The Resources I Use Everyday In My Work

This article is about the photographic resources I use everyday.

In the course of my work, mainly taking photographs and blogging, I use resources, both hardware and software. 

Some of them are essential, and others I find make life easier and nicer when I use them. 

Anything that makes work and life easier is to be welcomed and cherished.

Even work is nicer when you mix in a little pleasure.

I use affiliate links on this website, and there are some on this page.

If you click on one and buy something from the website it refers you to, I will get a payment. 

You will not pay any extra for your purchase.

Cameras are a vital photographic resource

A photography website needs lots of photographs, and I supply my own. 

To this end I use cameras, and the ones I like, and find great, are Canon.

I use mainly SLRs, both digital and film, and also a compact.

 When I go for a walk I stick the compact in my pocket to use as a visual notebook.

The film camera is one I only bought recently and I haven’t used it much yet. 

It came with a lens which is older than any digital camera, yet it works with my DSLRs. 

While it’s about thirty years old, it’s in perfect working order.

These are my most vital resources, obviously, being a photographer.

I prefer cameras to smartphones

I don’t shoot much with my camera phone. 

That’s more to do with the fact that I usually use my cameras, rather than any deficiency in the phone.

I like to press a shutter button rather than poke a virtual button 

It’s a Vodafone brand and more than capable of taking a great photo.

I haven’t changed in over three years so it’s not exactly cutting edge anymore.

There’s great innovation taking place in smartphone photography and exciting things happening.

Lenses are vital 

Using SLRs and DSLRs I have to use lenses as the cameras wont operate without them.

Adding to the cameras working scope by adding an occasional lens makes photography even more enjoyable.

They’re expensive though so you have to chose wisely, and not very often.

While most of the lenses I use are Canon, like the cameras, I also use Sigma lenses. 

These are top quality and usually much cheaper than the Canon ones. 

Sigma usually produce their lenses to fit Canon, Nikon and Sony cameras, and they’re always cheaper than own brand lenses.

They’re working with other brands as well and worth checking out, whatever your brand of interchangeable lens camera you use.

The other photographic gear I use

There’s no light better than daylight, but sometimes, usually indoors it can be assisted. 

When it’s necessary, I use a Nissin flashgun. 

Sometimes I like to light things straight on and I use a Neewer ring light.

There’s a vast array of lighting options available to photographers and for photography.

Unless you shoot exclusively outdoors, some extra lighting is at least desirable.

Even outdoors some lighting can improve some photograph quite a bit.

You should have a camera bag

It’s hard to go much past a camera phone, or compact, and be able to bring it in a pocket. 

A bag becomes essential when your gear starts to accumulate. 

They keep your gear together, as well as keeping it protected.

Once you go beyond one camera, with one lens, you really need a bag for your photographic equipment.

I use Lowepro bags and I have two, including one that holds everything. 

The other is a smaller bag but great for when you don’t need to bring much gear.

That is three camera bodies, six lenses, a flashgun and various bits and pieces.

Tripods and reading material

I have two tripods, a full size one and a tabletop one, both made by Camlink. 

I don’t use them as much as I should for outdoor shooting. 

At home I use them most of the time, mostly for still life or macro photographs. 

When I do use a tripod I always use a Hahnel cable release, to take the shot. 

A cable or remote release is not essential, but when you get used to one, you wont give it up.    

I like to read about photography regularly, and like to buy books on the subject. 

The development that’s taking place in photographic equipment is awesome at the moment. 

It’s also good to stay in touch with what’s happening it the photography world as a whole.

To this end I always read two monthly magazines; Digital Camera and Photo Plus.

I also use a computer

Photographs have to be stored and edited on a computer. 

Websites are created and maintained on computers also. for these I use an Apple iMac. 

I’ve been using Apple computers since 1994 and always find them first class. 

I’ve tried the others but find Apple so much easier to use and organise.

I spend hours at my computer everyday, and that’s necessary when you make your living with it. 

One thing I don’t like is the sound of silence, (I love the song), but I love music. 

So I listen to iTunes a lot of the time, through headphones. 

A comfortable set with a great sound is a must, so I have a Sony set.

As well as storing my photographs on the Mac I also edit them on it. 

The software I use Is mainly ON1 Photo Raw. 

I find this superb and wouldn’t give it up, and I also occasionally use Graphic Converter and Aurora HDR.

Hosting websites

A website needs a home on the Internet, it can’t easily exist just on your computer. 

That home is provided by a web host, a company with dedicated hardware and software to provide that service. 

Over the years I’ve used several web hosts, and at the moment I use two. 

I have two websites, this one and a comic strip site; Diesel Drinking Dinosaurs.

This site is hosted by Hostinger, and I host another site on iPage. 

While I haven’t used them yet, SiteGround is one I would like to use in the future.

It’s not necessary to have a different host for every site, but I intend to start several other sites soon. 

Hosting is another one of the vital resources, if you want a photography website. 

This is a quick look at the resources I use on a daily basis. I’d be more than disappointed if I had to do without any of these.