I often get asked about the equipment I use for my photos and videos. You’re in luck today, because I’m about to reveal my technical secrets...
...or the lack thereof 😂
When I ditched everything and went travelling back in March, I struggled with my choice of “gear”. I had no idea what I needed and felt insecure because I had close to ZERO experience with technical equipment... All the while, all around me, talented photographers and filmmakers were killing it with their drones, stabilisers and heavy cameras.
After watching a lot of YouTube videos with “vlogger gear” recommendations, I decided to invest in a second-hand Canon DSLR and the most basic wide-angle lens I could find on Amazon. I bought the cheapest microphone I knew I could rely on for good audio. A £10 tripod, Amazon own brand. And I had my iPhone.
Six months later, that’s still all I have and use for all my content. I take most photos with my iPhone. Often, you’ll see me in the photo, away from the camera - how do I take these pics? Either I’ll set them up on a tripod and use a remote control to shoot, or I’ll set them up for SOMEONE so that all they need to do is hold my phone straight and press the shutter when I ask them to.
As for editing... I edit some of my photos in Lightroom, which I learnt to use from scratch earlier this year. However, I’m not after the “cinematography” look with my content, which means that I can simply edit my photos with free photo editing software on my phone. VSCO, Snapseed, you name it.
I also really want to point out that while I publish photos and videos of my travels, I don’t consider myself a photographer or videographer. There is a lot of incredible technical talent out there, to which I lay no claim.
But, all of this to say one thing: you don’t need amazing equipment to get started in the world of travel blogging. Good ideas and unique niches win over expensive gear any day. Good luck and stay scrappy if this is your chosen path ✨