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What’s In Your Camera Bag?: Animal Photographer Carli Davidson
From Shake, a humorous collection of portraits of dogs mid-shake, released in a book last year. The follow-up—in puppy version—is available for pre-order. Davidson is donating a dollar of every pre-order up to $1,000 to Panda Paws Rescue (PPR). PPR is a Vancouver-based non-profit Canine Rescue specializing in special needs dogs.
What’s in your camera bag?
Enough pet hair to felt a small dog figurine, of course—I carry a hair roller too (but there is only so much one can do with those things), gaffer’s tape (also a makeshift hair roller), poop bags, treats for those pets that need a little motivation, treats for myself in case I forget to eat, a clicker, a squeaker, eye drops, folding pet brush, cheap slip leash, some kind of stuffed stand-in model (generally I hunt for ones in the image of the model I’ll be on set with to help with pre-light), eye cover, tampons, Burt’s bees, $100, passport, rubber gloves, first aid kit, iPod, Nikon D4, 24-70mm 2.8G, 85mm 1.4G, 105mm 2.8G, extra battery, external USB charger, Leatherman, laptop, cards, card reader, external hard drive.
What’s the most unusual item in your camera bag? Bags made to pick up poop, perhaps?
What’s in your bag that is specific to the type of work you shoot? Everything animal related. My clicker—I have had to train behaviors on the spot a surprising number of times. I use a squeaker for glances and head tilts. I carry eye drops because sometimes someone on set is allergic to an animal. I carry a cheap slip leash for the rowdier pets or in case I ever encounter a stray, and rubber gloves and a first aid kit—in my world people do occasionally get bit and need some tending too. For Shake, my camera and fast lenses are a must. The D4’s 10 FPS and great al-focus (and fast lens focus) really help to capture all the crazy face warp moments.
What can’t you live without? My trusty, much loved Nikon D4, my 85mm 1.4G, tampons.
What is your “workhorse” item? Treats!
Any tricks for packing light, space-saving techniques? Take the stuff you are on the fence about and find a good chiropractor. You can wrap gaffer’s tape around itself on your straps and not take a whole roll in a pinch.
Any makeshift, homemade items you’ve crafted over the years? Sometimes I bring a stick with colored tape on the end and a clicker taped to the other end to train animals to move on target.
