Creating successful portraits requires a unique blend of skill, creativity and of course, the right gear. A professional Sony Alpha camera, versatile lenses and essential accessories can help portrait photographers bring their visions to life. Below we highlight 10 portrait photographers and their photography kits that help them create stunning people pictures. Join us as we delve into the equipment that helps these artists capture the beauty, emotion and individuality of their subjects both on-location and in the studio, offering you inspiration for your own portrait photography journey.

Get more "kit-spiration" at alphauniverse.com/wimb.

The Pro Portrait Kit

Sony Artisan Jermaine Horton is a Naperville (Chicago) area wedding, portrait and sports photographer. He uses the Sony Alpha 1 for all, leaning on the high megapixels for high-quality portraits, especially on wedding day. Attached to his Sony Alpha 1 you’ll find a variety of lenses for portraits, and we mean VARIETY. Are you ready? He knows how to work with the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master II, Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II, Sony 24-105mm f/4 G, Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 G Master, Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master, Sony 35mm f/1.4 G Master, Sony 50mm f/1.2 G Master, Sony 85mm f/1.8 and Sony 135mm f/1.8 G Master to get an excellent portfolio of portraits. See his complete kit in What’s In My Bag: A Complete Photo Kit For Capturing Weddings, Portraits & Sports.

The Storyteller’s Portrait Kit

Sony Artisan Chris Orwig is a modern-day professional photographer and storyteller who is most known for his portraiture. The Sony Alpha 7R V is his go-to for shooting portraits, and he also likes the size of the Sony Alpha 7C for times when he needs a smaller setup. He calls the Sony 85mm f/1.4 G Master the ultimate portrait lens and his all-time favorite. He also uses a whole host of other Sony primes and zooms depending on the look and location. Learn more about his entire kit and see some of his beautiful still imagery in What’s In My Bag: A Carefully-Curated Hybrid Kit For Professional Storytelling.

The Single Camera & Lens Self-Portrait Kit

Self-portraits count as portraits too, and Sony Artisan Brooke Shaden is one of the most creative self-portrait artists out there. She uses the Sony Alpha 7R V for her fine art work. “As a self-portrait artist, the flip screen makes my job a breeze. I think back to my beginning days of photography and self-portraiture, wishing my workhorse camera would let me see what I was doing in front of the camera. Now, it’s here. Combined with having 61MP and such a high dynamic range, it’s the perfect camera for fine art. I can shoot in low light and in unexpected spaces and still come out with great image quality that I can print large for exhibitions. I simply don’t need another camera.” Paired with the Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II, a tripod and a remote, she creates images that can easily be maximized for printing later. Learn more about her gear and see her hauntingly beautiful work in What’s In My Bag: Brooke Shaden's Single Camera & Lens Kit For Streamlined Self-Portraits.

The On-Location Portrait Kit

Albert "Albee" Kennedy (@akfotos.co) is a lifestyle portrait photographer and video creator who describes his overall objective as making beautiful photos that tell a story and bring joy to people. Using a pair of Sony Alpha cameras – the Sony Alpha 7 IV and Sony Alpha 7C II – and a variety of sharp primes, – the Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master, Sony 35mm f/1.4 G Master, Sony 50mm f/1.4 G Master, Sony 85mm f/1.8 – Kennedy creates stunning portraits on location that capture both the personality and environment of each subject. See more of his work in What’s In My Bag: 2 Sony Alpha Cameras & 4 Fast Primes For Lifestyle Portraits & Video.

The Outdoor Portrait Kit

Portrait photographer Jonas Hafner (@aufzehengehen.de) prefers to work with natural light. He is known for implementing creative ideas in his portraiture, most of which take place outdoors and often try to incorporate nature as an essential element. His main camera? The beloved classic Sony Alpha 7R III. He uses a unique mix of lenses with the camera to create portraits from different perspectives: the Sony 55mm f/1.8, Sony 50mm f/1.2 G Master, Sony 35mm f/1.4 G Master, Sony 90mm f/2.8 Macro G, Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II, Sony 135mm f/1.8 G Master, Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master. See his fully-loaded kit along with his work in What’s In My Bag: A Fully-Loaded Kit For Creative Portraiture.

The Landscape Portrait Kit

Madison Webb (@madisonwebbphotography) is a portrait and landscape photographer based in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She often snaps shots of proposals, weddings and elopements in stunning locations, and the Sony Alpha 9
is her go-to for all of them. Because she started as a landscape photographer, it still greatly informs her portrait work. That’s why she loves the flexibility of the Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II. Her favorite focal lengths for portraits is 85mm, and for that she reaches for her Sony 85mm f/1.8. She even includes the Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master in her bag for those intimate moments like proposals that she needs to capture from a discreet distance. See more of her work in What’s In My Bag: 2 Fast Cameras & 3 Sharp Lenses For On-Location Portraits.

The Simple Pair Portrait Kit

Ashton Sotiro (@ashsotiro.photo) is a creative portrait photographer based in Washington D.C. Sotiro has a talent for capturing engaging poses and intriguing expressions in her portraits. Combined with her technical skills, she produces beautiful and captivating imagery. As her photoshoots vary greatly, the gear she carries in her camera bag tends to change, but her constants are her Sony Alpha 7 III and her Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master lens. Learn more about her kit and see more of her work in What’s In My Bag: A Pair Of Lenses For Creative Portraiture.

The G Master Prime & Zoom Portrait Kit

Hananiah Aldrich (@niahrosephoto) is a full time portrait photographer based in Kansas City, Missouri. She enjoys pushing colors to the max, and traveling to meet new creatives in other cities. Her work consists of off camera flash, and natural light depending on the location. She relies on a pair of Sony Alpha 7 IV cameras for her work. “The IV has not disappointed as a portrait photographer and I love showing my subjects previews of the photos to get them excited and boost their confidence.” The Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II is one her most-used lenses in the studio, but that’s not all. She also frequently uses the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master II, Sony 135mm f/1.8 G Master, Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master, Sony 35mm f/1.4 G Master, Sony 50mm f/1.2 G Master and Sony 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. See the stunning work she’s able to create with these lenses in What’s In My Bag: A G Master Prime & Zoom Kit For Max-Color Portraits.

The Unexpected Primes Portrait Kit

Photographer Mickie DeVries’ (@mickiedev) primary focus is on portraits and families, and she is particularly passionate about making portraits of children. DeVries' gear setup is tight. She usually has two to three lenses – the Sony 35mm f/2.8, Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master and Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master – and her Sony Alpha 7 III camera with her in her backpack for a shoot. Learn more about why she chooses these unexpected primes and see more of her work in What’s In My Bag: A Pair Of Unexpected Sony Primes & A GM Zoom For This Portrait Photographer.

The Double Prime & Zoom Portrait Kit

Rachel Jones is a landscape and portrait photographer based out of California. “Over the years, I have combined my love for adventure and the outdoors with my love for portrait photography.” Rachel started her journey in 2019 with a Sony Alpha 7R III and she continues to use it as her trusty go-to. Her favorite zooms include the Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master and Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master, and the two primes you’ll find in her kit include the Sony 35mm f/1.4 G Master and Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master. See more of her beautiful work in What’s In My Bag: 2 Zooms & 2 Primes For Travel, Adventure & Portraiture.