My Favorite Phone, Computer and Camera Accessories

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This blog has had many phases and niches over the years as it’s followed the course of my life. From new home owner, to new wife to new mom, one thing has remained the same – it always has included photo visuals.  Along the way I’ve obtained an assortment of tech accessories for my camera, phone or computer to help improve these photos. While it’s always a work in progress, today I wanted to share some of these items that have helped document my blogger / mom / work-from-home life here on these pages.

Know that most of these computer, phone and camera accessories are budget friendly and produce great results! Make sure you scroll down to the bottom as there’s a fun giveaway to win one of my favorite camera accessories!

Favorite Camera Accessories:

The night before our honeymoon Derek came home with our Canon Rebel 3Ti DSLR camera <– linked to a similar one here. We shot the whole trip mostly in auto mode as I had NO IDEA what I was doing. Slowly I’ve learned a few tricks when it comes to lighting and focus, enough to now shoot all my photos in manual mode. I’m proud to be a work in progress, always learning more to improve my photography skills! Whether you’re a mom trying to take photos of your kids or a blogger working to grow your skills, you’ll find that while the below items won’t automatically make you a professional photographer, they sure can help the process to taking better shots!

• Tripods – You may be skeptical of this tripod being that it’s only $17 but check out the reviews and you’ll see that we all agree it’s a great cheap item to help capture some great shots. I pull mine out when I have low light, am trying to get myself in the photo with a wireless remote shutter action (see below) or am just trying to line up a great still shot. It folds up small, is lightweight and do I have to point out the $17 price tag again? I also have a Joby GorillaPod tripod that’s great to set on a tabletop or floor and help get a shot when we’re crafting together, especially with our footprint crafts!

• Wireless remote shutter – This little guy is how I get shots of me and the girls together when I’m the only one home or even how we took this photo of Derek and I when working on our original pregnancy announcement postcard! With a combination of this shutter and one of the tripods listed above, I’m able to snap away as we craft up something fun. Or in some cases, Brielle or Hailey is able to hit the button to capture our crafternoon. (NOTE: I did need to get an extra cable to make it functional with my camera so make sure to check that step but this is one of my most useful camera accessories to help get myself IN my blog photos!)

• 50 mm f/1.8 Lens – Often referred to as the “nifty fifty,” this lens, this cheap lens is totally worth the purchase to get some great portrait or still life shots! It is a prime lens meaning it doesn’t zoom in and out so you the photographer have to move to get everything in the shot.

It allows you to go to a lower F-Stop to get a sharper focus on the item in front and create that fun blurry affect with the items behind it. You can see in the example above of two shots I took, one with my kit lens (ahh professional photographers are screaming at me for saying I still use mine!) and the second photo is my 50mm lens.

When shooting parties, DIY crafts, and food, like these patriotic brownies, I often to switch over to this lens to get close up shots like this! Note: it looks like the exact one I have is now discontinued by the manufacturer but I linked up the newer model. Runs around $125 when I last checked this and has over 1500 reviews with a 4.7 star average!

• Camera Strap Slipcover – This item is by far the prettiest camera accessories on the list and one of the most functional too! This slightly padded slipcover is great for comfort on my neck when toting around my camera but also includes a pocket to house my lens cap when I’m in the middle of a shoot. No longer do I misplace my lens cap and wonder which countertop I put it on! The one shown is my second from Paisley Maizie Etsy shop and I highly recommend the shop! My first one was still in great condition, but after 4 years I just wanted a new pattern to change things up with a new print. This is the one I got and its so stinking cute! PS KEEP SCROLLING DOWN to enter a giveaway from this shop!
• Reflector – When it comes to shooting parties or even flat lays of smaller projects, I’ve also been rocking this large reflector on the silver side. It does need to be leaning up against chairs and other objects to help give more light but it’s key to brightening up the darker side of the room that isn’t near the window.

Computer Accessories:

• Laptop Desk – While we do have an office area in our home (to be shared this year, I promise!) you’ll often find me with my laptop on the couch binge watching some Netflix while getting work done. This laptop desk is genius as it allowed me to an external mouse (a must, in my opinion for spreadsheet work) and helps stop my laptop from overheating in my lap. This particular model has a slide out mouse pad and can be used for both right handed and left handed folks and I highly recommend it for laptop users.
• Wireless Mouse – If you’re big into spreadsheets or just need to get around on your computer, you DON’T use the touch pad mouse. A real mouse is where’s it’s at and one with wires holds you down.

• USB hub – Anyone else remember the days of having to pull out your PC unit in order to plug something in since the USB hubs were in the back? I do, but now I have this wireless hub plugged into my desktop and I no longer need to reach in the back to blue something in! This hub has four ports so my camera cord and cell phone cord are always plugged in ready to remove photos at any time. PS 6800+ positive reviews? Need I say more?

Phone Accessories:

• Rapid Phone Charger – Did you know there is such a thing? I have an android phone and use this one. It charges my phone super fast which is very useful when you do social media for a living! (or a mom who forgets to plug in her phone and the battery is dying)
• Car Mount Holder – I, of course, don’t use this mount to do my blogging or consultant work but I do think this is an essential car item for mom life when using my Waze GPS app!

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