Over the last couple of weeks I must have received at least 15 messages asking about my camera, lenses, editing software, etc.. Which is why today, I decided to write a quick post, all about my equipment.
CAMERA
I have two cameras, but I primarily use my Canon 70D. It was a little upgrade from my 60D and unlike the the older model, 70D has auto focus which works great with filming videos (even though I haven’t filmed in a while, I know that this camera is amazing for creating videos). It also has a full manual mode in video and records in HD. It has a flip screen which works great when taking photos from different angles.
LENSES
I never use my kit lens anymore, mainly because I like my photos bright but our home isn’t very photography-friendly and the kit lens isn’t the best for taking bright pictures. One of my favorite lenses is Canon 50 mm f/1.4; Canon 50 mm f’/1.8 also known as the “nifty-fifty” is pretty awesome (and affordable!) too. Both of these lenses are fixed, meaning they do not zoom in or out, so that means that you have to put in the work but getting closer/further from your subject. Both have large aperture which means that they let in a lot of light for an exposure- which means that both are great for taking bright photos. Another must-have lens for me is Canon 40mm f/2.8 also called the “pancake” lens. It’s small and compact, which makes this an awesome lens for taking outfit photos. It’s also affordable, quick and sharp. None of these lenses work great for close-up- that’s where I use my Canon 18-55 f/3.5 (which is a very old lens that came with one of our old Rebel cameras, but still works great).
LIGHTING
I mention the importance of using natural light in pretty much every single one of my photography posts. As much as I’d love to be able to use natural light at all times, sometimes it’s just impossible. That’s when I use my Ring Light and/or my Soft Boxes. My ring light comes especially in handy when taking mascara swatches, etc. It’s no longer sold from the place I got it, but you can find a similar one right here.
TRIPOD & WIRELESS REMOTE CONTROLLER
Tripod is another must-have for me. I don’t use it every single time I take blog photos but I always have it handy. It helps to keep the camera steady (obviously) and take sharper photos. This Wireless Remote Controller is another little tool I can’t go without.
EDITING SOFTWARE
For the longest time ever I’ve used PicMonkey but last year I upgraded to Photoshop. Now that Photoshop offers monthly subscription, it’s definitely much more affordable for everyone. It might be a little intimidating at first, but there are so many wonderful tutorials on YouTube I learned quite a few tricks within a week. I’m also a huge fan of A Beautiful Mess blog and have purchased their Photoshop Actions and let me tell you that they’re worth every penny. I use them every single time I edit images for my blog. I can’t recommend them enough!
REFLECTOR
My reflector is a life saver. Working with limited light can be a nightmare at times and this reflector really helps me to get my images to look bright and it also gets the light to distribute evenly. It’s one of my most-used photography tools (other than my camera ;) ).
1.Canon 40 mm f/2.8; 2. Tripod; 3. Canon 70D; 4. Adobe Photoshop CC; 5. Canon Wireless Remote; 6. Canon 50mm f/ 1.4; 7. Soft Boxes; 8. 5 in 1 Reflector.
Also, for those of you who don’t know, few months a go I created a Blogging Resources section where you can find answers to most of your questions about things like my equipment, hosting, favorite WP plugins, etc.