One of the questions that we’re repeatedly asked is what camera do we use to capture such beautiful Instagram pictures. The camera that we are currently using is Sony’s AS6000. It is the first mirrorless camera that we ever had and we decided to make the investment in a bid to improve the quality of our images.
As we’ve continued to travel and gram, we’ve continued to pick up equipment and questions along the way and here’s a list for all those curious of what we consider our essential travel photography equipment that we have for every photoshoot.
Camera
Of course, the first and most important photography equipment in our arsenal is our camera and it is the mirrorless Sony A6000 camera that we currently place our faith in, which has carried us through so many trips and Instagram shoots in such a short space of time. Its compact size is an important factor to consider for frequent travellers and the 24-megapixels allows the camera to catch so much information at a high quality.
The automatic feature is strong, so it’s an easy point and shoot camera for new users, and more experienced photographers can switch to the camera’s manual mode.
I did a lot of research before I settled upon the Sony A6000, and budget is one of the factors that led to our decision. Photography is an expensive hobby and a good camera can run up to thousands in price. There are new Sony models out there in the Sony Alpha series, but for the price, quality and our own level of experience at the time, we felt that this camera at €700 best suited us and we haven’t regretted our decision yet.
A Tripod
For the amount that we take couple shots, it’s not that vital to us and we only picked up a cheap tripod. However, if you’re a lone traveller or a couple who don’t want to hire a photographer for your Instagram shoots, then make sure you invest in a sturdy tripod as mine isn’t capable of holding the camera in an upright portrait position when extended to full length. Not ideal.
32GB SD Memory Cards
You can never have enough SD memory cards. I have three on me at all times and have the intention of getting more because if you shoot in RAW and JPEG and take as many pictures as we do, you will quickly go through your SD memory cards.
An iPhone 7
Siobhán currently uses an iPhone 7, which got us through our Budapest and London trips. It’s important as a travel blogger and Instagrammer to have a phone that has a quality built-in camera, front and back, because your phone will provide 90% of your Instagram story content. I currently use a Samsung Galaxy J5 and it’s not usable for us now at the level we’ve reached. A new phone with a quality camera lens and lots of memory so I can store and edit pictures is definitely something I’ll be looking to add to my photography equipment in the future.
A Spare Camera Battery
If you’re shooting all day then you’ll rapidly go through your camera’s battery before the day is out. Make sure you have a spare on you so that you’re Instagram shoots don’t have to end.
Lightning SD Card Camera Reader
This handy device allows you to work at such a fast pace. It can be frustrating when you’ve taken an amazing picture with your camera that you simply want to show that day but your laptop isn’t anywhere near. The SD Card Camera Reader, combined with your Lightroom Mobile software, will allow you to transfer, edit and post on site so you can immediately share your Instagram gold.
A Power Bank
Any iPhone user will know that the phone’s battery depletes at a frustrating rate. Our 10000mAh Power Bank was such a great investment. No longer are we dependent on a free wall socket being available when we stop in for a coffee. The power bank can also be used for charging your camera, too, if you’ve had such a successful day of shooting and both batteries have been drained.
A 1TB External Hard Drive
All of those pictures have to go somewhere. Don’t skimp on memory. Back up and store all of your photos, because once they’re gone, they’re gone and to build a successful Instagram feed, you need lots of content so memory is essential. After every day of shooting, we transfer our images from the camera to our external hard drive and it goes straight into the hotel’s safe.
MacBook Air Laptop
This is the tool that allows for all of our post production magic and content management. Apple’s 13’inch MacBook Air is my constant travel companion and what my wife often jokingly-ish refers to me as my first wife. This lightweight laptop is just as convenient to take to a café to write my new book or on a plane to our next destination.
2 comments
This is great to know, is there a similar camera available for any cheaper that you are aware of?
Just starting out taking photos so I don’t want to go too expensive yet
Hi Lisa. I did a lot of research before I bought and personally, I felt that this was the camera that best suited my budget while still allowing us to do what we do. There’s always cheaper alternatives, but because there was too little difference in the specs for a novice like me to know of between the Sony A6000 and much more expensive models, I decided the Sony A6000 was the right choice. And I’ve honestly been very happy with the results.