[Photography] 10 Must-Have Photography Accessories

You finally have your new camera and after the first few weeks of taking it out, you begin to realize that there may be other things that you need. Sometimes it is hard to know what photography accessories are really necessary and which are more “nice to have” items. It’s certainly possible to spend a lot of money on extra photography gear so it pays to put a bit of thought into it.

Of course, what you need will depend on the kind of photography you will be doing. A landscape photographer will need lots more things than a city street photographer. A studio portrait shooter will have a whole shopping list of expensive lights and stands required (not to mention the studio space in which to put it all).

But let’s start at the beginning, what are the most basic and necessary photographic accessories.

1. Extra Camera Batteries

Having a spare camera battery is a lifesaver, especially if you have remembered to charge it in advance. There is nothing worse than running out of power for your camera when you are away from home. You can choose to buy the branded battery to suit your camera, but there are also more cost effective third party options. My preference is to stick with branded, I have found they perform better over the life of the battery.  Feel free to run your own experiments though.

For anyone shooting in very cold weather, it’s recommended that you have several batteries and some way of keeping them warm. Very cold weather chews through battery power, as do taking long exposures or lots of burst shooting.

2. Spare Memory Cards

Opinion is divided on whether you should have a few high capacity memory cards, or several smaller capacity ones. The theory is if a card gets corrupted, with a smaller capacity card you run the risk of losing less images. Check which memory cards are recommended or preferred for your camera as there are several brands available, but not all perform at the same level.

Check the speed of the card as well, if you are likely to do a lot of fast shooting. How well the card can process those bursts of images can have impact on the performance of your camera. If a card is too slow you will get buffer overuns as the card struggles to keep up saving all the frames.

Once you have several memory cards, it also makes sense to have some way of organizing and storing them. Some people have different systems to indicate when cards are full or empty. Come up with a plan so you know which cards are exposed and which are ready to go.

3. A Camera Bag

I am quite convinced that the perfect camera bag is like the Holy Grail – impossible to find. Everyone has different requirements which mean there is no one solution. Backpacks, roller bags, sling bags, waist packs, straps, clips, belts, and body harnesses are all available options.

My sling bag for walking around the city, or times I only want to take the very basics.

There are so many choices and it can be easy to get confused, here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for a camera bag:

• Look for good padding in the shoulder straps.
• That the bag is the right length for your back (I am an average height woman and a lot of bags are too long for me).
• It has enough pockets to keep useful stuff like filters and batteries and for them to be easily accessible
• The bag is as light as possible.
• How does it behave when you put it on the ground, does it tip over?
• That it is waterproof (water resistant material, flaps over the zips and the best bags come with a built in rain cover).
• There is enough room to store all your stuff safely with sufficient padding and dividers.
• There are good cheststraps and waist belts on backpack style bags (they take up a surprising amount of the load off your shoulders if you use them).

Over time you will probably try several different styles of bag until you find an option that is the best compromise for what you want versus what you can find.

My main bag is a backpack, the F-stop Kashmir designed for women. This is the closed position.

Backpack in the open position. Different bags can be accessed in different ways.

4. Footwear

Pretty much everywhere you go with your camera will involve some form of walking for able bodied people. This means you need to have good supportive comfortable footwear which is suitable to your conditions. Don’t forget good quality socks as well (my preferred brand is Thorlo). When looking for shoes or boots take into consideration weight, fit, comfort, flexibility, waterproofness and of course the price.

These shoes are very light and breathable, however they are not very waterproof and the soles can be a bit slippery on wet rocks. But they are super comfortable to wear all day, which is the most important thing.

Heavy boots are really tiring to walk in for long periods but you might need them for really cold weather. Depending on the type of walking and situations you will encounter, you may even consider more than one set of footwear.

5. Jackets and Outer Layers

Modern technology has made outdoor clothing very light, and it is recommended that you build up layers to adjust to changing conditions. Being too hot and sweating in very cold conditions is uncomfortable but also may contribute to hypothermia, particularly if wind chill is a factor.

