Most photographers, if they’re honest, are a little obsessed with their equipment — myself included. The ecosystem you choose early on often shapes your creative path. For me, that began in the late 1990s with Nikon. My first film camera was Nikon, simply because that’s what my photography lecturer used. I still have those bodies today, along with a few lenses and a teleconverter. They’re about to return to active duty too — my youngest son is now studying Photography A-Level, so those Nikons will soon be running rolls of Ilford film for the first time in years.

When digital technology took hold, I decided it was time for a change. In the late 2000s, I moved from Nikon to Canon, drawn to the now-iconic 5D Mark II — a camera that defined an era. It served me faithfully for the next decade and cemented my appreciation for Canon’s colour science and reliability.

Then came the next revolution: mirrorless. With DSLRs giving way to this new format, I made my third major shift in twenty years — this time to Sony. Changing systems is never easy; there’s always that moment of doubt — is it the right choice? Will it feel familiar? Will it make me better?

As it turned out, I needn’t have worried. My first Sony was the a6600, a fast, 24.2-megapixel APS-C camera that became my entry point into serious sports photography. It was with this camera that my work first began to gain attention.

Today, my primary body is the Sony A9, which I consider close to the perfect sports camera — though I’ve yet to shoot with the A1 II. At most events, I carry two lenses: the FE 70–200mm f/2.8 and the FE 85mm f/1.8 prime.

Beyond the cameras, my supporting kit comes mainly from three trusted brands: DJI, Manfrotto, and Apple. DJI covers my drone and gimbal systems; Manfrotto provides the tripods, monopods, and hard cases that travel with me to every game; and Apple powers my workflow, with Adobe Creative Suite at the heart of my post-production.

That’s the toolkit I rely on — not as a badge of loyalty, but as the collection of tools that help me tell stories through sport. If you’re exploring sports photography yourself and have questions about equipment or setup, I’m always happy to share what I’ve learned.