Naomi Atherton (@naomijaneatherton) is a travel and landscape photographer originally from coastal Australia, now based in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. Her work is based on a desire to share places and experiences that inspire her, and evoke a curiosity of the outdoors. She says, “When not traveling, a lot of my shooting often involves hiking in the backcountry of the Canadian Rockies, where a light and efficient system is important to me – hence why I switched to Sony in 2019 to utilize the lightweight full-frame bodies and access a wide selection of zoom and prime lens choices for a variety of shooting situations.” We love Naomi’s creative eye and interesting color palette and wanted to learn more about how she makes her images. Atherton gives us an exclusive look inside her camera bag and she takes us through her carefully curated collection of Sony G Master primes and zooms and more.

Product Preview – In This Article You’ll Find:
–Sony Alpha 7 IV
–Sony Alpha 7R III
–Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master
–Sony 35mm f/1.4 G Master
–Sony 85mm f/1.4 G Master
–Sony 24-105mm f/4 G
–Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master

Cameras

Sony Alpha 7 IV: This became my primary body this year and truly is the perfect hybrid. I have this camera set up to switch seamlessly between photo and video, and the 33.0‑MP sensor is the perfect sweet spot for still delivering the resolution that suits my shooting, whilst also performing great in low light situations. The improved grip and color science have been some of my favorite features, as well as the flexibility of the flip-out screen. 

"Putting the Sony Alpha 7 IV through its paces on a spontaneous road-trip adventure through Southern Iceland." Photo by Naomi Atherton. Sony Alpha 7 IV. Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master. 1/640-sec., f/2.5, ISO 320

Sony Alpha 7R III: This was initially my primary workhorse when I first switched to Sony, and is still going strong four years later (even after going through a variety of questionable treatment/weather situations!) With its 42.4MP sensor I love to have this on hand for the ability to crop into a scene whilst still retaining resolution. Any work I’ve printed over the years has always come from this body. 

"Caption for accompanying image: A memorable flight over the North Cascades, after the first snowfall." Photo by Naomi Atherton. Sony Alpha 7R III. Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master. 1/2500-sec., f/7.1, ISO 320

Lenses

Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master: The 24mm focal length is such a sweet spot for both astro and landscapes, so having this as a prime is very handy. It’s amazingly sharp, and a small and lightweight lens to have on hand. When the sun sets and the stars are visible, I’m always reaching for this lens to make astro magic.

Photo by Naomi Atherton. Sony Alpha 7R III. Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master. 30-sec., f/2.5, ISO 320

Sony 35mm f/1.4 G Master: This lens is a fantastic all-rounder, and one of my favorite primes – usually my go-to if I’m photographing people. I’ve even used this to shoot astro when I was in a pinch, so there's not a lot of things this focal length can't be used for.

Photo by Naomi Atherton. Sony Alpha 7R III. Sony 35mm f/1.4 G Master. 1/250-sec., f/1.8, ISO 1250

Sony 85mm f/1.4 G Master: I've only recently started shooting with this lens, and have been surprised by how much I reach for it lately. Though a gorgeous portrait lens, I have occasionally used this for minimalistic landscape scenes as well. The bokeh on this lens is insane, and it’s the perfect focal length to isolate details and create a dreamy scene.

Photo by Naomi Atherton. Sony Alpha 7 IV. Sony 85mm f/1.4 G Master. 1/2500-sec., f/2, ISO 320

Sony 24-105mm f/4 G: I have switched on and off between this and a 24-70mm f2.8 – when traveling or hiking you can’t really fault this lens for versatility. Most of the time if I’m wanting to keep things light when hiking and not have to pack a bunch of primes, this is a go-to. 24mm is wide enough to work in tighter situations for a more expansive scene, but the 105mm is there if you are wanting a detail shot or a little bit more compression. This lens always finds a place in my pack when I’m prepping for a trip.

Photo by Naomi Atherton. Sony Alpha 7R III. Sony 24-105mm f/4 G. 1/320-sec., f/4.5, ISO 400

Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master: I've always found it hard to capture the true magnitude of some of the mountainous areas I've lived over the years (Washington State, Canadian Rockies) but I feel like this lens does them justice. The compression this lens offers creates simple and minimalistic scenes, and draws attention to scale. I love honing in on a certain part of a scene when I’m photographing landscapes, it can lead to more impactful images and this lens is the perfect tool for that.

Photo by Naomi Atherton. Sony Alpha 7R III. Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master. 1/320-sec., f/1.4, ISO 640

Accessories

Wandrd Prvke 41L: This is my go-to camera bag for any travel or adventures with light hiking. I’ve tried so many bags over the years for travel, and this one ticks all the boxes for convenience as well as functionality while on the go. If I am headed on an adventure with more substantial hiking, I usually switch to a Lowepro Flipside Trek BP 450 AW or simply use a camera cube within a regular hiking pack.

Garmin Inreach Satellite Device: Living in the Canadian Rockies, it is not uncommon that I'm out of service or shooting in more remote areas. This satellite device just ensures I’m equipped in both emergency and non emergency situations- whether it be on a mountain or on isolated roads out of service. If you shoot in the mountains, this is one of the most valuable things you can invest in.

First Aid Kit: This is a more compact kit, but this never leaves my camera bag. You never quite know what might unfold in the mountains and it never hurts to be prepared (for yourself or others).

Beanie (or Toque, as Canadians call them!): No cold ears wanted whilst shooting sunrise, sunset or astro! I always have one in my bag. There are a lot of regrets without one of these.

Headlamp: Between sunset/sunrise hikes and shooting astro & aurora, my headlamp doesn’t leave my bag. The red setting on this Black Diamond headlamp also enables you to adjust settings without having to adjust your eyes back and forth, which is handy when shooting at night (and less obnoxious if there are other photographers around!)

Bear Spray: Shooting in active grizzly country, this is something I always have attached to my bag or myself – though I have never used it, I’ve certainly ran into bears at close range whilst shooting (once at night, whilst distracted by the aurora!) and having this on me ensures I do have a safety measure if I ever needed it.

Gloves: I’ve used these Vallerret Nordic Women's Photography Gloves for a few years (I bought these on a trip to the Tetons when I forgot my regular gloves!) but will often shoot with normal ones. This is a must whilst shooting in the alpine (even during summer) and I usually always have a spare pair in my bag in case. 

Spare batteries: Though I’ve always been impressed with how well the Sony NP-FZ100 batteries last, especially in cold weather I usually carry a handful of spares close to my body.

Peak Design Capture Clip & Slide Lite Strap: During hiking season the capture clip is a useful tool to have my camera secured on my pack with easy access, and the Slide Lite strap is super handy when traveling if you’re just wanting to sling your camera onto your body in a more casual setting. I find the Peak Design attachments super handy. 

Peak Design Aluminum Travel Tripod: This has been my primary tripod for the last few years and is very convenient for being on the go- it’s simple to use, and packs down very compact for travel. 

Pelican Memory Card Case: I usually carry quite a few memory cards at a time, and this case acts as both storage and water resistant protection. 

Rocket Blower: There’s nothing worse than being caught with a dirty sensor- so this never leaves my pack!

See more of Naomi Atherton’s work on Instagram @naomijaneatherton.