One of my most frequently asked questions is, "What camera do you use?". So I figured it was due time to have a quick breakdown on everything I currently use in hopes that it may help you and inspire some new ideas. For context, I'm currently living out of 2.5 suitcases while on the road long term, so keeping things simple and minimal is what's most important to me. To make it easy for you, I've also included images I've created with each of my cameras + lenses to demonstrate what is possible and linked each item directly to my Amazon store where you can read other reviews and see how much they cost.
Cameras
CANON 6D
After primarily shooting with film for the last few years, the Canon 6-D was my first professional camera. I love shooting with 35mm, but it is no longer my go-to since I travel so frequently and need a quicker turnaround on my images. The 6D has been what I use for pretty much every image I've published over the past eight months, and I absolutely love it. It's a bit heavy, but a great all purpose camera for travel. I especially love that I'm able to download my images to my phone via the mobile app if i want to make a quick post on Instagram. It's video capabilities are also pretty amazing.
CANON AE-1 PROGRAM
Ahhh.....my first love. I love, love, LOVE this camera. I bought it before I started taking photography seriously and it helped me develop my style. Most of my early work was captured using this gem and I still keep it with me on my travels. I don't use it as much as I used to simply because developing the film got too expensive for my current lifestyle. But I plan to get back to shooting with this very soon - because there is yet to be a filter created that can honestly replace the magical feel of analog.
iPhone 7
Not every photo I post is taken on a professional dslr. Before buying any of my cameras, I would actually shoot all images on my phone. Now I like to mix it up, but still love the images I create with my iPhone. I just make sure to have good light to start with, then edit in VSCO and Afterlight.
fUJIFILM INSTAX MINI 90 + film
I love this camera. Not necessarily for online photo sharing, but for capturing tangible personal moments. I use it for fun moments with loved ones and eventually plan to frame all of my memories in my home (when I get one again, lol). Beyond that, I find it particularly useful for the moments when I meet new people during my travels and want to give them a portrait of themselves. There is no better feeling in the world than giving someone who may or may not have ever had their picture taken an immortalized moment of themselves. It's just priceless. PS - Don't forget to buy film, it's sold separately.
Lenses
cANON EF 24-105 MM f/4
I bought this lens because I was told it was the best all purpose Canon lens - L series included. After using it for pretty much every instance in every light setting within the past 8 months, I 100% agree. I love the images I'm able to produce with this lens!
CANON EF 50mm f/1.8
To be honest, this prime lens doesn't get as much use as my other one, but I would consider it a holy grail lens. I use it for the portraits I take after I've had some proper time to connect with my subject. I can also attest that it is incredibly sharp and focuses like a dream.
aCCESSORIES
SANDISK mEMORY CARD
The speed and quality of this card is especially helpful to me while capturing candid situations, As one amazon reviewer so eloquently put it, "If you are a hobbyist photographer, shooting landscapes or family/friends you may not see a need for this disk depending on what you shoot. If you are a professional wedding photographer or a sports photographer; or any kind of photographer where you NEED to capture that one special shot then you NEED this card." I couldn't agree more.
LaCie Thunderbolt 4TB external hard drive
This is probably the most prized item in my kit because it houses my most precious possessions: my memories and my primary source of income. I've had some very scary instances with previous drives malfunctioning, so I highly recommend you invest in a quality external drive that can withstand a travel lifestyle like this. It travels great for me and has apparently also been dropped from all sorts of crazy heights to ensure durability for extreme situations. Can't go wrong with that!
joby gorillapod tripod
This tripod is SOLID and very easily handles the weight of my DSLR. It's great for the times when you don't have a flat surface and need to get creative with your angles. If you're looking to vlog, this is also definitely a great tool yo have in your kit.
CANON REMOTE
This is a nice tool to have for taking images of myself when I'm either by myself or don't really feel like asking a stranger for help. Pairs great with the tripod.
CANON BATTERY GRIP
I was gifted this a few months back and have to say it's been fantastic. I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to kick myself in the butt after my battery died at the most inconvenient times.I'm the type of photographer that can shoot for hours and hours and hours, so it's nice to have the extra battery as backup.
KODAK PORTRA 400 35mm film
It's name says it all - it's the film the professionals back in the day used. I love how fine the grain is, it's accuracy in reproducing colors ,and the exposure latitude is untouchable. I've tried a few others, but always come back to this.
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