Evan Scales

Hi! I’m Evan, a photographer bouncing between the US and Spain. My work is split between nautical, boats, yachts, other ocean-related things, and education.

My kit has changed quite a bit over the past few years. For a while, I was one hundred percent Canon.

I still pull out my Canon EOS R6 bodies and EF lenses occasionally, but I will focus on the kit that brings me the most joy and that’s what I mostly shoot with.

I bought my Fujifilm X-T5 on a whim a few years ago and haven’t looked back. As anyone who shoots Fujifilm knows, there’s something special about these sensors.

I shoot almost entirely with natural light, and the skin and sky tones from the Fujifilms are beautiful.

Nothing against Canon, I find their gear more reliable and technically advanced, like their AF. But I think Fujifilm cameras are more enjoyable even with their card issues and playback freezing.

I’ll rent the medium-format kits occasionally, but I usually prefer the form factor of the X series.

I carry a Fujifilm XT-30 II as a backup to the Fujifilm XT-5 and 35mm is my favorite focal length so the Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 is always in my bag.

In addition, I have the following lenses which are a joy to use:

Fujifilm XF 27mm f/2.8 

Fujifilm XF 33mm f/1.4

Fujifilm XF 90mm f/2

Fujifilm XF 16-50mm f/2.8

I like to keep things small and compact, which is a significant change from my Canon kit.

Passing a Think Tank BackStory 15L Backpack from boat to boat is much easier than my Peak Design Travel 45L Backpack.

If I know drone work will be a substantial part of a shoot, I’ll bring my DJI Mavic 3, but if not, I’ll throw my DJI Mini 3 Pro in the backpack and with a bit of help from Topaz Gigapixel and clever Adobe Lightroom work, I don’t mind this sensor at all.

I also take my Nauticam Housing for the Canon EOS R7 for some shoots. Underwater, or for me, more split shots is a whole different ballgame and I’ve learned so much from dealers and other photographers over the years.

I pair the Canon EOS R7 with the Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM, which works wonderfully with my housing and the zoom ring. For anyone thinking of adding underwater gear to their kit, my experience with cheaper housing is that it was clumsy and annoying to work with.

So go Nauticam! It’s a decent upfront investment for something likely to be secondary in your kit, but worth it. I use a bright blue CineBags bag for this housing and accessories.

Also pictured is my Icom M85 VHF radio with the stubby antenna, which I use for anything involving a boat.

Talking to the helm and crew members from wherever I am, even on a chase boat, is helpful. I also bring my Canon AT-1, a Canon FD 50mm f/1.8, and a couple rolls of Portra 400.

Film is still an experiment for me, but something that can be fun.

I use a Sandisk SSD for mobile work, a Synology NAS with Amazon Glacier backup for storage.

I use Capture One, Adobe Lightroom, Topaz Gigapizel, and Luminar in my workflow.

Thanks for taking the time to check out my gear. If you want to collaborate or grab a drink, shoot me a note via my Contact page as I’m always up for a chat!

Website | Instagram

2019

Hi! I’m Evan Scales, a commercial and editorial photographer based in Boston, Massachusetts.

I’ve been shooting stills and video since I was in lower school – I remember saving up for the Flip Ultra video camera (when Flips were all the rage). I still shoot both stills and video, but I’ll focus on stills here.

I’ve never narrowed my genres into one word, like “commercial.” Many folks have advised me to do this for business purposes, but it never felt right. So today, I shoot a broad mix of things (and love it), from corporate headshots to boats in Florida, to hockey in Fenway. I’ll focus on my commercial work for this article, though.

I’m a huge gear nerd (always have been). I’m a Canon guy. My first DSLR was the Canon T3i, which I still own (and used to shoot my gear layout). I love that camera. I left it strapped to the roof of an ice rink for a month, tethered over USB/ethernet. It worked flawlessly.

What I love most about the gear I use: the dependability. It’s something you can’t know from a spec sheet. Today, Canon knocked it out of the park with my pride and joy, the 1DX Mark II.

I’ve tried only to include the gear I use regularly in this gear breakdown. Apart from the gear, I do post work on an iMac with Lightroom (and Photoshop for detailed tweaks). I use Capture One for tethering and a Synology 10GB server/network for storage.

Cameras

Canon 1DX Mark II: Can’t go wrong with this. It’s like a bunch of Canon’s best cameras put together. It’s got better AF than the 7DII, which is insanely fast and accurate.

Canon 6D: The second DSLR I ever got. Killer image at a decent price point. It’s my backup on pretty much every shoot.

Canon 7DII: I use this as a second camera for sports. I also use it in my Aquatech housing for in-water shots.

Sony A6000: Super tiny. The leather grip makes it 20 times better (I recommend buying it).

Fujifilm X100T: My vacation camera. I’m not a huge fan (the controls are weirdly designed). But I also don’t shoot much when I’m on vacation.

Lenses

Canon 300mm f/2.8L IS II
Canon 400mm f/5.6L
Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS II
Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L II
Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II
Canon 24mm f/1.4L II
Sigma 50mm f/1.4
Sigma 85mm f/1.4
Sony 10-18mm f/4
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6

Lighting

Canon 600EX-RT (2)
Canon 430EX-RT
Canon ST-E3-RT Transmitter

Canon’s radio system in select Speedlites is killer. I always use it for headshots, weddings, events, etc. The Speedlites themselves are quick to use and easy to mount.

Profoto D1: I’m a huge Profoto fan. These lights are super durable.
PocketWizard PlusX
PocketWizard Plus III
Westcott 26” Rapid Box for Speedlites

Other

Aquatech BASE housing for 7DII
Mavic Pro Drone
Bolt flash pack
Canon WFT-E8A wireless file transmitter for 1DXII
Mefoto Globetrotter
Freehands photo gloves
Storm Jacket cover for 1DXii with 300mm lens
Tether Tools tethering cable and extension
UE speaker
Icom UHF radio for land use (I lease 4 frequencies throughout the USA)
Icom VHF radio for marine use

www.evanscales.com | @evan_scales

Highly Recommended

8 Tools for Photographers

Check out these 8 essential tools to help you succeed as a professional photographer.

Includes limited-time discounts.

Learn more here