I am often asked what camera equipment I use and also how I take photos as a solo traveler. Well, I’ve compiled what’s in my camera bag as a solo female travel blogger and Instagrammer! After a ton of research, I have found the best camera gear for solo travelers. It can be a real struggle sometimes making content while traveling alone which is why it’s essential to be prepared with the right equipment.
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🤍 Follow me on Instagram @joujoutravels for tips on solo travel, photography, and more!
iPhone 13
I use my Apple iPhone 13 to shoot all my video content on as well as most of my photography on my Instagram! It is really all you need to be a travel blogger. There’s a misconception that you have to have really fancy equipment to become a travel influencer but it’s simply not the case at all. Sometimes I like the ease of just using my phone as it can be hard carrying around big equipment and setting it up on a tripod to shoot solo travel photos. Plus, the cinematic mode for videography is amazing – the quality of your videos will just skyrocket with this new feature available on the 13.
Here are some of the photos I took using my iPhone 13:
As you can see here, these photos look great especially just for my blog or Instagram account. The true key is in editing. If you can edit properly, that is what will set your photography apart.
If you want to edit like I do, be sure to grab my Lightroom presets here. A preset is basically a photo filter you can apply to your image. Lightroom is a free app I do most of my editing in. With my presets you can apply them and have a perfectly edited photo in just one click. I guide you through the easy process when you purchase the presets.
Here are the before and after of using my lightroom presets in just one click!
Gimbal Stabilizer
The trick to getting smooth video footage is to use a Gimbal Stabilizer by DJI. This will remove all the shakiness from the video you shoot. So I definitely recommend getting one of these.
Best Tripod for Solo Travelers
I am often asked how I take my own photos as a solo traveler. Well, the answer is my tripod! And sometimes strangers or a paid photographer.
Having a tripod is a game changer, you no longer have to worry about asking someone to take your photo the way you want it. You have full control and can take as many pictures to your perfection.
Sometimes, I do have to ask a stranger though and that would be in situations where I can’t leave my tripod at a distance. I would never shoot in busy areas or dangerous areas as I would be nervous my equipment would be stolen.
Most of the time, I am traveling to hidden gems as that is my passion. These places are less crowded and I often have the whole place to myself to shoot! The other thing you can do is rise early when less people are around. The lighting is also better at this time so it’s a win win.
🤳Check out this tutorial from my Instagram Reel of how I use my tripod to take photos traveling alone.
💡 Pro-tip: Be sure to download the Photo Timer+ App. It will let you pick how many photos you want to continuously shoot from your mobile device. It is handy to use with the tripod for self photography.
I have 2 different tripods. One is a simple tripod I use with my iPhone. It’s so easy to set up and it’s lightweight. I was looking forever for a tripod where I could just set up quickly and get the shots I want while traveling. Before I had one that was a bit annoying to set up and I am often going from one spot to another so it was a huge pain. This one also has a bluetooth remote you can use to take photos.
The second tripod I use is one for a DSLR camera by Manfrotto. It is one of the best tripods out there for bloggers. You can add a handy adapter to it like this so that you can use this tripod for both DSLR and smartphone.
Professional DSLR Camera Gear
I have 2 DSLR cameras. One is the Canon Rebel and the other is the Fujifilm XT-30. I started out with the Canon and then recently got the Fujifilm since it’s more light weight and also very stylish in the design.
A lot of bloggers I know all use the Sony A7III. It’s super high quality and worth the investment. Be sure to always shoot in RAW format so you can edit all the details in post production without losing quality.
If you’re a beginner photographer, the base lens is enough to do the job. For the more advanced, you can play around with different lenses to capture different compositions. The lower the F stop on the lens the more you will get that blurred background effect in your images. You can also get a wide angle lens to capture more of the scene. These lens are great for shooting city landscapes for example.
These are photos I’ve taken with my DSLR camera:
DJI Mini 2 Drone
My newest addition to my camera bag as a solo travel blogger is the DJI Mini 2 drone. I was a bit nervous for this one as I had no prior knowledge to flying a drone. However, I was reassured by other travel blogger friends that it is pretty simple once you practice enough. It still can be daunting and I have yet to try it that much yet.
However, I can’t wait to up my photography game with this addition. I truly love a good view and the aerial footage you can get with a drone is just magical. Most bloggers seem to go with the DJI Mini 2 as an entry level drone. Plus, you don’t have to deal with the extra hurdles of having a bigger drone.
The DJI Mini 3 was recently released and it shoots vertically. I was really tempted to purchase this drone since I will mostly be using it for my Instagram but the price was double so I thought I would ease into drone photography with the Mini 2.
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Go Pro
If you want to shoot while in the action or underwater then a GoPro Hero 10 is for you! It will help you capture great video or photography content while being active as you can hook it onto your arm or submerge it in water without it getting destroyed. I don’t personally have one but I really want to get one some day!
Power Bank
A good portable power bank is a must as a solo traveler.
I’ve been in situations before where my phone died and I was alone in a small remote village and couldn’t make my way back to my hotel without my phone to tell me where to go.
It was a really tough situation since our phones really tell us everything. Including translating so you can communicate with locals as well as finding directions and of course taking endless photos.
This is the power bank I use that is super strong and will be my backup so I’m never in a situation like this again!
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