Kalina‘s portrait of Olga Bell, Brooklyn.

What’s in your camera bag?
A bag of cables (sync cords, adaptors, cable releases), two bags of batteries (one bag filled with camera batteries the other bag for AA and AAA), flash, Nikon Coolpix S10, lightmeter, Phase One camera with P65+ back, 120/55/80 lenses, a couple of ND5 filters, pouch with cleaning supplies, air blower, pelican CF card case, travel car mount for phone, Pocket Wizards, Canon 5D MIII with 24-70, first aid kit, headlamp, utility knife, iPhone car charger, intervalometer.

What’s in your bag that’s specific to the type of work you shoot? I shoot a wide range of subjects. The light meter and the wizards are generally used for my portraits as I tend to use strobe lighting. The headlamp, shutter releases and ND filters are generally used for my landscapes but they definitely can come in handy for my portraits. The small Nikon camera is only in my bag if I am traveling and that camera is specifically used for Everyday. Everyday is the project where I take a photo of myself every day. I’ve been doing that for 14 years and that camera is dedicated to the project.

From Kalina’s ‘Everyday’ project.

What’s the most unusual item in your camera bag? The rocket shaped air blower occasionally gets me stopped at airport security.

What can’t you live without? I could live without all of this stuff. I just wouldn’t be taking pictures.

What is your “workhorse” item? The Phase One is my workhorse. I shoot 80% of my work with that camera. It’s a delicate tank.

What is the one thing you would advise a photographer to carry with them at all times? Ibuprofen. Getting a headache is the worst.

Any tricks for packing light, space-saving techniques? I use a medium-sized backpack with lots of space and a bunch of pockets. All of this fits on my back and can go overhead on an airplane. I can put a laptop over my shoulder and still have two free hands. None of this is light. Good luck with that. Don’t forget to take the knife out before going on a plane.