Whether you are an experienced professional photographer or a beginner, you’ll want all sorts of items to take beautiful photographs. While a high-quality camera is the most basic necessity, acquiring add-ons and accessories in your bag is a good idea.
Essential Accessories for Photographers
Here, we have listed the 15 most useful and necessary accessories for every photographer.
Camera Bag
Most photographers often don’t think about the bag, especially when they have a small camera. But, having a bag is important to protect your camera from dust, rain, and anything else that might damage it. When you may have to carry multiple lenses and other accessories, you need something to lessen your burden as well.
Shoulder bags provide quick access to your gear, but these cannot provide comfort for too long. Carrying weight on one shoulder can cause fatigue. Photo backpacks, on the other hand, prove comfortable when it comes to carrying heavy kits across uneven terrain or when worn for too long. The only problem with them is that you’ve to take the bag off to access other camera accessories.
Image Discoloring Apps
Several high-end photo editing apps allow users to convert image to black and white like a pro. Other than apps, you can get a black and white image-capturing camera as well that comes with amazing film effects. Many superb filters are already included in several apps, but you can easily get one with advanced features.
The major advantage of using image discoloring apps is that it works well with the camera roll and phone’s camera as well. You can download free as well as paid versions. If you want to access advanced editing features, go for a paid version.
White-Balancing Tools
Branded digital cameras usually feature an Auto White Balance function. But, to customize WB right on the spot, investing in White-Balancing tools is worth considering. For example, X-Rite Original ColorChecker Card has 24 colors and neutral grays.
If you’re a professional photographer, ExpoDisc 2.0 is the right choice as it is small in size and available in a little carrying pouch with a lanyard. Impact’s QuikBalance Collapsible 12″ Gray Panel features 18% gray on one side and neutral white on another. You can use it as a base point for precise post-processing later. You can also adjust the settings by putting in the same lighting as the subject.
Tripod
This is another essential accessory for photographers to keep their cameras at the right angle. A tripod helps in avoiding shaky images and keeps them pin-sharp by holding the camera still. Different kinds of tripods are available in the market. Pick one that is sturdy so that you can keep your camera stable even in a breeze.
Compared to carbon fiber, aluminum tripods are sturdy, but heavier at the same time. A tripod that extends to near your eye level is highly recommended to shoot pictures close to the ground. If you’ve to take your tripod to the field, twist locks are considerable because they consume less space. However, for rapid positioning, clip locks on the legs are good.
Lens Cleaners
To get clear and clean photos, camera maintenance is significantly important. As cameras and lenses are quite expensive, take care of them by cleaning them regularly. Use a lens cleaner to keep your lens free from dust and other particles. No matter what quality of lens cap you’re using, the external glass can pick up dust every time you detach it.
Don’t use any random cleaner or any ordinary cloth to clean the lens. A microfiber cleaning cloth is what you can use to keep your lenses dust-free. They easily take out the dust particles and don’t mark the glass as they are very soft.
Camera Straps
Most cameras come with a neck strap as it is much safer for a photographer. But, to get extra comfort, especially on long shoots, it is good to replace these straps with the best alternatives. The lanyard-style neck strap is perfect for compact cameras. However, if you want something stylish, a professional rope strap might be great for you. This rugged neck strap can be used with any camera.
The Peak Design Slide features a great line of versatile all-purpose neck-straps. It has a tethered wrist cuff and a quick-connecting handgrip. The best part is that you can wear it across the shoulder or around the neck while using mirrorless or DSLR cameras. Pick one that best fits your camera.
External Drives
Alongside a computer, you’ll also need other lifesavers to prevent the loss of a large collection of digital photos. An external hard drive or solid-state drive can help you back-up image catalogs and move large folders of digital images. Get a large volume portable hard drive so that you can carry your images with you.
The size of this hard drive ranges from 500 GB to 2 TB. It is widely known for providing excellent compatibility for both USB 3.0 and 2.0. Get a hard drive with 500GB-2TB storage capacity and an external 250 GB solid-state drive. You can password-protect these storage drives for more security.
Reflectors
This would be the best alternative if you want more natural lighting and don’t prefer using a flash. As the name depicts, this accessory reflects the light on the places in shadow. Impact’s 5-in-1 collapsible reflectors are the perfect choice for photographers who shoot both inside and outside the studio.
For better light manipulation, a collapsible reflector kit is worth considering for more convenience. It will help in redirecting the light to remove unwanted shadows. You can also retain the light’s color temperature using a white reflector and enhance the contrast with a silver reflector.
Memory Card Reader
Professional photographers are using a separate memory card reader to quickly access the photos onto the nearest device to review. SD card readers can be incorporated straight into the computer and used as adapters for virtually any device. To transfer the files, put your SD card inside the reader and connect it to a computer’s port using the USB cable.
While purchasing a card reader, go for one that has multiple ways to connect to various devices. If one of them fails, you can use another one to retrieve the images.
Camera Stabilizer
Avoiding shaky footage and getting steady photos from mirrorless or handheld cameras is possible now by using a camera stabilizer. As mentioned above, a tripod can be used for steady images, but its drawback is that it does not allow camera movements. This is where a camera stabilizer comes in handy by tracking shoots and capturing moving photos while avoiding blurred effects.
A camera stabilizer is a professional-grade photography accessory that is comparatively more expensive. It is considered the best handheld stabilizer in the business. Several stabilizers come within a reasonable price range and provide fabulous stability when shooting a film.
Memory Card Case
There is nothing worse than losing the quality and beautiful images you’ve taken. So, it’s good to buy a memory card case that can carry several SD cards. If you shoot outdoors, you’ll need a compact hard case for extra protection and durability of the memory card. Some of these cases are fully waterproof and feature a durable exterior.
These cases can help you carry many memory cards as it has 64 slots for memory cards. It will keep your memory cards well organized and completely safe.
Lens Filters
The market is flooded with plenty of lens filters that can give photography a completely new look. For landscape photographers, the polarizing filter works out the most because it is highly versatile and deepens blue skies. There are two types of polarizing filters – linear and circular (CPL). The circular filters work more effectively with the camera’s metering system.
If you’re searching for something offering a longer exposure time, then the ND (neutral density) filter is a good choice for you. It provides a long exposure by reducing the light intensity. Another essential filter is the UV filter, perfect for film photography. The biggest advantage is that it protects the lens from scratches and dust particles.
Tethering Cable
It is the best accessory for photographers who shoot inside the studio. Using a tethering cable, you can connect your camera to a computer and access a live view of the shot. It can help in delivering quality output to clients as they can see what you’re doing and tell other requirements immediately.
You can save the captured images and also style them with editing software while appearing on the screen.
Shutter Release
It is a little device connected to the shutter button of the camera that prevents shaky images. Portrait and long exposure photographers might need it for immaculate sharpness. Both wired and wireless shutter releases are available in the market. So, it’s up to you which one you want.
A quality shutter release features a radio antenna, a greater number of powerful shooting modes, and longer durability. This accessory will come in handy if you are using a slow shutter speed, shooting from the top down, or doing a self-portrait.
Flash Diffuser
A flash diffuser is a light modifier that photographers attach to the external flashlight. It softens the concentrated light that emits out of the flash. Without a flash diffuser, the excess light can affect image clarity, making them too hard to edit.
A flashgun is what you can trust to get some more light to work with. You can notice a big difference simply by placing a sheet of translucent plastic. This will soften the light to a great extent.
Final Thoughts
To be a great photographer and get exceptional quality photos, investing in must-have accessories is an intelligent decision. So, check if you have all the key photography equipment available to take your editing skills to the next level.