY frustrated with how many double A batteries I was going through (I felt so wasteful!), so I invested in rechargeable Duracells. I finally found a case that perfectly fits the batteries in an organized way (because my plastic baggies of “charged” and “used” was NOT working) and I’m really satisfied with it. I found this case at Penn Camera in Tyson’s Corner!

I carry three sets of CF cards- one for me, one for my second shooter, and then an extra one, just in case. The blue cases are the ThinkTank Pixel Pocket Rockets and I’m in love with them- they have a little loop to clip onto my Kelly Moore bag so I can’t lose it!

These go with me in my Classic- bobby pins for emergencies (or for when my bangs decide that it’s a good time to go crazy), oil absorbing sheets for sweaty brides/grooms/bridal party members, and two business card holders (one for me, one for my second). I love those Vera holders I found- they’re bright and easy to find when I’m rooting around in my bag!

Lastly, I keep an extra pack of double A’s in my car in case something extreme happens, and these gray TOMS stay in my trunk for times when my feet are ready to fall off. I changed into them during Vinnie & Maria’s wedding to save my feet for Shawn & Katie’s wedding the next day, and I felt amazing the following morning! Normally it hurts to walk the next morning, but switching into my TOMS really saved the day.

Do y’all have any essentials you keep in your bag that make a serious difference? I’d love to hear! Happy Friday!