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The Best “Grab and Go” Equipment, Part 1
In my LAST ARTICLE, I traced my photography experience from its origin – getting my feet wet, experimenting – to present-day as a full-on creative. A huge part of what helped me get to where I am was the products, programs and tech that I used (which, as of this very article is still shaping – hand in hand with my inspiration – my path as an artist). Whether you’re just starting out or knee-deep in your process and already have a formula, you can definitely use these for your benefit. Moment definitely helped me take my image capture game to the next level, and I’m sure it can for others.
Yes – you can do more with less. But in this person’s humble opinion, you can go a bit further in the right direction with the right tool on hand. I cannot count how many times I’ve been out and about, was struck with/by the sight of an image that begged capturing but had to walk on by, chastened for not having what I needed to capture it in the way I envisioned it. That kind of regret tends to linger and get in the way of inspiration.
A camera phone has built-in features that make capture versatile. But those factory settings, while powerful and upgrading all the time, may not give a photographer quite the edge they’re looking for in certain situations. Below you’ll find some gear (main character and supporting) that can match whatever your creative and professional mission.
You can easily pack these items with you – whether it’s an intentional day out shooting or coming back from (or going to) work. This is an abbreviated list that will be updated ongoingly!
Phone cases
Brave are those souls without a protective covering for their phone. Stopping just short of sounding like a doting grandparent, protecting one’s phone is protecting an investment that can produce value potentially more than the cost of the device itself! Take it from someone who knows (and drops phones constantly).
bags
For those of you who will be traveling light, a simple bag will do the trick of having some of your attachments with you.
This gear will make a little more sense once you scroll down a little lower on the page. This bag is extremely useful for holding lenses.
(For those of you who want something a little sturdier and maybe want the full experience of a backpack on your back, I’ll include that in the next roundup)
smartphone camera Lenses
Some of my best images were captured with the help of lens attachments. Here are a few that you can pack with ease and use to get some great photos.
The wide angle creates an awesome view. If we’re talking iPhone 13 Pro wide angle stats, for example, the latest model has only 13mm of wide angle coverage; this device boasts 18mm, a noticeable jump for those who want the bigger picture without the far-out (and less detailed) pan of the super-wide feature built into most phones today.
The Fish Eye lens is for the intentional image capturer. This lens requires some forethought and creative planning in order to get the best of out of the lens but still worth it to have in your bag at all times; at 18mm it gives a more full, ecclectic perspective, giving more dimensions to the top and bottom of a frame (like a fish’s eye!).
Here is where style meet substance if you have the frame of mind and vision to do it. The anamorphic lens gives a cinematic quality to your shots (whether or not you’re actually a videographer/filmmaker). The 2:40:1 ratio gives it that stylish professonal bar on your videos and wide angle-style for your stills. A worthy indulgence to the capture perfectionist (slowly raises hand in back of the crowd).
These are my top picks for a minimal set up to take images. In the next post, we’ll be exploring gear for dedicated camera users!
Moment is a marketplace for all things camera. Created by a group of friends who love photography, their love for image capture made them into a global community, of which I am now a part.
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