This trip has challenged and enriched me personally in so many ways, including the time it’s given me to throw myself into photography and videography more than ever. I’m going to share the cameras, lenses, apps, and editing programs I’m using the most from the road in this post since I get a lot of questions from people who want to know what I shot a picture with or what we are recording YouTube videos with.
My current DSLR is a Canon 6d. It has built in WiFi, which makes it a dream for working on the road and on the go. I can easily send my photos to my phone (even when we don’t have cell or internet connection because the camera acts as a hot spot). I’ve had this same camera body for 5+ years. It’s so reliable.
Taken on my camera, edited on my phone.
The two main apps I use are Snapseed and A Color Story to edit my photos before putting them up on Instagram or Facebook.
The lens I’m rocking the most while on the road is one I bought to take with me to Hawaii in 2016- the Tamron 24-70. I was 100% a prime lens shooter up to that point, but wanted something a little more versatile for traveling so I wouldn’t have to bring more than one lens. This one is a real winner.
I often shoot zoomed all the way out at 24 to capture all the beauty around us… or the space inside our tiny RV.
I love that I can zoom in and get some tighter shots with it, too.
I do have my Sigma 35 1.4 with me, as well, and plan to use it more. I really love using wide open apertures, like 1.4, for detail shots in nature.
I also shoot a lot of photos on my iPhone 7+. I’m dying for an upgrade, but I have to wait until this fall. Still, the 7+ does a great job of getting beautiful photos on the go. The key to good iPhone photos is good lighting.
I will occasionally snap some still photos with our Canon G7x MK ii. It’s really a pretty great compact camera.
But we mainly use it for videos. And for videos, it’s AMAZING. The auto focus feature, the flip screen that’s also a touch screen, it’s size, durability, and it’s ease of use make it the best video camera available to us right now. It’s what we shoot 90% of our video on. The other 10% is usually our iPhones when the Canon’s battery is dead. Battery life is good! We just need to be better about charging after a long day.
We use a GorillaPod tripod for this camera a lot. We can either use it as a selfie stick, a traditional tripod, or use it to attach the camera to the side of the truck or our cabinets, or just about anything else. You can see it in action and check out the DIY wind muffler (idea from here) we made to go over the speaker in our latest YouTube episode below.
We just invested in a 360 camera by RYLO. It’s got built in image stabilization that makes the video look very cinematic, and the app is so easy to use to edit the video. I’m really in love with the final product. That said, I’m totally bummed that the lenses scratch VERY easily. We scratched ours within the first week of having it, and after a month it’s so bad that it’s really affecting he image quality. We will have to send it in for the $149 lens replacement, and then I guess we’ll just have to use it very carefully from then on. We won’t be taking it along as much as I’d hoped. You can check it out in action for a few shots in our Joshua Tree video.
We also have a Parrot BeBop 2 drone that we haven’t had a chance to use much, but I really want to make it a priority to figure it out now that the weather is getting a little nicer and we aren’t in such windy climates. And we have an older GoPro with waterproof casing that I think we’ll use for some underwater photo and videos this summer.
When I’m editing photos on my computer, I use Adobe Ligthroom.
And I use Adobe Premiere Pro to edit together our YouTube videos. I’m liking the KineMaster app on my phone for quick videos for social, like these Daily RV life videos on our Facebook page.
That’s not really a comprehensive list of EVERYTHING I have with me, but I think I brought too much and likely won’t end up using a lot of it, so this is just the stuff that’s been working really well or that we’re hopeful will work well once we start incorporating it into our outings.
Photography is really a passion of mine, and it’s awesome that it also supports our business and helps us tell this story. I’ve been teaching myself and taking online classes for over 7 years, and I still feel like I have so far to go to achieve the images of my dreams, but that’s one of the incredible parts of this trip! I love having so many beautiful backdrops to practice my craft at.
And of course, it helps to have adorable willing, subjects.
Are you a travel photographer or videographer? What do you use that you’d be lost without?? I am always looking to refine my collection of gear on the road!
7 comments
Great post! You have a wonderful family. Really love your account, absolutely amazing pictures. canon g7 is my first option as a young photographer because it is compact and carry friendly. As a traveller and a photographer most amazing thing are to interact with peoples and get to know their culture. Found some handfull resources worth of looking.
Thanks
Travel Photography
Those are some great pictures! I’m interested in trying photography, got me eye on a Canon T6 to start.
Thank you, Aaron! And I think that’s an awesome intro camera. My first was a Canon Rebel.
Such an amazing Post!
You have some serious Photography Skills, each picture is defining itself.
Love Travel Photography!
Thank you so much!
Those are great pictures! I’m trying to get my Instagram game up, but I want to get a pro camera. Is yours affordable? i.e. under $1,00
Thanks, John! My DSLR- Canon 6do- is not, but the Canon Rebel line is a great place to start and you can easily get a good body and lens for well under 1k. I suggest starting with a 30 1.4 lens or a 50 1.4 lens.