The holiday season is the perfect time to take a look in your camera bag and think: what am I missing? Whether you’re shopping for a shutterbug or putting your list together for Santa, these are the must-have accessories for any photographer.
1. Memory Cards & Memory Card Readers
Photo by Tom Pumford
Memory cards: In this digital age of taking hundreds of photos of your dog in one day, you can never have enough memory cards! 16GB to 32 GB are the perfect places to start and make sure you nab a Class 10 card for quick processing in your camera.
Memory card case: Keep your memory card family safe, comfortable, and cute in a colorful memory card case.
Memory Card Reader: It’s super important to upload your images to your computer regularly to keep your memory cards happy & healthy. You can accomplish this anywhere with this portable memory card reader that is compatible with USB, USB-C, and Micro-USB ports.
2. External Hard Drives
For all the hard work you put into properly exposing, composing, and editing your images, keeping those images safe is a top priority. External hard drives allow you to keep your computer clear of all 16,523 of your photos, as well as provide a place to back up your images in case of technological armageddon.
Seagate External Hard Drive (1 or 2 TB): You can’t go wrong with a Seagate external hard drive. We’d recommend starting with 1 or 2 TB to give yourself plenty of room for all your current images and all those you are yet to create! Pro tip: spend the extra $8 for data recovery; you’ll sleep better at night.
External Hard Drive Cases: Your external hard drives work hard to keep your images safe and it is only fair that you return the favor. Check out these colorful rubber cases to protect your hard drive from sliding around. Anytime you bring your hard drive on a trip, be sure to keep it snug and safe in a hard case.
Do you want to know more about backing up your photos? Check out our blog on Backup Solutions!
3. Reflectors, Filters, Rocket Blasters, oh my!
Reflectors: These versatile reflectors can help you make small, but necessary adjustments to the light hitting your subject.
Filters: Every clumsy photographer’s best friend: filters. These cheap UV filters serve to protect your lens from scratches or cracks. Want to have a little more fun? Try out these ND filters to put some sunglasses on your lens and experiment with longer exposures on brighter days.
Just a heads up: before buying a filter, you need to know what size your lens will need. Here is a youtube video showing you where to find the lens diameter for a filter.
Rocket Air Blasters: Over time, we may forget that our cameras can collect dust (or stray dog/cat hairs). These rocket air blasters can get any of those pesky specks of dust or hair out of your sensor as safely as possible (plus they’re shaped like rockets, how cool is that?!).
4. Manfrotto PIXI Mini Tripod
Photo from TECHE Blog
Manfrotto PIXI Mini tripod: This lil buddy is the answer to your tripod woes. It’s dependable, compact, and easy to use. The Manfrotto PIXI mini tripod is great for travel or for those moments that arise where you need extra stabilization but don’t have the space for your full blown tripod. You can also fold up the legs and grip it for some smooth handheld video recording. The Manfrotto PIXI can fit almost any camera on it, including an attachment for iPhones (your selfie game just got stronger). Small, but mighty!
5. TOPO Designs Camera Strap
Camera strap: Camera straps are a great way to show off your personality as a photographer. We love this camera strap from TOPO designs—they’re bright, colorful, and most importantly, durable. You won’t have to worry about your camera taking a tumble with this strap!
However, this isn’t the only strap out there! Take a look around and find a strap that you feel represents you and your style. Use this small, yet important, element of your camera to make a big statement and look GOOD out there taking photos.
