You love taking photos but are a little confused when it comes to what accessories to use and why. Let Better Pictures give you the lowdown on camera kit essentials that will take you from happy snapper to enthusiast in no time.
Tripod...
Do not underestimate the power of a tripod to improve your shots. Yes, these days many cameras have built in image stabilisers but nothing can beat a tripod when it comes to keeping a shot steady. Particularly useful when shooting at long exposures, a tripod will ensure your image is crisp and free from camera shake. The type of tripod you use will depend upon your need. A lightweight collapsible model will work well for the amateur shooter while pros will opt for something sturdier with a ball head for easy pivoting. If you own a lightweight video camera you might also opt for a tripod that can cover both your DSLR and movie shooting needs.
Remote Shutter Release
While we’re on the subject of camera shake, another useful accessory is the remote trigger, as it allows you to trigger the shutter via a cable or wireless remote so you need not be physically depressing the shutter button.
Great for landscape work and believe it or not, fashion shoots.
The Flash
A flash is a great addition to any photographer’s kit. It allows you to provide an additional light source at will without the weight of carrying an entire lighting kit. Especially useful when shooting portraits, a flash can also be bounced off surfaces to provide fill.
Filters
The inclusion of filters in your kit will assist you in upping the ante when it comes to the colour and sharpness of your image. A polarising filter will assist in heightening the depth of colour and add warmth to your images, an ND (neutral density) filter will assist in bringing detail to foreground objects, a purple filter will help remove the hideous green hue of a flouro globe.
Lenses
Chances are your camera came with a standard zoom lens, but if you really want to expand the scope of your photography, you need to invest in some additional lenses. A wide-angle lens is not only great for shooting landscapes but ideal for portraits as well, a macro lens will assist you in exposing detail and a telephoto is great for getting up close and personal with nature.
Memory Cards
You can never have enough memory! There is nothing worse than seeing the perfect shot, pressing the shutter and then realising that your memory card is full. Invest in a good quality, high-speed memory card from a reliable brand. Buy the fastest card you can afford; the bigger the memory buffer on the card the better, as then you won’t suffer from image lag while your memory card attempts to keep up with your shutter speed.
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