Hello! My name is Stasia Renaud, I’m a photographer currently residing in Kentucky.
While I primarily focus on landscape and fine art photography, I also really enjoy travel, street, and self-portraiture.
I started photography when I was in high school. My uncle made a living as a photographer, and my aunt showed me the ropes of her camera. I haven’t put my camera down since.
My work and interests have varied throughout the years and will likely continue to do so.
Photography has been a practice of creative expression in a way I don’t experience with anything else. It is deeply meditative, and meaningful for me.
My current setup is super simple, and it works for me right now until I feel ready to add to it.
Fujifilm X-T4 – I switched to Fujifilm from Canon in 2021 and it was the best decision I ever made.
The size and weight are absolutely perfect for me when I’m hiking through trails and mountains or wandering around my own backyard.
I love playing around with the film simulations and creating my own. This camera has truly been a step toward rediscovering my love for film photography.
While I still have mixed feelings about the flip-out screen, I do enjoy that I can hide the screen completely to protect it while in my bag or to shoot like I’m actually using a film camera.
Since I started getting more into self-portraiture, I’m seeing more reasons why it’s nice to have until I need to upgrade.
Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR – If you could only get one lens this would be it. Equivalent to a 24-70mm lens, it covers such a range of situations without feeling like you’re missing anything.
I absolutely love this lens. It’s what keeps my overall gear so minimal.
Fujifilm XF 23mm f/2 R WR – When I got my 16-55 I also wanted a prime lens. Sometimes I need a break from the 16-55 because it is heavy.
This lens is equivalent to a 35mm. I love it for travel or street photography, as it’s discreet. It’s nice to challenge myself to simplicity without relying on a zoom.
Urth ND1000 (10 Stop) Filter Plus+ – This is the only lens filter I have right now in my journey of practicing long exposures. It’s been a wonderful addition to my gear.
I respect the philosophy and purpose behind Urth’s brand. I hope to add a wider variety of filters to my setup in the future.
LowePro Photo Hatchback BP 150 AW II – I’ve tried many camera bags over the years and this one is really simple. It provides what I need.
I am starting to run out of space, so I’ll need to upgrade to something larger soon. However, I’ll likely continue to keep this in my arsenal.
Patagonia Mini Hip Pack – When I’m out shooting, I don’t always love having a bag dangling on my body. This hip pack keeps my wallet, keys, and phone directly close to me.
It’s also handy to hold extra camera batteries, a lens cloth, or cards if needed without digging into my backpack.
Peak Design Strap, Wrist Strap, & Capture Clip – I love all three of these Peak Design options for carrying my camera. They produce an amazing system of products that work together!
The anchor points allow for quick changes between the Peak Design Strap and the Wrist Strap. I usually use the Capture Clip on my hiking pack while I hike.
Peak Design Tripod – While not pictured, this tripod was a wonderful investment in projects involving long exposure or in pursuing more self-portraiture. It was super quick and easy to set up.
I also have extra batteries, cards, and a cleaning kit, which are all necessary to my workflow. I use Smugmug to back up all my images online (apart from external drives) and for my website.
I use Luminar Neo and Capture One for post-processing. I absolutely love using the AI Photo Enhancement on Luminar Neo.
Sometimes, it’s all I need, and I’m good to go, especially when using film simulations on my Fujifilm.
Amazon Kindle: I read a lot, and I highly recommend books on photography and creativity. David duChemin has written a bunch, and they are all worth reading. The book pictured is called Within The Frame.
I also keep a small pocket notebook on hand if I want to take notes on anything I’m working on.
I’ll share one of my favorite musings from photographer David duChemin…
“I don’t truly love photography itself, but I do love life. What love I feel for photography is that making photographs is an astonishing way of interacting with life – of noticing the many surfaces off which the light glances.
It’s a way of seeing into the dimly lit corners of the spaces we occupy and seeing the mysteries that sometimes hide from those who look at the world with less curiosity.
It’s a way of moving through time while keeping myself open to even the thinnest slivers of time.”
I also like Marc Riboud’s description: “Taking pictures is savoring life intensely, every hundredth of a second.”
Thanks for taking the time to check out what’s in my bag.
“Some people miss whole days. Some people never wake up at all. My camera and this discipline nudge me to stay awake and invite me to both see more and feel deeper.” – David duChemin.
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