It’s not always about the gear, but the kits of seasoned professionals always reveal a certain nuance as to the way they approach photography. Whether it’s a favourite lens, a drone, or a pair of flippers, each kit is unique to their shooter, and how they get their shots. Christopher Quyen convinces Stuart Gibson to reveal just exactly what’s in his kit.
Born in Hobart, surf, landscape and aerial photographer, Stuart Gibson started photography after a car accident left him plastered up and hobbling in crutches. Shooting on a pre-loved Canon film rig, he began to realise that photography may just be the next step in his life. And so, what began as a horrible incident has led Gibson to pursue photography. Now, he travels all over the globe to capture the surf and pristine landscapes from the air and underwater. In his career, he has primarily shot for surfing magazines, surfers and a few relationships have led him to work in a resort in Fiji, capturing surfing. But with a desire to place his camera in such challenging environments comes a need for the right tools. These days, 90% of his work focuses on surfing, on being in the water.
Capture: What’s currently in your kit?
Stuart Gibson: I used to shoot on Canon, but I now carry a Nikon D4 and Nikon D800 as my main camera bodies. For lenses, I use Nikon glass including a 24-70mm, 70-200mm, 16mm fisheye and an 80-400mm. For my underwater work, I rely on Aquatech underwater housings. For aerials, I use three DJI Phantom 3 Professionals; two with retro-fitted, flat-lens GoPro 4 cameras, and one with a Panasonic Lumix. I also edit on a MacBook Pro. I currently carry all this in two Pelican 1600 cases, and a Lowepro roller as hand luggage.
Capture: What about lighting equipment?
Stuart Gibson: I use Canon Speedlites left over from my switch to Nikon, or two Paul C. Buff Einstein E640 heads.
Capture: Why did you choose Nikon as your main camera?
Stuart Gibson: I started with Canon and always loved their cameras, so I stuck with them for ages. Recently, I started noticing Nikon cameras through a friend and fellow photographer, Trent Mitchell. They had a few bodies that really suited my needs, and I thought the quality was a step above the rest. So I got talking to some really cool, like-minded people in the Nikon world, and they were really helpful in the switch, and I’m stoked to be on board with them.
Capture: What is your favourite thing in your kit, and why?
Stuart Gibson: Drones for the angles and Aquatech underwater housings so I can see below the surface. I actually owned a water housing before I had a camera, and I used to borrow a friend’s Canon EOS-5 to put in it. I guess I always knew I wanted to be shooting in the water. Drones, on the other hand, change the way you think. Everywhere I go and anything I look at now, I’m always thinking about how it looks from the air. You kind of get used to seeing things from above, which is good, and bad. I’m a bit numb to aerial views now, but it’s great to be able to get a unique angle anywhere, anytime.
Capture: What are your top three personal travelling essentials?
Stuart Gibson: Sun cream, flippers, and a Goal Zero solar charger, which is epic. They come in all different models and sizes and they just fit any product. Really handy for travelling since you don’t ever have to worry about finding a power outlet when you run out of batteries. They are also very portable.
Capture: Where is your favourite place to shoot?
Stuart Gibson: Ship Stern Bluff and South East Cape in Tasmania, and Fiji.
Capture: What gear would you recommend to other photographers who want to shoot similar work to you?
Stuart Gibson: If you like water, then get an Aquatech water housing. For me, it was the best purchase ever. It can be a bit tricky for some people, but for me it was pretty natural because I was born into the water and surf. But if you’re really struggling with them, just spend a lot of time in the water and you’ll be fine. Other than that, I love my filters; ND grads and polarising filters.
Capture: What’s the next piece of gear that you would like to add to your kit?
Stuart Gibson: DJI Zenmuse X5 for the 4K RAW video.
Capture: What is more important, the gear or the photographer?
Stuart Gibson: Gear is important, but at the end of the day, it has to come down to the photographer to bring it all together. If the image and subject are great, well it doesn’t really matter what it’s shot on. Although, in saying that, certain gear definitely gives you an advantage for some images. I still feel one of my best images was shot on 35mm on a 3fps camera, surf action in the water.
Capture: How did your kit start out?
Stuart Gibson: My first camera was $500 – a Canon EOS-1N, which I found advertised second-hand in the newspaper. Before that, I used to borrow my friend’s Canon EOS-5. I’m a sucker for wanting the next best thing, but more often than not, it’s overkill for what you’re usually shooting. I like to keep current with my gear, but I try not to rush out and buy every new camera that comes out. Buy a few models back for half the price and it will still do the same thing. At the end of the day, they are just tools.
Capture: If you could choose only one set up for your kit to shoot on for the rest of the year, what would it be?
Stuart Gibson: The one set up: a Nikon D4, 16mm fisheye, and Aquatech housing, because it’s a go-to set-up for underwater, surf images, which are my favourite!
Contact
Stuart Gibson www.stugibson.net
