WHAT I USEFilmmaking + Photography

FILMMAKING + PHOTOGRAPHY

I’ve wanted to be a filmmaker since I was eight years old and saw Jurassic Park.

There’s an endless amount of equipment out there, but I’ve never wanted to get bogged down by the gadgets. I’d rather have tools that let me move easily, work independently, and stay focused on the story.

These are the cameras, lenses, audio gear, and other tools I trust to get the job done, especially when the filmmaking crew is just me.

CANON EOS REBEL T7 + CANON EF 50MM F/1.8 STM

Grab it and go.

I still use my Rebel because of how easy it is to grab and start shooting. Pair it with the 50mm prime and you can make gorgeous photographs without carrying a lot of gear. At this stage in my career, that kind of utility matters to me, especially when I’m creating for social media.

Canon EOS Rebel T7 Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM

Some links on this page are Amazon affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share gear I actually use.

Portrait of a woman turning back toward the camera on an outdoor path

Dramatic low-key portrait of a tattooed man with arms crossed

Drummer performing live under blue and purple stage lighting

PHOTOGRAPHS MADE WITH MY REBEL T7 + 50MM

MOBILE FILMMAKING SYSTEM

SmallRig iPhone Filmmaking Rig

The camera I use most is already in my pocket.

iPhone filmmaking has become a major part of my work. I probably shoot more with my iPhone now than with any other camera I own. Using the Blackmagic Camera app and recording in Apple ProRes gives me a serious filmmaking tool that I can carry everywhere.

This rig lets me build around that camera and quickly shoot vertically or horizontally depending on what I’m creating. It’s the setup I use to film Gym Philosophy.

SmallRig All In One iPhone Rig Cage SmallRig Cage Only

SUPPORTING THE SYSTEM · 01

RØDE Wireless GO

Good audio without slowing me down.

I use the Wireless GO for my Joey D Lifestyle videos and when I’m working solo on documentary projects like Youth Vision. Paired with my iPhone rig, it gives me strong audio while keeping the entire setup small enough for one person to operate.

It was also part of the kit I brought to Mexico. For the way I like to work, traveling light, moving quickly, and staying close to the story, that matters.

RØDE Wireless GO

SUPPORTING THE SYSTEM · 02

SmallRig Travel Tripod

Part of my mobile filmmaking kit.

I pair this with my iPhone filmmaking setup when I need support without adding a lot of equipment. It keeps the kit portable and gives me a stable platform when I’m shooting on my own.

SmallRig Travel Tripod

BLACKMAGIC PRODUCTION SYSTEM

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K

The camera behind our Sunday production.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, my church put me in charge of taking over our livestream. The Pocket Cinema Camera 4K became part of the production system I built, and it’s still what we use to shoot our services every Sunday.

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K

BUILDING THE SYSTEM · 01

Blackmagic 4K/6K Camera Cage

I don’t run these cameras without one.

Every Blackmagic camera in our Sunday production lives in a cage. It gives us the mounting points we need for the external pieces that turn the camera body into a complete cinema production setup.

For me, the cage isn’t an optional accessory. It’s part of building the camera into the tool I actually need it to be.

Blackmagic 4K/6K Camera Cage

BUILDING THE SYSTEM · 02

SmallRig Heavy Duty Tripod

When the bigger cameras leave the studio.

When I want to take the Blackmagic cameras out and shoot with them on location, this is the tripod I use. It gives me the heavier support I want for that camera setup while still allowing me to take the production on the go.

SmallRig Heavy Duty Tripod

ALSO IN THE BLACKMAGIC FAMILY

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K

A camera I’ve built with.

I’ve also worked with the Pocket Cinema Camera 6K while designing and setting up a video production and podcast room for a client in Houston. If you want to build around the Blackmagic system with 6K capture, this is the camera I’ve had hands-on experience using in that environment.

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K

ALSO IN MY KIT

Canon EOS R6 Mark II

A camera I love working with.

The R6 Mark II creates beautiful images and performs incredibly well when I’m working in low light. But there’s also something simpler about why I reach for it: I love Canon’s operating system. The camera feels intuitive to me, which means I can spend less time thinking about the equipment and more time thinking about the image.

See the Canon EOS R6 Mark II

IN THE BAG

SmallRig Multi-Purpose Tool

The favorite tool in my bag.

When I’m in production, I don’t want to waste time hunting for a screwdriver or the right Allen wrench. This keeps what I need in my pocket so I can make an adjustment and keep moving.

See the SmallRig Multi-Purpose Tool

BUILDING THE RIG

The little things that make the rig work.

Handles, clamps, arms and mounting hardware for attaching lights, microphones and whatever else the production calls for.

Back to What I Use