I receive emails each month from photographers and weekend photo enthusiasts asking me what eqipment I use, I always reply, "It aint what you got, it's what you do with it!"

I have a simple rule for my type of work with models that if you cant carry it on your back dont take it with you, particularly when working on beaches and other hostile envirionments.

I think many photographers get too involved with equipment and bell & whistles but forget that the key to being creative is making what you have around at any particular location work for you. This means keeping an open mind about what you had planned to shoot and being prepared to think on the move and make changes possibly at the last moment for a better result.

With my work I travel a great deal and this involves carrying my equipment from one continent to another with the associated hassel of unpacking everything for security checks and hopefully not paying too much in excess baggage charges! These inconveniences have encouraged me to reduce my luggage to a minimum.

I can pack three lights mini stands & softboxes, cables etc. with a reasonable amount of clothing all in one suitcase with less than 5 Kilos excess to pay at checkin. I carry my cameras and powebook on my back which means that I can carry all I need for a overseas shoot by myself.

This approach would not work for all photographers but this is how I manage to operate and produce my style of work.