As a food and lifestyle blogger and amateur freelance photographer, I often get asked, “What do you use to take pictures?”

I’m a firm believer that you don’t need the most expensive camera to take quality photos. It’s not the camera you use, but the person behind the lens. Plus these days, phones are getting so sophisticated that it makes it difficult for most people to tell the difference between photos taken on DSLRs or mirrorless cameras and cellphones.

For the purpose of this blog, I’m going to explain what my current photography gear is looking like, by going into detail what I have and what I use it for.

iPhone XS

I use my iPhone 9 times out of 10 when it comes to pictures. It’s more convenient than carrying my camera around and I use it a lot more now that I’m on TikTok (don’t judge me, it’s quite fun). I take most of my photos in regular camera mode. I’m not a huge fan of portrait mode because the focus doesn’t always cooperate. There are also some really cool iPhone photography tricks that most people don’t know about which can really level up your photography game! My favorite is taking photos in “live” mode and switching it to long exposure. Another convenient thing that I like about using my phone is self timer mode that I can also control with my Apple Watch.

Sony Alpha a6000

If I’m shooting content for a brand partnership, I will always use my camera to ensure that I’m taking quality photos. In my opinion, the Sony Alpha a6000 is one of Sony’s best beginner and mirrorless cameras out there. It’s affordable, lightweight, and gets the job done. The reason why I chose a mirrorless camera compared to a DSLR is because it’s lightweight and user-friendly. If you’re thinking about purchasing a camera, there are plenty of good resources out there that can help you narrow down your choices, so make sure to do your research before you spend your dollars. Another thing that I love about this camera and other Sony Alpha cameras is that they have an app that lets you control the shutter from your phone using the built-in WiFi in the camera. Advanced selfies at its finest!

*see also: How To Take Portraits Of Yourself, By Yourself

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 Lens

This is my favorite lens for portrait photos. Almost all of the photos that I took in my quarantine series session were shot using this lens. Not only is it great for portraits, but it does a solid job at taking still shots for food and lifestyle photos too.

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 Lens

A 24-70mm lens is a lens you’re going to want in your kit because of its versatility. You can easily go from a wide angle to a zoom, depending on what the subject is. I tend to gravitate towards this lens when I’m shooting overhead flatlays of food. It is a bit on the heavier side, but I can’t live without it because it’s such an all around great lens to work with.

Amazon Basics Tripod

My tripod is basically the Instagram boyfriend that I never had. I have a super basic tripod that I got from Amazon and it does the job for me. I might eventually upgrade to a more compact and lightweight tripod for travel, but for my current needs this fits the bill. I also use this tripod for my phone, which you have to get a phone adapter for since most photography tripods don’t come with one.

Neewer Ring Light

I like having a ring light handy for when I’m creating content indoors. When it’s mostly dark inside my apartment, I like to use it to create shadows in my photos or to even out the lighting when the shadows aren’t cooperating. And yes, I use it for TikTok. I am not ashamed.

You can directly purchase the above items and find additional things I use, like extra camera batteries and a lens adapter here. 

Regardless, use what you already have and can afford. Don’t think that you have to splurge on the best gear out on the market right away to be a great photographer. Understand the basics first, do your research, and most importantly, practice and have fun!

Do you have any gear that you absolutely cannot live without? I’d love to know in the comments!