Hunters Element hunting jacket in green, and Kathmandu grey windproof jacket.

So build up a selection of light technical layers you can wear or carry easily in your bag or pocket. I have three jackets, the grey one is very light and warm and scrunches down into all the corners of my pack.  The green jacket is a heavier hunting jacket that has excellent wind protection, with huge pockets in the front. Not shown is a rain shell to layer over the grey jacket for added dryness protection.

6. Extra Protection

Hats and gloves are also a necessity to keep you warm and dry. Particularly if you are outside doing landscapes or nature photography and you are sitting still for long periods. Again, layering up is useful, pictured are my thin windproof but quite warm gloves, with some heavier gloves to put on over top. The heavier gloves make it difficult to use the camera, which is why two layers of protection help me to function and stay warm.

The bottom half also needs protection. These are rain trousers that are designed to pull on over top of your standard leg layers.

Your backpack and camera also deserve consideration for protection as well. Pictured below are my orange backpack rain cover and a rain cover for my camera that allows shooting in the rain.

7. Tripod

Unless you are a hardcore street photographer (needing to be light and mobile) then a tripod will likely be a requirement at some point. Necessary for sharp landscape images, long exposures, astrophotography, macro and all kinds of studio work.

A tripod requires two components to work – the legs and the head. Sometimes you can purchase them bundled together, or you may wish to purchase them separately to suit certain requirements. Here are some key things to look for in a tripod:

• Are the legs tall enough for you? I was surprised to find many tripods too short for me at 5’6″ – having the right sized legs makes it easier on your neck and reduces the need to use the center pole.
• Does the center pole adjust to horizontal mode? Very useful for doing still life and macro work.
• Is it a clip or a twist-lock type of leg extension? People prefer different options – wildlife photographers often use twist-lock legs as they are quieter.
• How heavy is it? Carbon fiber is the lightest option, but it is also very expensive and in comparison, not always that light. Plus a heavier tripod offers more stability when used outside.
• Is there at least one leg wrapped? Carrying a bare metal pole on a cold frosty night is unpleasant.

Tripod head

Tripod heads come in many variations as well. Ball and socket are quite common but take two hands to utilize. A good quality head will be made out of solid material and be strong enough to hold your camera and its heaviest lens at a variety of angles. Do your research on weight tolerances and creep before purchasing.

Additional tripod accessories worth considering are L-plates for your camera body, and if you are into macro, nodal rails as well. Also learn how to take your tripod legs apart and clean, especially when used in water or in the ocean.  This will extend the life of your tripod and save you money.

Take time to invest in a good tripod/head combination and it will last you for many years.

Manfrotto legs with an Acratech head. My preference is for click adjustable legs.

8. Camera Manual

It’s small and light and easy to tuck into your camera bag and really handy to have when you need it. It may never get used, but it’s good to have on hand. Take your camera manual with you!

9. Card Reader

There are several different ways to transfer data from your camera to your computer. Some new camera bodies have wireless, or can be connected via a cable to the computer for data transfer. However, that tends to chew up battery power quite quickly on the camera.

My preference is to use a USB card reader. USB 3 or the newer USB-C provide fast data transfer for those in a hurry. Additionally having a small portable reader allows you to take it with you when traveling, allowing you to download on the road.

Card readers are cheap, light, easy to pack and come in really useful when traveling. Get one with lots of different ports to cover any requirements.

10. Other Useful Stuff

There are other non-photo things that are useful to have around as well such as; change for parking meters or entry fees, a compass, sunscreen (mine is on a carabiner clipped to the outside of my backpack for easy access), and a pen and paper is always useful.

Other items that may come in handy are; business cards, model release forms, snacks, your cell phone loaded with a variety of useful apps, and the list goes on.

Conclusion

What you need in terms of photography accessories will depend on the type of photography you do and where you do it. This list should cover the basics that any new photographer is likely to need, or at least might need to think about investing in at some point. Being aware of your options is important as good bags and tripods can be expensive, so you will need to budget for them.

