photography 101: inside my camera bag

camera-bag.jpg

A while ago, I saw a blog post about what is inside a fellow photographers camera bag, I found it very helpful for a beginner photographer like myself. Because I am a beginner, I am not interested in spending a ton of money on my camera equipment, but I still want quality equipment. So, before I buy something, I make sure to read reviews and do research to make sure that I am not buying a cheapo piece of junk.
Here is a list of some of the things inside my camera bag, I will go in to greater detail about some of these items in later posts.
Camera Bag
Okay, I did splurge a little with this camera bag, but I really liked it and just couldn’t find one I liked as much. I love that it is BIG and also that it has a shoulder strap. Which makes it SO much easier when on a photo shoot where I am moving around a lot and am carrying my bag with me. A shoulder strap is much easier to deal with than the smaller handles. 
Camera
I have the Canon Rebel T1i. I really like it, I have no complaints. I would definitely recommend it. I bought it with the standard lens, you can buy it with only the body and purchase the lenses separately.
Telephoto Lens
I love having a telephoto lens. I don’t use it a ton, but it’s nice to have for certain things, like going to the zoo or taking pictures at my kids soccer games. It’s perfect for when you need to zoom in a lot. This is a Canon lens that came as a packaged deal when I bought my camera, I got it for a little cheaper when I bought my camera with it. I’m really glad I have it.

This is a Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 it is not the Canon brand, but I asked a lot of professional photographers and did some research to find that if I am going to get an off brand, this is the best brand to get. Basically, I didn’t want to spend $1,000 for the Canon lens, and the Tamron lens was half the price. I love it! I use it about 90% of the time, it’s my go to lens. The only difference I notice between this and my other Canon brand lenses, is that the zoom is not as smooth.

Fish Eye Lens

I use this lens just as a fun little toy. It gives you a very wide angle lens. It was only $30 so I figured I would buy it. It’s just a fun little accessory to have.

Reflector Kit
I use this reflector shield when I am taking pictures when I need to cast a bit more light on the subject. I don’t use it very often because I need someone else to hold it up while I take the pictures. But it is definitely nice to have for when I have an assistant (my husband) with me.
Flash
I bought my flash at a local camera store, but this is a great flash. It gives you a lot of options to bounce the light off the ceiling or walls. 
Soft Box Diffuser
Having a soft box diffuser is a must have! It softens the look of your flash to cut down on those nasty flash shadows.

Fotodiox
This is also a fun little accessory. You attach it to your camera and then flip your lens around and attach your lens to the fotodiox. It allows you to do a super macro, like see the seeds of a strawberry in detail.
UV Filter
I use these filters to attach to the end of my lens. You can buy different types that will give you a color boost to your pictures. I mainly use them to protect the glass on my lens. 
Lens Hood
A lens hood can protect your pictures from a glare from the sun. Some of the more expensive lenses come with a hood, but I bought this one for my standard lens that came with my camera.
Flash Bracket with off Camera Flash Cord
I use this when I am taking pictures where I need to use the flash a lot and am also taking a lot of vertical  pictures. It allows you to keep the flash at the top of the camera even when turing your camera to the side to take a vertical picture. 
I also have a tripod and rain cover I bring with me on every photo shoot.
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