Do you want professional looking pictures but don’t have the money to invest in a nice camera? Me too, friend! I will share the must have and nice to have equipment that allows me to capture beautiful pictures using the camera on my phone.
*This post contains affiliate links. This means that purchasing items through links within this post will provide the creator with a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Must Have Equipment
1: Bluetooth Camera Remote
The number one thing I use for taking my Instagram pictures is my nifty little bluetooth camera remote from Amazon. The one I use is under $10 and man is it worth it! Do you ever see the pictures on Instagram of people and wonder how they get someone to follow them around all day taking pictures (because you know for every nice picture posted there are about 50 to 100 more not so perfect shots). This little remote allows you to take all those pictures yourself. The best part is that there is no pushing a button and rushing to get into place. With this remote, you set up your camera, take your time posing, and then just push the button on the little remote that can easily be hidden. Its that easy! I took all the pictures of myself in this post using my little remote. Would you ever know?!
You can find this Bluetooth camera remote HERE
2: Tripod
My tripod is my other must have piece of equipment. I use this every time I need to take a picture or video of myself doing something. I also use it for trickier shots because it allows me to set the camera up at the perfect angle so all I have to do is push a button and I have a clear, steady picture. When using this tripod for your phone you need this attachment that connects right to the top. I believe it will fit most phone styles, but is is worth double checking before you purchase one for yourself.
You can find this tripod HERE and the tripod attachment I use HERE
The Tripod with attachment & Bluetooth Remote is perfect for DIY family photos!
Equipment used for the above photo: Tripod with attachment & Bluetooth Remote
Equipment used for the above photo: Tripod with attachment & Bluetooth Remote, which allowed me to stay close in case one of the puppies decided to jump!
3: Lights
Good lighting is key for great pictures. While natural lighting is always preferred, that isn’t always possible. For example, one time I was asked by a company to send pictures of my kitchen at 5pm in the middle of winter in NY (it was pretty darn dark)! Ideally I would have had some already on my phone, but I didn’t. Luckily, I had my softbox lights. I was able to use my two lights to create lighting that appeared more natural in a picture. I don’t use these as often as my tripod and remote, however when I need them I am glad to have them! Check out the before and after pictures below using these lights.
Picture 1: Ceiling light on Picture 2: Ceiling light off, 2 soft box lights on
Picture 1: Ceiling light on Picture 2: Ceiling light off, 2 soft box lights on
Photographing this staircase was a challenge because it does not have a natural light source. Using a softbox light at the bottom and top of the staircase, I was able to replicate natural lighting.
*Note: I did not edit the 4 pictures of the stairways so that you can see the true impact of just the lighting.
You can find the single light HERE or the two pack HERE
Nice to Have Equipment
1: Memory Card
Having the ability to use a memory card in my Samsung Galaxy s8 was one of the main reasons I made the switch from iPhones, which do not allow you this option. With my android, I am able to add additional memory. This means I am never stuck with the dreaded “memory full” message. This memory card also makes it extremely easy for me to take video footage with my phone and transfer it to my Mac computer using the adapter disk that comes with this memory card.
You can find this memory card HERE
2: Camera Lens
This camera lens has been the perfect tool to use while I save up for a nice camera. I do not use it for every picture I take, but it has come in handy several times. It is a wide lens camera attachment, so it allows you to get more in your picture. I often use this when taking pictures of smaller rooms, when I want a wider angle shot of a room, or when I am taking video footage. I used this lens for this farmhouse video tour HERE. The only down side to this lens is that you need a Moment phone case to use it. Luckily, the phone case is really nice and I keep it on my phone at all times. I’ve used this phone case for over 6 months and it is still in great condition.
You can find this lens HERE and this Moment phone case (required for the above lens) HERE
*Note: This link will take you to a Moment phone case, however you will need to search for “Moment phone case for [your phone model]”
3: Microphone
This is only needed for creating videos. When we bought our farmhouse, I decided I wanted to explore creating video footage to document more of the progress. After researching cameras I became overwhelmed by the options and realized they weren’t in my budget yet anyways. Instead, I bought this microphone that attached to my cell phone. This allows me to get more professional sound on my videos.
You can find this microphone HERE
Love it? Pin it for later!
Diana thanks so much for writing this amazing BloG! I am def going to invest in getting me These equipments!
Gosh This was very helpful and cost effective as well!
You are so sweet, thank you so much for this feedback! I am so glad you found it helpful!