Hi, my name is Brandon Fonda. Since graduating from Utah State University with a degree in broadcast journalism, I’ve dedicated my life to telling stories through a camera. I started as a reporter for ABC in Boise but have really found my love in sports photography. From college football to AAU 4th graders on the court, I’ve probably covered it during a decade plus of experience. I pride myself in capturing moments that last forever and being creative with portraits that stand out. I specialize in senior portraits, head shots, athlete portraits, in-game photography, and team media day. When I’m not taking pictures, I teach high school photography and video, coach high school girls basketball, golf every chance I get, and hang out with my awesome wife and three kids.
I’m located in the Salt Lake area but can shoot just about anywhere. Send me a DM on IG or an email through the contact page and let’s get something set up!
My Gear
Over the past decade or more I’ve shot with everything from Sony, Cannon, Nikon, Panasonic and more. I’m not here to tell you which camera is best because they are all great and they all have their flaws. One thing I have learned is that skill, creativity and experience is what you want as a photographer. The photographer is what makes the photo great not the camera. That being said here is a list of what I am currently using.
Camera
I use a Sony A7III. I’ve had this camera for about 2 years now and I could easily see myself sticking with it for another 3-5 years. Some cameras are more catered to video, some more to photo but this camera has great specs for both. I use it for professional video projects and photography sessions including low light events and sports and it hasn’t failed me yet. Some specific things I love: The fast eye tracking auto focus. Size and ergonomics. Battery life. It doesn’t overheat. 4k option. Slow motion up to 120 fps. Shoots fast. Jacks for headphones and external audio. Without getting too technical, I feel I get the most bang for my buck with this camera.
Lenses
My go to lens that I use for about 70 percent of my work is the Sony 85mm f1.8 prime. It’s fast, I love the compression and it just fits my style right now.
The list of lenses I use: Sony 85mm f1.8, Sony 70-200mm f2.8, Sigma art 24-70mm f2.8.
The key here is to have a lens collection that covers a wide range of focal lengths and can shoot well in low light. With these lenses I shoot videos and photos for sports, events, weddings, portraits and products. I’m thinking of adding a 35mm prime to the lineup, but we will see.
Lighting
I’ve always used external lighting for video, especially during interviews but using off camera flash or strobes is a newly discovered love of mine. I love using strobes because you can create images that you just can’t get using natural lighting. You can really shape the light and control exactly how you want your photo to look. After a lot of education and practice, I am now using strobes in a lot of my photoshoots, especially in the sports world.
I use two Godox AD200 pros, gels, and two ez glow soft boxes. (2x4ft strip box, and a 30inch beauty dish)
Other Gear
DJI Ronin SC - This is a stabilization gimbal great for those moving shots.
Rode Video Mic Pro - A shotgun mic that I can mount on my camera or on a boom to get good audio.
Aperture MC - A small white/RGB light that is great for product photography.
Various light stands.
Tarion Pro Camera Bag - Its a good bag that didn’t cost a fortune.
SanDisk Extreme Pro 64GB SD cards - Gotta record what you shoot right?
SanDisk 1 TB External Hard Drive - I store raw files and completed project here.
Microsoft Surface Book 3 - Laptop I use to run Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop and Premiere.
