Jordan Griffith is a landscape and wildlife photographer based out of Tempe, Arizona. He's spent hours upon hours at the Lower Salt River and Gilbert Riparian Preserve in Arizona with his Sony Alpha 7 III. “My Sony Alpha camera is one of my prized possessions,” he says. “The places this camera has taken me are places I never imagined I’d go in such little time. Photography is truly a lifelong passion of mine and Sony has made that possible.” Keep reading below as Jordan shares his go-to camera and lenses for landscape and wildlife photography.
Product Preview – In This Article You’ll Find:
–Sony Alpha 7 III
–Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G
–Sony 50mm F2.5 G
–Sony 20mm f/1.8 G
–Sony NP-FZ100 Rechargeable Battery
Camera
Sony Alpha 7 III: This is my main and only camera that isn’t the one on the back of my phone. The A7 III is the perfect camera for on the move people like me. With my subjects being primarily outdoors, this camera is lightweight and easy to pack into a camera bag and take on trails through the deserts, mountains and pretty much any environment you throw at it. The autofocus never disappoints.
Lenses
Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G: I love this lens simply for how compact and diverse it can be. Being a lighter weight zoom lens means I don’t have to weigh my already heavy pack down with a much larger zoom lens on long hikes with lots of elevation. The stabilization within the A7 III and the lens itself makes it perfect for shots of moving wildlife or keeping on the body when you’re trekking up a hill to get just a bit closer to some wildlife you spotted. It’s also a great lens for landscape photography when you don’t want to go to the traditional wider angle lenses.
Sony 50mm f/2.5 G: This little lens is a great walk around lens for when I want to restrict myself and don’t want to put on my large standard 24-70mm lens. It’s compact size makes it incredibly easy to pack away and a no-brainer to grab for trips.
Sony 20mm f/1.8 G: I admittedly don’t use the 20mm f/1.8 G as often, but when I do, it’s exclusively used for landscapes when I want just a bit more of whatever is in front of me in the frame. It’s super light yet still manages to get crispy sharp shots when I need it.
Accessories
Sony NP-FZ100 Rechargeable Battery: I always carry at least 3-4 of these batteries on me at any time. You just never know what you’re going to run into out there and you may end up draining a battery while shooting. It also helps to have spares in case you forget to charge the one in your camera, which I tend to do often.
Hiking Boots: Out here in the desert there’s many, many things you can step on that will hurt your feet if you aren’t paying attention. My boots make it easy to climb over rocks and brush to get to what I want to shoot.
3 Legged Thing Tripod: For when I’m in a fixed spot and don’t want to handhold my camera, putting my camera on a moveable ball-head adds extra stability.
Binoculars: For observing wildlife at a distance and planning your next shot.
Medical Kit, Multi-Tool and Emergency Whistle: I’m usually out in the wilderness by myself and in lieu of that, I will always take precautions to have what I think I’d need in case I’m injured. You truly never know what could happen out there.
See more of Jordan Griffith’s work on Instagram @jordanexplores.
