Shutterbugs have it hard. The strength, skill and perseverance required to be able to take that perfect shot can be overwhelming at times. Thankfully, as with other professions, the tools that professional photographers have available to them makes it so that they can make concrete the ideas they have about what a particular photograph or landscape should look like. The creative process should never be rushed, but with these equipment it can be made a much more rewarding as well as efficient experience. Without much ado, here are the must have photography equipment and tools for the coming year 2018.
A tabletop tripod
Because of their sheer portability and the fact that some public places have signs stating explicitly that long-stand tripods aren’t allowed, tabletop tripods are fast becoming a great option for steadying shots and ensuring longer exposure times. Never worry, the fact that they are pretty small (weighing less than 2 pounds most at times) does not take away from their sturdiness or indeed their ability to hold on to larger, bulkier cameras. The Really Right Stuff TFA-01 for example is a tabletop tripod and can hold a full-fledged Canon 700D with its lens included. Their versatility is also an added bonus- you can use them on a table, on the ground or even against a wall (on your hand) to steady the shot and brace yourself for longer exposure times.
A remote shutter release
This is a total lifesaver. Although very inexpensive, the utility that these little device being to the whole photography experience is immeasurable. They help you take photos without the need to physically press the shutter button on your camera (or touch it at all). Here’s what this means: firstly, it eliminates the risk of blur in the photos due to camera movement and secondly, the risk of over or under exposure in the shot. One very important thing to note as well is that with long-exposure shots (the night sky for example), remote shutter release devices can keep your camera shutter open for longer times, thus facilitating the shot (again, without the need for you to even touch your camera). One like this should do the trick.
A neutral density filter
These are basically very dark circular pieces of glass that you attach to the front of your lens. What they do is that they allow for long exposure shots in bright daylight. One very important advantage they bring to the table is that due to the longer exposure times they afford the user, they can allow for the movement of variables such as people in the foreground so that they do not appear in the final picture. I’ve found this to be a great option when it comes to ND filters.
2018 is going to be a great year for Instagram and Pinterest shots and I would think anyone reading this would want to join in on the fun as well. The equipment mentioned above might not be for everyone, but for those that understand their use, they are invaluable. Photo editing software such as Movavi has become very popular too. So, finally, download the photo editor so you can edit your travel photography wherever you may be!
