ASK ELIZABETH
Question: I was wondering what photo gear you use for your blog’s photos. Looking at purchasing a new DSLR and love the quality of your photos!
Today’s Ask Elizabeth post is more on the technical side of things. I sometimes still feel odd giving photography tips (because this is where I am coming from!! AH!) but I have to give myself some credit – I have grown LEAPS since then. I have taught myself how to use a camera. Bought a used DSLR (Canon Rebel) and used that one until I started feeling limited by it. Switched to Nikon buying a full-frame DSLR and that’s the one I use today!
I’m going to share everything I currently am using – obviously. This also feels funny to me because it may change years from now. I have several “gear” posts that are now a bit outdated ( Buying your First DSLR, 5 Favorites for your Blog Photography, 5 Tips for Lifestyle Photography) They are still full of great information but I am no longer using all the same gear. I want you to know that this is an ever evolving part of Oak + Oats. The more I practice, grow, blog, share, learn – I outgrow cameras, I find new ways of doing things, I fall in love with new products. I want you to know that because I want you to be okay with that for your journey. Use what you have, learn what you have, and upgrade when you know exactly what your current set up can no longer do for you.
I also want to challenge you to grow. For so many years I LOVED photography. I valued photography. I knew I would be a family who paid for Christmas photos every year and I made sacrifices to have a great photographer at my wedding. I read blogs with beautiful imagery that drew me in – in fact, those beautiful blogs inspired me to start one of my own. But I NEVER thought I could ever get to that point. I felt like I couldn’t be more than and iPhone photographer – sharing photos on my blog edited with Instagram filters (remember when those were a thing?) But you know what? I didn’t stay there. One day I woke up and decided my dreams were worth it so I started working with what I had and trying make something better (what I had was this camera my husband had from high school) . I tried to create the images I loved so much. While I had so far to go, I kept at it and now I’m not only proud of the photography I share, I get paid to take photos for other people! I defiantly still have areas I want to grow in, but I also am so aware that I reached a dream I almost had given up on.
Whew! All that to say – great question (and thanks for the kind words about my photos!) Here is the gear I’m using these days!
Nikon D700
This is the camera body I use. It is a full frame DSLR. What I love about a full frame is that I can capture more. The sensor is larger than a crop-sensor (makes sense) and can capture more data. I also loved my Canon Rebel and used it as long as I could. The best advice about gear I got was to upgrade only when you know what you can no longer do and are feeling boxed in.
32GB Compact Flash Card
The card I got with my camera was TINY. Since I shoot in RAW all the time, I needed a card that could hold a lot of data. I love this one because I can take nearly 15K RAW photos on it and be a-okay!
Jo Totes Bellbrook Camera Backpack
I picked up this backpack because I wanted a camera bag that would travel well. I have back & neck issues so I don’t love carrying around heavy things. Backpacks help distribute the weight and are perfect for travel or walking around all day with my camera. I also LOVE the way it looks and it is filled with plenty of dividers for all your gear.
Nikon 50mm 1.8 lens
This is the first lens I purchased when I bought my camera. I love the 50mm because it is a great portrait lens. You can also get some great boka (blurred backgrounds) since it is a 1.8.
Samsung Galaxy s8+
While majority of my photography comes from my DSLR, a great phone is still super important for me. I love the video and photo quality on this camera.
Nikon 28mm 1.8 lens
This is the second lens I purchased after I upgraded my camera body! I am loving how much I can get in a photo. Fixed lenses help you get sharp, focused images. It is wise to invest in lenses as you grow!
Lightroom
YES! This has changed everything for my photo editing! Here is a post on how I edit my blog photos!
Fotostrap Camera Strap
A pretty, comfortable, functional camera strap is always good to have. I bought a Fotostrap when I first got a camera and have had it ever since!
ONA Capri Bag
This was the first camera bag I purchased and I love it. It is like a beautiful purse except for it can safely carry all my gear. Being able to travel well with your gear is so important! I have had both of these camera bags for several years and they are still going strong! Totally worth the investment!
Extra Battery Pack
One time I was shooting a really long photo shoot without turning off my camera to rest it and I ran out of battery the last 10 minutes. It was totally fine but also terrible! I went home and immediately bought a back up battery for such a time as that! haha. I love being prepared and having a back up battery (as well as a back up flashcard!)
PS: I also have a Surface Pro 4 for my laptop and a Lenovo All-In-One Desktop that I use to edit photos, blog, and pretty much do my job! haha.
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ASK ELIZABETH
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