Essential Accessories for Photographers
Photographers are fond of their gadgets, and gadgets for photography rolls around. According to a post on techdator, while there’s certainly no shortage of accessories on the market today, it is hard to know what’s worth buying. If the photographer in your life hasn’t provided you with a wish list, trying to figure out exactly what they need seems like a shot in the dark. We hope this post helps. Here are some of the essential photography accessories that are worth buying.
Camera Bag
An excellent camera bag is essential. It will be used a lot, so you need to think about which bag will work best for someone. Lowepro is a great place to start, as the supplier offers just about every type of carrying scenario someone could want. Shoulder bags are available in a range of sizes, each with padded interiors and retractable rain flaps. Lowepro also offers built backpacks in assorted colors. They are best and well suited to the mobile photographer. If you’re considering style as well protection, you can have the Domke F-5XB RuggedWear Medium Shoulder and Belt Bag. This water-resistant canvas bag can be worn across the shoulder or on the hip.
Tripod
Whether you decide to spend a lot or a little, having something to stabilize your camera is a necessity for certain types of photography. The Manfrotto MT055XPRO3 is an excellent all-purpose aluminum tripod, with enough support for camera loads of around 19.8 pounds. The MeFOTO Globetrotter is perfect for photographers who prefer to travel. This is a device that doubles as a monopod when the column is removed. The MeFOTO’s aluminum construction can hold about 26.4 pounds of gear. If that’s still too much, Joby’s small, springy Gorillapod is the perfect mini tripod for stabilizing a camera that weighs about 6.6 pounds. Its flexible joints can bend to wrap around or hold any object.
Filters
Filters may be a bit underrated these days, but they still have their place in the age of digital photography. Heating or cooling filters can be used to adjust color temperatures, along with a wide variety of specialty filters to achieve certain creative results. For landscape photographers, some of the most popular types of filters are neutral density filters and circular polarizers. Filters come solid, graduated, or center-weighted, and cut the light entering a lens by several stops. They are great for long-exposure shots, allowing the photographer to adjust the shutter speed and aperture without worrying about taking shots in bright light. Circular polarizers work by changing the way lenses takes in light. They minimize reflections and glare from water and glass, as well as darken blue skies for rich, gorgeous color. Circular polarizers work by changing the way the lens captures light.
Folding Reflector
A reflector is a photographer’s best friend, especially for subjects like portraits, merchandise, or food. Impact’s 5-in-1 folding reflectors are very flexible and can be used in the studio or on location. The 42″ circular reflector disc consists of silver, white, gold, and mixed silver/gold plates as a bounce fill, as well as a translucent plate for diffusion. The large Oval Reflector is best for portraits, and comes with translucent panels in black, silver, white, soft gold. Reflectors collapse to a third of their size, and tuck neatly away into a storage bag. You can also pick up an Impact Multiboom Light Stand and Reflector Holder to truly go hands-free.