Many people forget about their own personal comfort and think cheaper clothing options will be okay. For general purpose photography that may well be the case, but anyone heading into nature should be as prepared as they can be. Good quality outdoor clothing will last and be an investment. No one wants to miss a sunrise because they were cold and wet and in an unpleasant situation.

Remember to look after yourself as well as your camera gear.

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[Photography] 4 Tips for Post-Processing Images on the Road

In this article I will share some of my tips for post-processing your images on the road or while traveling. That way you can share images and keep up on social media. Let’s see why that’s important.

Social media pressures

Much can be said about social media and its influence on photography. But the hard truth is that for many of us we live under a constant pressure to regularly release new content on various platforms, such as Instagram. Studies show that posting an average of one image per day is what will result in the highest engagement amongst current (and new) followers.

One can say that social media has become just as much about documenting as about presenting your finest work. But still, you do want to maintain a certain quality of your images.

An image I processed from the back of our rented caravan on Iceland

In this article, I’ll share several tips on how you can keep up with the pressure of posting new content while being on the road and how you can make sure that the images you post during that period are still of a quality that reflects positively on your overall gallery.

Why Post on the Road

Before we get into the tips on how you can process your images on the road, let’s quickly look at why you want to keep posting new images when you’re traveling.

As I mentioned above, studies show that posting an average of one image per day is what will bring the highest engagement amongst current and new followers. If social media is a big part of your marketing strategy then you should attempt to maintain this average. Of course, there’s no big harm in missing a day or two every now and then but if you’re absent for a week, or even more, you quickly loose engagement with your followers.

Since most photographers follow a lot of people on social media (both friends and people who inspire them), it won’t take much to forget about you and your work, making it harder to regain their engagement on your images.

I chose to quickly process this in Lightroom to share something on my Facebook page related to my current travels.

So, if you’re traveling for a week or longer, it’s a good idea to keep posting new content as often as you can in order not to lose too much engagement.

4 Tips for Post-Processing on the Road

The four tips I’ll be sharing will require that you have access to a laptop (or computer) with your preferred editing tool installed. Normally, when I travel I tend to always bring my laptop (except for shorter trips) so that I can quickly process some images on the road and document my current travels.

That being said, the images that I process on the road rarely become portfolio worthy shots and I will go back and reprocess them later on when I’m back at my desk and have access to the equipment I prefer working with.

#1 – Calibrate your Monitor

It’s most likely that your processing images on a laptop when you’re on the road. If you’re a serious photographer and you spend time fine tuning your images it’s also likely that at some point you’ve calibrated the monitor on which you’re working regularly. (If you haven’t calibrated your monitor before I strongly recommend investing in a tool such as Spyder 5 Elite and calibrating ASAP!)

I use the Spyder 4 Elite to calibrate both my monitor and laptop (also my iPad when I had one).

However, it’s not only your main monitor that should be calibrated. If you spend time processing images on your laptop as well, it’s equally important that it is calibrated too. You don’t want to process an image and then later realize that the colors are all off, right?

#2 – Find the Time

Time is often limited when you’re on the road as most of the day is either spent traveling, exploring, scouting or photographing. Still, I recommend trying to find the time to process at least one image during the day. This could be while you’re having lunch at a cafeteria or even quickly before going to sleep.

When processing images on the road it’s not crucial to focus on the details. Instead, spend a few minutes in a software such as Adobe Lightroom and adjust the highlights, contrast, and white balance. Often, you don’t need to make big adjustments for an image to look okay.

A quick edit done in Lightroom to show the amazing light we had that particular evening. I later reprocessed this image to better suit my style.

If you’re pressured to upload images on the road (this could even due to a client request) it’s better to have something to put out, and then reprocess it when you’re back home.

#3 – Find Balanced Light

If you’re like me and would rather spend a night in a tent or campervan than a hotel, finding a place to process your images isn’t always the easiest. Most places outside are challenging due to harsh light reflecting on your laptop, making it difficult to properly see how the adjustments are applying on the image.

