This is the first step in my Photo Process. You have to actually take some photos and videos first. I use three devices to capture my life: my iPhone, a DSLR, and a GoPro.
My iPhone
This thing is my constant companion. Unlike most people, this little device is not my portal to social media, lots of iMessages or DM’s, nor long phone conversations. This device is my eyes to the world. I probably do more memory keeping on it than just about any other thing. I have an iPhone 11 Pro. I got this overpriced technological wonder for Christmas in 2019. It has been by far my favorite iPhone to date. And consequently the best camera on a phone to date.
I use the regular camera app that comes preinstalled from Apple. It also has the triple camera lens configuration on it, and I make great use of being able to use these lenses for a little zoom, portrait mode, and wide angles. I probably take 90% of all my photos with my phone these days. Learn how to take better pics with the iPhone camera.
I have tried using various attachments, tripods, lenses, and gear through the years. I honestly keep coming back to just using my iPhone in its everyday case and holding it with my hands. If I ever find something that I love and cannot leave home without, I will be shouting it from the rooftops.
My Nikon D7200
Oh baby! I love this camera. I have shot with a Nikon DSLR since 2011. From the first moment I snapped a picture with a DSLR I was in love! The images you can get far exceed anything I can do with my phone. I took a couple of classes and read a couple of books. Now, I only shoot in Manual Mode. It is crazy the things I can capture with it. However, it is big. It is heavy. It isn’t that much fun to carry around. I am just being honest. Because of this and how the iPhone camera has improved so much, I don’t find myself reaching for it very often. It makes my heart sad when I think about it as the image quality is just superior. But they say that the best camera you have is the one with you. So, I have learned to embrace leaving home without it.
There are two keys to my DSLR success. I have moved beyond the kit lens, and I do not shoot in Auto . . . ever. If you are frustrated with your DSLR and feel like your iPhone gets better photos, chances are you are still using the kit lens and shooting in Auto. I have several lenses that find their home on the front of my camera. I won’t go into detail, but I will list them out in case any one is wondering. The everyday lenses that pretty much live on my DSLR are the f1.8 35mm Prime and the f2.8 17-50mm. I also use a telephoto for sports and things on stage which is a Sigma 50-150mm f2.8. As far as shooting in Manual Mode, I will confess it was super intimidating for me. It took me a couple of years before I finally decided to tackle it. It really wasn’t that hard. I wish I had done it sooner. I am not an expert by any means, but it is rare that I find an occasion that I cannot seem to capture with my DSLR, the proper lens, and manual mode. But definitely does happen.
Having said all that . . . let me explain what I do shoot with it and all the amazing things about it. If you are frustrated with low light photos, this will be the answers to most of your frustrations. If presented with less than ideal light, I dial in a wide open aperture and love the results. It does have limitations, but it gets superior results to my iPhone. If you are shooting sports from the sideline, it is hard to beat a good fast zoom lens on the end of a DSLR. I can get right up in the action. It is awesome.
My GoPro
I have a GoPro Hero 5. I would love to upgrade to an 8, but this is a niche device for me. So, it only gets used in certain circumstances. However for a video action cam, you cannot go wrong with a GoPro. It has a magnificent wide angle lens that truly captures the action in an amazing way. We strap it on or carry it. It goes down the slopes with us on our yearly ski trip. It has snorkeled the ocean a couple of times. It has endured 22 National Parks and subsequent hikes. It has splashed in the pool hundreds of times. We have put this thing through its paces. It just keeps going!
I do find it necessary to have some gear to go along with my GoPro. We have several mounts we use to strap in on us. I bought an economical set of attachments on Amazon that included clips, wrist straps, head strap, chest strap, and more. This has served us well for several years. I also purchased extra batteries. This is a must if you are going to be recording tons of footage or in cold climates. The batteries are limiting and my biggest frustration point of the GoPro.
My favorite unconventional feature of this camera is the video time lapse. It captures scenic time lapses in a truly amazing way. I often forget about this feature. This is similar to the time lapse on the iPhone in that it not only takes a picture every so often, it automatically renders it into a video. Priceless!
I made a video that has a little bit more details about these three devices I use and has several examples of photos and videos I have captured.