The Best 9 Travel Photography Gear for Aspiring Travel Bloggers in 2025
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Are you considering starting a blog soon and want to know the best travel photography gear for aspiring travel bloggers? Then keep reading; this article is for you.
When you embark on your journey as a travel blogger, capturing breathtaking photos is essential to telling your travel stories and engaging with your audience.
To ensure you’re equipped with the right tools, I’ve compiled a list of essential travel photography gear to help beginners level up their game.
Let’s explore the best options for capturing stunning visuals during your adventures, from cameras to lenses and other accessories.
What do you need as a beginner travel photographer?
#1: iPhone
Whether you are a novice or a seasonal blogger, there are many things you will need to invest in when you first start blogging.
However, you don’t want to spend a lot of money on equipment for travel photography. All you need to have from the beginning is your iPhone to become a travel photographer!
I only use my iPhone 13 Pro to take good pictures and videos while I travel. You may have encountered numerous accomplished travel bloggers and photographers who still use their phones to take pictures and videos.
Thanks to modern technology, you can do much with your phone. You might want to consider buying a good smartphone if you’re just starting.
Finding the Best Camera for Your Travel Photography
#2: Camera
Getting a good camera is important for anyone who wants to start a travel blog. Start with an affordable DSLR or mirrorless camera, such as the Sony Alpha A6400.
These small but mighty gadgets have great picture quality, adaptability, and beginner-friendly features.
Additionally, it might be perfect if you want to begin creating YouTube videos from scratch, so think of it as an investment in your blog.
Additionally, they are more affordable than the typical travel photography camera, which can cost up to £1200 ($1200) or more.
#3: GoPro
My travel photography gear now includes a GoPro, and I can’t wait to use it. Invest in this small powerhouse that combines portability with stunning visuals to step up your travel blogging game.
The GoPro is designed to be tough, so it can handle any adventure, from hiking in the mountains to exploring the bottom of the sea. In short, GoPro cameras are generally waterproof.
Lens Essentials: Choosing the Right Lenses for Your Travels
It is important to have a variety of lenses to capture different points of view and improve visual storytelling.
Start with a zoom lens that can do many different things, like the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens or the Sony – FE 50mm F1.8
This way, you won’t have to change lenses as often, meaning you can take both wide-angle landscapes and close-up portraits.
#4: The best travel tripods
If you want to take steady pictures in low light or with long exposures, you need a light and strong tripod.
Find one made of carbon fibre or an aluminium alloy that is strong enough to hold your camera without making your backpack too big.
Manfrotto is the tripod most people say is best for a DSLR camera. It’s among the greatest tripods available for bloggers.
#5: iPhone Tripod
Thankfully, I rarely need to rely on my phone’s tripod because I rarely travel alone.
But I use it to film my travel videos when I’m not on a trip, mostly when making “how-to” or “behind-the-scenes” videos for Instagram.
So if you want to become a travel blogger, you need to add a phone tripod to your travel photography gear.
It will save you a great deal of time when shooting pictures and videos independently without assistance.
I use a very basic, cheap tripod. It’s really simple to set up and not heavy. You can take pictures with the Bluetooth remote on this one as well.
Alternatively, just set a timer on your phone to take photos; sometimes, it is much easier than using the Bluetooth remote.
#6: Portable External Hard Drive
An aspiring travel blogger must have a good portable external hard drive.
Travelling involves capturing numerous high-resolution photos and videos that quickly consume storage space on memory cards.
Investing in a portable external hard drive provides secure backup options while allowing you to free up space.
On the other hand, if you want something lighter, I suggest getting a USB camera adapter with multiple card readers. It is handy when moving photos from your phone to save space quickly.
Light Up Your Shots: The Best Lighting Options for Stunning Travel Photos
As a beginner travel blogger, capturing stunning photos is crucial to captivating your audience and sharing your travel experiences effectively.
Since I started travel blogging, I’m often asked what filters I use. I’ve found that proper lighting may greatly improve your photos.
These are a few of the greatest lighting choices to help you improve your trip photography and produce incredible pictures.
#7: Photo Editing Software: Lightroom
You can edit photos with many different software programs, but the free version of Adobe Lightroom is my favourite.
Here, you can look at other free photo editing software to find the one you like best. Another option is to use free photo editing apps like Capcut, Snapseed, and Inshot.
To save time when editing photos, you can buy mobile lighting presets. I used them when I first started blogging and continue to do so.
Natural Lighting
Natural lighting is often considered the most flattering and useful for any type of photography, including travel photos.
Take advantage of the sunrise or sunset. For me, the best time to take pictures of travel is at sunset, when the light is soft and warm.
At these times, the colours in the landscape are magical and make your photos look more beautiful and full.
If you can help it, try not to shoot in the harsh midday sun. It can make shadows look bad and cause the camera to overexpose.
#8: Using Reflectors
Reflectors are affordable accessories that can help manipulate natural light to create stunning effects in your travel photos.
These portable tools bounce light onto your subject, reducing unwanted shadows and enhancing details.
Experiment with different coloured reflectors to achieve various moods in your pictures.
#9: Utilising Artificial Lighting
Artificial lighting is used as an alternative to natural light when it is unavailable or not enough to achieve the desired results.
We all know that the sun likes to hide and seek here in the UK. Consider purchasing portable LED lights or camera flashes as a new blogger to manage light levels and direction indoors or in low-light conditions.
Recap of essential travel photography gear for aspiring travel bloggers
Remember, even as an aspiring travel blogger, you need the right travel photography gear to take stunning photos and create a visually appealing blog.
A good camera, versatile lenses, solid tripods, and useful accessories are needed to take professional-looking images.
Although buying good gear can be pricey, it is an investment that will make your blog much better and help you stand out from the others.
Before you buy anything, make sure you think about your needs and personal style. Selecting the right gear will ultimately help your success as a travel blogger.
PS: If all of this photography equipment seems overwhelming, please don’t worry. You don’t have to buy it all at once; you can always start with your phone and gradually upgrade as your budget allows.
Regardless, I hope this guide was helpful. Please let me know in the comments if you have any additional gear you have discovered or would like more information about!
Happy writing!
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