Inside My Camera Bag | Samantha Ohlsen

After seventeen years as an Army nurse, I felt it was time for a change of pace.

I chose weddings and portrait photography because I wanted to be a part of people’s happiest moments, rather than the trauma of their worst.

During my time in the Army, I spent many years teaching, and I always knew my ultimate goal as a photographer would be to teach others.

I believed that without real-world experience as a working photographer, I wouldn’t be credible as an instructor. So, for ten years, I’ve focused on shooting weddings and portraits while managing the physical challenges from my military injuries.

During Covid, I decided to finally bring an idea I’d been sitting on for years to life: a book showcasing all the incredible locations to photograph along the Great Ocean Road and Otways region in Australia.

What I thought would be a simple project turned into a much larger endeavour than I’d imagined. Four years later, the e-book is complete, and I’m currently fundraising on Kickstarter to cover the high printing costs of a 750-page colour book.

To bring this vision to life, I’ve spent over 220 days travelling up and down the Great Ocean Road, improving my landscape photography skills, and even adding photography workshops along the Great Ocean Road to my business.

Teaching this craft has become my true passion, and nothing beats watching my clients gain confidence in their photography.

The gear listed below is what I use when shooting landscape photography.

I can honestly say that the equipment has been put through its paces over the years. Gear that couldn’t withstand constant exposure to sand, wind, mud, and rain has been replaced with the durable gear I now rely on.

Nikon Z8 (x2) – I usually take both cameras if the walk isn’t too far, to avoid changing lenses, especially for seascapes or if I’m heading out for a doors-off plane or helicopter flight.

I switched to mirrorless full-time in 2023 when I was convinced that Nikon had a camera worth upgrading to from my old Nikon D5 and Nikon D850.

My Nikon Z8 bodies have a Really Right Stuff (RRS) L-Bracket attached. I never shoot without an L-bracket on my camera.

I also prefer to use a hand strap most of the time, and the Spiderpro Hand Strap is my choice for each of my full-frame-sized cameras.

I quickly transitioned my old holy trinity of lenses to match the new system, as I wasn’t a fan of using an adapter for my everyday lenses.

Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 – This has become my go-to lens for seascapes and many waterfall shots.

Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 – This lens is always in my bag, and I use it at least seventy-five per cent of the time.

Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 – This lens sees the least use, typically when I’m driving and spot wildlife along the road.

At one point in my photographic journey, I used a Sony mirrorless for wedding video, so while I’m waiting to get the Nikon 100-400mm lens, I’ve been using the Sony A7 Mark III with their Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 for tighter seascape shots, particularly when focusing on waves.

I also pull it out for occasional lifestyle landscape shots, often combining surfers with an interesting background or backlighting.

Nikon F 19mm Tilt Shift – This is more of a problem-solver. I don’t usually bring it unless I encounter a location that needs special treatment, like a waterfall where I’m shooting up close and need to adjust the perspective, or to create panoramas using the shift function.

Nikon F Macro 105mm f/2.8 – When the Otways are wet in winter, I use this lens to capture fungi and small ferns. When I do, I also bring the FTZ II Adapter. I haven’t felt the need to upgrade to the newer Z-mount macro lens yet, though I’m sure it’ll tempt me eventually.

Benro TMA48CXL Mach3 Carbon Fibre Tripod – While this tripod is not the lightest option, it is a solid piece of gear. With extra-tall legs making it stand at 2.1m, it’s built for stability.

I added extra-long 80mm tripod spikes to the legs, and with the hook, this system provides extra security, especially in the strong winds commonly found along the Great Ocean Road.

Really Right Stuff Levelling Base and a Leofoto VH-30R 2-Way Head with Panning Clamp – I’ve ditched my ball head in favour of this setup.  With an RRS nodal slide, I can easily create perfect panoramas, and the levelling base lets me easily recompose my image without having to re-level the tripod.

I’m a bit of a filter junkie and have tried many brands before settling on NiSi Square Filters. The adapter fits easily on my lenses, and I can stack up to three filters without vignetting.

I love the colour quality from NiSi, unlike other brands where I often had to tweak white balance or tint in post-processing due to the filter.

I regularly use a three and six-stop neutral density filter, and I like the reverse, medium, and soft grad filters for seascapes. I always use a CPL for waterfall shoots and many seascapes.

Seascape shooting means dealing with saltwater, sea spray, and sand, so I upgraded to a Shimoda Action X50 Backpack, with a couple of inserts. It’s durable and surprisingly comfortable on my bad back, as it hip-loads much of the weight. The expandable roll-top access is excellent for carrying jackets, food, first aid, and other essentials.

I bought a cheap disposable waterproof camera cover for sea spray, though I often forget to use it. This has led to my camera getting drenched in saltwater several times. When that happens, I rinse the camera with fresh water, then dry it with a microfiber towel.

After this unrecommended method, I’ve always been able to continue shooting. I also find the water valuable for cleaning filters before using them. I also carry Zeiss wet lens cleaner or Kimtech scientific tissues to clean the lenses.

On windy days, I pack a bungee cord to keep my camera bag secured to the ground. I attach it to the hook and wrap it around the bag handle, which prevents the pack from swinging and lets me use the tripod at any height without worry.

For doors-off plane flights, I need a dual-camera holster. After trying several options for wedding photography, I found the RL Handcrafts Clydesdale Pro-DLX to be the most comfortable.

The shoulder padding makes a big difference, and it can carry up to three cameras, which is perfect for wedding shoots.

Lastly, for seascape shoots, a wireless intervalometer is essential for triggering the shutter at the perfect moment, without the risk of disturbing the camera.

For those interested in more information about my book, A Photographer’s Guide: The Great Ocean Road and Otways, head to my website. You can even grab a pre-sale discounted copy via Kickstarter until 7th May, 2025.

This is not just a 750-page photography book; it’s a complete travel guide and a photography manual.

Enjoy!

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