Try looking for a shadowy area to work in, or if you can’t find one, make your own. This may sound (and look) stupid but using a jacket or something similar to cover yourself and the laptop will make it easier to view the screen and see how you’re processing the image.

#4 – Use Presets

To be quite honest, presets are something I very rarely use. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever used them more than a handful of times. However, I do see the value of them when you need to quickly get content out and you have a certain style to your images.

I used the dPS LR presets to process this image from Germany.

Presets are the quickest way to process your images and in many cases, they do a good job. Just make sure that the particular preset works well for the image you’re working on, and if needed, make some minor adjustments.

Last Words

As I’ve mentioned several times in this article, and I want to end with saying, that processing on the road should only be done in order to continuously upload new content on social media either to document, engage or to satisfy a client. The images you sell or include in your portfolio should be reprocessed, as you’ll most likely notice a few errors when you return back home and have more than a few minutes to process the image.

Love it or hate it but this is the world that we (or at least many of us) live in today! How do you work on the road? Do you have any other post-processing tips for when you’re away from home? Please share in the comments below.

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[Photography] Announcing…our mid year sale! Starting with ebooks and posing guides for $9

If you’ve been eying off one of our photography eBooks, courses or presets packs – this week you’re in luck because today we kick off our mid year sale where we’ll be offering you some amazing discounts on dPS products as well as some special offers from our partners.

If you’re subscribed to our newsletter you’ll get notified of each of the deals as they come out but while you’re reading this – let me tell you about todays deal.

DEAL 1: All dPS eBook are just $9 USD

To get our mid year sale started, we’re offering all our ebooks and posing guides at just $9 each.

That’s up to 80% off what yo’d normally pay!

There are 23 eBooks and posing guides to choose from on everything from understanding the basics of your camera to portrait lighting as well as how to use natural light and improving your post production of your landscapes and much more.

Here are 3 of our most popular ebook guides:

• Going Pro. Normally $49, get it today for just $9 (USD)
• Living Landscapes. Normally $19, today just $9 (USD)
• Portraits: Making the Shot. Normally $19, today just $9 (USD)

But that’s just scratching the surface of what is on offer – be sure to checkout all 23 titles here to find the guide that will take your photography to the next level.

Whether you pick up just one of our titles or pick the whole library – this is a fantastic way to invest in your photographing learning – but don’t wait long – this deal only lasts another 30 hours so don’t delay.

The post Announcing…our mid year sale! Starting with ebooks and posing guides for $9 by Darren Rowse appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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[Photography] 7 Tips to Help You Start and Grow a Photography Business

I have been a Digital Photography School writer for the past three years and I have to say, I absolutely love writing and sharing my photography experiences and knowledge. Every time one of my articles get published, my Facebook page and my website get a lot of visitors. I know this is because I use google analytics for my website which tracks visitors on any given day and shows where they spend most of their time (I highly recommend using Google Analytics for your website). I also get a ton of questions on my Facebook business page and the recurring theme of the questions is always something like this, “I love photography, but can you advise me on how to start my photography business and make money from it?”

So I decided to address that burning question in the hopes that it resonates with so many other photographers, who are thinking the same thing and are perhaps a little nervous to write in for the fear of showing their vulnerability. If you are, please don’t be, because everyone, including me, started somewhere and we all had similar thoughts.

#1 – Just Start

If you are thinking about starting a photography business to such a large extent that you cannot think about doing anything else, then just start. Go ahead and take that first step towards making your passion your career. Remember that “done” is so much better than “perfect”.

We, photographers, are always learning new things every day, be it in business, technology or photography skills. If you wait to be a perfect photographer, you will be waiting a long time. Now, I am not saying that you should not invest time and effort in understanding and practice. Skill is very important. But if you are considering learning the craft and the art of photography, then there is no better time than now!

My lovely friend and fellow photographer during a casual meet up where we exchanged headshots and talked shop over coffee and cupcakes!

# 2 – Use Social Media

Social media has exploded over the past few years in terms of the number of people who are using it for business, no matter what business they are in. Because so much of social media is both visual and text, photographers and writers have a slight advantage in terms of creating and sharing quality content.

