Larry Ginyard (@roaminglarry) is a travel and landscape photographer based in the Washington, DC Metro Area. “For years, I meandered through life – going from point A to point B – oblivious to the beauty of the world around me,” he says. “Until one day, I bought a Sony Alpha 6000 on a whim. My life changed on that fateful day. It was like I was seeing the world for the first time.” He says he’s been chasing that feeling ever since. Now with an updated kit, Ginyard shares what’s in his bag for the different situations he comes across in travel and landscape photography.

Product Preview – In This Article You'll Find:
–Sony Alpha 7 IV
–Sony Alpha 7C
–Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master II
–Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master
–Sony 20mm f/1.8 G
–Sony 2x Teleconverter
–Sony TOUGH M-Series Memory Cards

Cameras

Sony Alpha 7 IV: I chose the Sony Alpha 7 IV due to its versatility. It does everything well. I needed a camera with great image quality regardless of light conditions and the Alpha 7 IV delivers. I also needed a camera that could shoot high quality video. With 10-bit, S-Log3, 4K at 30fps with no crop and 60fps capability, the Alpha 7 IV checks that box as well. I tend to shoot from all perspectives and really like getting low, so the fully articulating screen sealed the deal.

“Morning glory in Death Valley National Park.” Photo by Larry Ginyard. Sony Alpha 7 IV. Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master II. 1/200-sec., f/5.6, ISO 500

Sony Alpha 7C: I recently spent a morning in California’s Eastern Sierras. As the sun rose above the horizon, clouds were dancing around newly snow-covered peaks, making it the perfect time for a timelapse. But so many other things were happening that I wanted to capture but couldn’t because of the timelapse. It was at that moment that I realized I needed a second body. I felt the Alpha 7C was up to the task.

Photo by Larry Ginyard. Sony Alpha 7C. Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master. 1/250-sec., f/7.1, ISO 160

I chose it because its feature set was on par with the Alpha 7 III with and I also really loved the lightweight form-factor for those moments when I want to travel light.

“A day by the sea.” Photo by Larry Ginyard. Sony Alpha 7C. Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master. 1/160-sec., f/5, ISO 100

Lenses

I roam a lot by road. In my travels, I have an idea of what I’m going to see based on my initial planning. However, I like spontaneous stops more than planned stops. Because of that, I tend to prefer zoom lenses. Zoom lenses ensure I’m ready for whatever new scene I discover.

Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master II: My favorite zoom lens is the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master II. I love how sharp it is throughout its range. I also love how light it is compared to other zoom lenses I’ve tried. Coupled with either one of my camera bodies, it's super-fast to focus and the focus has always been accurate.

“First light in Lone Pine, California.” Photo by Larry Ginyard. Sony Alpha 7 IV. Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master II. 1/100-sec., f/6.3, ISO 50

Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master: The 24-70mm focal length range is my sweet spot as a travel and landscape photographer. The versatility of this lens lets me go from capturing cityscapes to epic landscapes without missing a beat. This lens is sharp and fast focusing, offers great contrast, and has very nice bokeh. If I could only carry one lens, this one would be it.

“Remnants of things that went boom—a volcano skeleton.” Photo by Larry Ginyard. Sony Alpha 7 IV. Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master. 1/25-sec., f/4.5, ISO 400

Sony 20mm f/1.8 G: This lens is my go-to lens for low light photography. I bought it specifically for astrophotography applications as it's very sharp and has a wide aperture but it’s just as good shooting cityscapes at blue hour or waterfalls at golden hour. It’s also good for solo v-logging out in nature. It’s wide enough to capture the scene without being so wide that you encounter a lot of distortion. It feels solid and premium even though it's very lightweight. It’s weather-sealed and at its price point the 20mm f/1.8 G is a bargain in my view.

“A peaceful evening where Maryland, DC, and Virginia intersect.” Photo by Larry Ginyard. Sony Alpha 7 IV. Sony 20mm f/1.8 G. 15-sec., f/13, ISO 100

Accessories

Wandrd Privke 31Bag: No what’s in my bag would be complete without the bag. This bag keeps my gear dry and protected.

Sony 2x Teleconverter: This teleconverter effectively makes my Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master II lens a 140-400mm lens. It helps me keep my bag a little lighter by not having to bring a 100-400mm lens with me.

Sony TOUGH M-Series Memory Cards: I love a good memory card and the Sony TOUGH series has treated me well. V60 and V90 are the speed cards I use most.

Crucial X9 Pro 4TB Portable SSD: I’ve learned the hard way that keeping things backed up in near real-time is a good thing and this hard drive is so small it fits in my change pocket.

Peak Design Capture Camera Clip V3: This clip attaches to my bag and makes my camera a quick grab and click away from getting the shot. It’s the most convenience enabling thing in my bag.

Headphones: These help me shut off the world when I need to…even when they’re not playing music. 
 
CIVIVI Praxis Flipper Pocket Knife C803F: General preparedness and safety.

Photo by Larry Ginyard. Sony Alpha 7 IV. Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master II. 1/1000-sec., f/11, ISO 640

Macbook Pro: I tend not to use it on trips except to backup my memory cards. But it’s nice to have when I have deliverables or just want to get some work done.

Altura Photo Professional Cleaning Kit: I try to always have a microfiber cloth, a lens brush, and air blower to keep my camera and lenses clean.

Leofoto Ranger LS-324C Carbon Fiber Tripod: This relatively lightweight tripod has a good extension which enables me to capture the scene from flat to the ground all the way up to 54.9”. It’s super stable which makes those slightly windy days a non-issue.

Polar Pro Filters: I often use a Circular Polarizer (CP) filter. It reduces glare and reflections in obvious places like the surface of water or glass. But it can also work son things like leaves, streets, buildings. I also sometimes use a Peter McKinnon Variable Neutral Density filter (2-5 Stop). This filter reduces the amount of light that reaches your camera sensor. I primarily use it when shooting long exposures especially when I want to use a longer shutter speed but there’s too much light.

Photo by Larry Ginyard. Sony Alpha 7 IV. Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master II. 1/500-sec., f/8, ISO 80

Drones: Drones help me get an elevated perspective when a higher vantage point otherwise isn’t available. 

Midland-T51VP3 X-TALKER: These two-way radios help me communicate with my friends when cell signals get spotty to non-existent, which is often in the places where I love to travel. It makes setting up the shot a breeze.

JYJZPB Charger Case: This case keeps my two extra Sony NP-FZ100 batteries charged and acts as a rechargeable battery pack in a jam.

Pelican 0915 Memory Card Case: This helps keep my memory cards organized and protected.

Police Security Lookout 1000 Lumen Headlamp: This headlamp makes it easy to see when there isn’t much light. It’s also a cool prop for night shots.

OCOOPA Rechargeable Hand Warmer: Weirdly, my hands are cold most of the time. I carry a hand warmer so I don’t miss the shot trying to stay warm.

Anker Magnetic Portable Charger: An emergency backup for my phone.

See more of Larry Ginyard’s work on Instagram @roaminglarry.