Tomoaki Katsuba

My name is Tomoaki Katsuba, and I am a photographic artist from Japan who is currently living in Hong Kong.

My main subjects are landscapes and cityscapes around the world.

Where there are unique natural phenomena or simply beautiful light, colour, shadow, and shapes. I aim to capture them from my unique perspectives and transform them into artistic narratives.

I started my photography journey as a hobby in 1998 to capture places and things I found beautiful while travelling abroad. Fast forward over twenty-five years, and I am still fascinated by this art.

Since 2021, a few years after I began working professionally, I have received multiple awards from various international contests, including the London Photography Awards, Fine Art Photography Awards, and EPSON International Pano Awards.

These recognitions continue to inspire and encourage me to pursue this art further.

When I started in 1998, I bought Canon’s entry-level SLR with two kit lenses. Frankly, I didn’t need more than that because I was just a hobbyist. At the time, I was also backpacking, and I needed to save space and keep my backpack as light as possible.

I now have much more gear than just a camera and two lenses. However, I still try to limit it to the essentials for my photography when travelling, especially as many airlines are becoming increasingly strict about carry-on weight and size.

Canon EOS R5 – is my primary camera. I previously used the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, an excellent camera. I had accumulated many EF lenses, so switching to the Canon EOS R5 was a natural choice when transitioning from DSLR to mirrorless.

DJI Mavic 3 – is my primary drone, which I mainly use for fun as I’m still learning to capture shots from usually unreachable perspectives.

I currently own five RF and six EF lenses but usually carry only two.

My go-to lenses are the following:

Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM – I find this lens quite versatile and handy due to its lightweight and compact size. While it is slightly less sharp than some of my other lenses, it still performs well for most of my needs.

I’ve started using this lens more frequently than the Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM, which is much heavier and bulkier.

My favourite lens is the Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM, which I use more than any other because it offers the perfect focal range for my photography style and is incredibly compact and lightweight. The image quality is excellent as well.

The only drawback is that I cannot attach an extender to this lens as I could with Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM.

Occasionally, I bring Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM, especially when photographing architecture or the night sky.

My bag of choice is the Summit Creative Tenzing 40L, which I bought for my Iceland photography tour in February this year, and it has quickly become my favourite travel bag.

It is solidly built with durable materials, and the internal space and dividers are well-designed, allowing me to pack all my essential gear without any issues. Other bags I’ve used had problems with space, dividers, or build quality.

When photographing in Hong Kong, I use smaller bags such as Compagnon Medium Messenger or Profoto Core Backpack S, which can carry my Canon EOS R5, two lenses, and other accessories such as filters and a tripod. These bags are compact, well-designed, highly durable, and easy to use.

The Leofoto LS-284C/G4 Geared Head Tripod has been in my bag for quite some time. I love the tripod’s compact and lightweight design, which fits perfectly in a carry-on suitcase. When paired with the geared head, it can hold my camera and any lens steadily, even in windy situations, without any issues.

Filters are essential for my photography, and I currently own ten filters from this brand, H&Y K-Series. They were among the first to adopt the magnetic system, and I was immediately drawn to its usability when I saw them for the first time. They work brilliantly.

Additionally, I have four KASE Clip-in Filters for my Canon EOS R5. I find them very useful because they are compact, can be used with lenses of any diameter, and don’t need to be removed each time I change lenses.

I choose between the H&Y K-Series and KASE Clip-in systems, depending on the environment I photograph.

I use four ND/Polarizer hybrid filters from Freewell Filters, which work very well for my drone.

I currently use a MacBook Pro 16” with Apple M2 Max, BenQ SW271 Monitor, and Canon PRO-500 inkjet Printer. With its processing speed, ninety-nine percent Adobe RGB colour accuracy, and large-format archival printing capability, I am pretty satisfied with my working environment.

As for software, I use Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop as my primary editing tools. They cover ninety percent of my editing needs.

I also use Luminar Neo and DxO Nik Collection for additional colour and tone adjustments. DxO PureRaw is handy for noise reduction, depending on the conditions of the images I capture. The noise reduction by this software is incredible and has drastically changed how I photograph in low-light situations.

I also pack camera cleaning tools, extra batteries, memory cards, a water bottle, mosquito repellent, a towel, and a jacket for cold weather or a change of clothes for hot weather.

While many people are curious about the best camera, lens, and equipment, I believe what truly matters is understanding your goals for photography and determining what you need to achieve them.

Gear is merely a tool to help you reach your objectives.

Here are two of my favourite quotes from Portrait of Hong Kong by the legendary photographer Mr. Fan Ho:

“If the photographer’s thoughts and feelings can be conveyed to the viewers enabling the viewers to have the same thoughts and feelings, then the mission of art is accomplished, thus realising a form of artistic beauty.”

“Writers and painters can rely on memory to create, but photographers simply cannot photograph memory and must therefore seize the moment.”

I hope everyone focuses on seizing the moment and fulfilling their missions as photographers.

Thank you for stopping by and checking out what’s in my camera bag.

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