So as a photographer, it behooves you to take advantage of the channel at your disposal. But be aware that the whole point of social media is to be social online, showcase your work, show who you are as a photographer and a person. Network, connect and interact online. It is one of the relatively inexpensive ways to make yourself know and recognized.

I love Instagram and think it is one of the best tools out there, especially for photographers. It is so visual and by engaging the right way, you can get a loyal following, new clients, and industry contacts. But like anything else it takes time and a concentrated, thoughtful approach.

# 3 – Practice, Learn and Practice Some More

Photography is an art form with many different nuances. Each aspect of photography has many different interpretations and to really excel in photography, you have to know and understand the basics.

Light, color, composition, emotion, and movement are all critical aspects of a good photograph. You have to learn them, practice them, and then put your own spin on them to make your own photographs go from good to great. There is no time limit for learning photography. The only way you can get better is to keep at it and photograph every chance you can get.

I carry my camera everywhere I go. I have been doing this for so long that it’s second nature now and I don’t think twice about it. Sometimes I will only shoot ten to twelve frames and sometimes I will shoot several hundred. But what I tell myself every time I bring the camera to my face is that this time I have to try something different and create something I have not created before.

I always give myself permission and time to play – sometimes it’s with florals from my neighbor’s backyard.

Whereas other times it is a quick click while hiking in the mountains around Boulder. The snow and the clear blue sky made for a pretty backdrop for this ranger outpost!

#4 – Market Your Work

Marketing is crucial to any business but so few of us really put much into it. Most of us have the mindset that if you produce quality work, then your photography will speak for itself and clients will line up outside your studio for all eternity.

But sadly, that is far from the truth. Like any good product or service, we have to take the time and the effort to educate our clients and our potential clients on why working with us is a great idea. The more you think about promoting your work on a daily basis, the more effort and heart you will put into your marketing. And remember, marketing takes a lot of time. Very rarely does a marketing effort pay off immediately.

One of my marketing pieces for a show that I am participating in – the show is aimed towards other businesses as well as creative women entrepreneurs!

#5 – Use Your Network

Unless you live in a personal bubble, you have a network. Networks can be social (i.e. friends and family), professional (peers or work colleagues), or industry related (other businesses that support photography).

So I challenge you to do a network analysis (sorry, I am a computer science major from my previous life so I love all this technical jargon!) and figure out who are all the people that you can reach out to and tap into for work. They might not be your direct clients but they may know someone, who knows someone, who knows someone, who is looking for a photographer. Never underestimate the power of word of mouth marketing.

Word-of-mouth and referrals are the best kind of marketing you can ever invest in and they are free (for the most part). Your only expenses – making genuine connections and friends among your networks!

#6 – Hustle

You have probably heard this adage before – there is no such thing as a free lunch. There are no shortcuts to anything in life, so what makes you think that there are shortcuts to photography?

Photography, like any other profession, is extremely competitive with a relatively low barrier to entry. This means you have to hustle that much harder and longer to make an impression and to have an impact on your business bottom line. If you are starting out, try many genres of photography.

If you are starting out, try many genres of photography. Use any opportunity you can to improve your skills. Make friends with others in the industry and share experiences. Give it your all and eventually, you will reap the benefits.

I met these two local creatives via social media. We really hit it off well and collaborated on a beautiful spring tablescape inspiration shoot.

I also routinely go out for shootouts with many other photographers. It is a chance to make friends in the industry and geek out on all things photography!

#7 – Share

Share your work, your knowledge, and your expertise. The more open and willing you are to share among your peers, your competitors, and your clients, the more satisfying the journey to photography business success will be.

People, especially clients, will understand that you are genuine in building professional and personal relationships and the next time they hear of any photography work, they will connect with you. Photography friends and peers will refer clients if they are booked, help you when you are in a pinch, and work with you on creative projects – all of which as so important for your personal growth and growth of your business.

Conclusion

If you have other tips on growing a photography business, feel free to share with the larger dPS community in the comments below. Remember it’s not what you know, but how good you are building a community.

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