Do you want AMAZING pictures? A couple things you need!

Everyone wants amazing pictures. Plain & Simple. You may want them simply as memories for your family. Others want amazing pictures to share with friends or family via social media. Whatever the case may be, we all want amazing pictures. If you are scrolling through Instagram and thinking how do they get those quality images, chances are they have some of the equipment below or hired a professional photographer.

If you are thinking about going the professional route, I have a photographer that I have been using and I love her! Jessica is an amazing photographer and I love scheduling shoots with her! She’s super flexible, has a good eye for an awesome shot, and most importantly she is the sweetest!!

Check out her Website>>HERE for contact information! Also you can check out more of her work on instagram @jvvphotgraphy!

 

So if you are looking to start the photography journey for yourself it’s going to require you to invest some money if you are really serious.

Keep in mind you don’t need everything, you can pick and choose what suits your style best!

Clicking on the pictures below will take you directly to Amazon where you can purchase from their site!

*Please Note: If you decide to purchase any of the items below after clicking on the image I will receive a small commission*

Quality Camera:

A quality camera is probably the 1st investment you can make to get you started on the right track! The camera pictured below is a refurbished model and only cost $348.90 . This is the exact same camera I have and really like it! One of the best features is that it has wifi built in to the camera. This means if you are out snapping pictures, you can download them directly to your iphone, edit, and upload to instagram!

Of course if you can’t afford this camera, you can always still use your iphone, the newest iphone has amazing picture quality outdoors in good lighting.

Better Lens for your Camera:

If you do decide to buy a camera, an upgrade to your lens is always helpful once you get the hang of it! I upgraded and bought this lens which has made a difference in taking pictures. The image is more crisp and allows for that perfect blurry image background. This lens is $125 and I really like it! I would wait a couple of months before you invest in this lens as the starter lens takes good pictures too.

Flexible Tripod:

This little tripod is awesome because it’s so darn convenient! The Joby tripod is $49.52! We took this tripod with us to our Playa Del Carmen vacation and that’s the only way we got some of my favorite pictures. You set the timer, run to your spot, and strike the perfect pose! The flexible legs make it cool because you can adjust it in so many ways!

Ring light:

I bought this ring light and it provides amazing lighting! This ring light is $99.99! It’s perfect for selfies, makeup closeups, product shots, lighting for home shoots,  and making YouTube videos. It comes with a stand to place your phone as well as an adapter for your camera. It does feel a little flimsy but hey the price does the trick for me!

Upgraded Ring light:

I provided a second option as I know several YouTubers that use this one! This ring light is more expensive and costs $279.00. This light has really good reviews and is definitely more for professional use if you want really high quality. It just depends what you’re going to use it for. If you just want to be a selfie queen, I would go with the option above!

Cell phone Ring Light:

Now you are out with your friends one night having a good time and you want to take a selfie but the lighting is terrible! How awful right? In all seriousness this little guy provides amazing lighting in just the perfect moments and its’s only $11.99! You can stuff it in your purse and take it out when you need it! I prefer this over the bulky phone cases that have the lights built in.

You can also use this one for selfie taking at home too. So if you don’t want the whole ring light stand, you can start with this little guy!

 General Tips:

Lighting: Regardless if you have a professional camera or not, lighting is the most important to get a nice picture

Background: If you’re taking a selfie, product shots, food shots, or portraits, make sure your background is not cluttered. The less clutter the more the subject of the picture will be in focus.

Editing: Over editing a pictures lowers the quality of the picture. Back in the day I use to use so many different apps, with so many different filters that it made the picture look bad. Find an app that you like and stick with it to avoid layers of filters. Also, I stopped using the instagram filters because I found other apps that did a better job. Apps I like to use: VSCO, PS Express, Facetune! I also use the desktop version of Lightroom!

Location: This is everything! When you are out with friends or family look out for that instagram worthy background: vibrant colors, cool little unique corners really make your picture pop!

 

I hope you found something useful and if you have any questions on any of the products listed, please feel free to reach out to me!

It’s been real.

 

XOXO,

Liz-Lagh-Love