Camera Gear That Beginners Actually Need (Street & Travel Photography)

In todays consumer age it is so easy to think that we need every bit of gear just in case. This lens for that purpose that lens for this purpose (that’s a tongue twister) and sooner or later we end up spending thousands on a ton of stuff that we might not really need. Sure as we grow in photography and expand our interests, we might need to add the odd lens here and there but for the most part we only really need a small kit to cover 90% of what we would shoot. Especially if we are just starting out. So in this blog I will cover the camera gear that I think is essential to get going and for most of you it will be the only camera gear you will probably need. Although this blog is aimed at street and travel photography, it can be applied to other genres too for the most part. 

Camera

Fairly obvious one. Joking aside your camera doesn’t matter that much as long as you enjoy using it. If you love using your iPhone but hate using your Canon R3 well then the iPhone is a better camera for you. But seriously the brand doesn’t matter, the sensor size doesn’t matter for most people so just get something you like. Any camera from any mainstream brand from the last 3 years is good and will last you. I would suggest a few things though and that is to get a camera that you can grow into, a camera where you can change lenses but also don’t blow your budget. There is no point getting the most basic camera in the world when you know you want to take this more seriously. Buy cheap and buy twice. Being able to change lenses will really pay off in the future. Finally spending your entire budget on a Sony A1 and then having no money left to leave your house is rather silly too. There is no simple answer… do your research, try different cameras and go with the one you like most. 

24-70mm Zoom Lens 

The first lens I would suggest is not a prime but a zoom lens. Specifically something like a 24-70 in full frame terms or similar. If your camera comes with a kit zoom then that will be more than good enough at least initially and as a matter of fact I would always suggest getting the camera with a kit lens as in most cases you can sell the lens for more money than the extra difference in the original price. This lens will be your jack of all trades and cover most thing you would come across in your travels. From wide angle architecture, street photography at 35mm or reach far away subjects at 70mm. This is also a great option if you’re heading into a new location and you’re not sure what focal length would be best or you’re shooting in the rain or sand so changing lenses is not ideal. Finally a zoom is good if you physically can’t move around the scene for whatever reason and the only way to change your composition is by zooming. 

50mm / 35mm prime 

So the prime I would get after a few months of using the zoom and getting an idea of what focal length you roughly prefer. If you generally find yourself shooting wider, then get the 35mm. If however you tend to shoot tighter, then a 50mm is gonna be your best bet. Having a small fast prime will allow you to get cleaner shots in low light and introduce more background blur if you want to take portraits. More importantly it will keep the footprint of your camera down thus help you blend in a little more in a city environment. Finally it will be the lens that will improve your skills the most as a prime forces you to move around the scene, get different perspectives and really work the location in order to get the best shot. Not to mention that for street photography especially in a fast paced environment, a zoom lens can sometimes slow you down so having a fixed focal length has an advantage. 

Wrist strap 

There are many ways to carry your camera round, from crossbody straps to clips that attach to your backpack. However having tried them all, I found that at least for me a simple wrist strap was the best option. The main reason is that it keeps the camera in my hand and always ready to go. Also it allows me to hide my camera behind my back if I sense that someone keeps looking at it. This makes it more difficult for an opportunistic thief compared to having it dangle from your side or bag. However the other two options have their advantages. The neck or crossbody strap can be used to further stabilise your camera for slow shutter speeds. The backpack clip can be convenient if you will spend more time in nature or walking very long distances between photos. 

Sling / ICU 

Now that the camera stuff is sorted, we need to look at a way to carry it around. Given how little gear you have, I would say the best route is to either get a small sling or a camera cube that you can put into a normal bag. Personally I prefer a sling as I can have it around the front of my body thus keeping an eye on it. However if slings are not your thing a small camera cube is the way to go but be prepared to deal with a little more faff getting to your camera. At this stage I would avoid dedicated camera bags but if I had to recommend one, then the peak design zip 15L would be my suggestion. 

Computer 

Once you’ve taken your photos, it is time to either edit them or if they are JPEGs to organise and back them up. For this I would suggest an iPad that can support the pencil, an external drive and some kind of cloud service for back up. If your budget allows then an iPad Pro is great, however any iPad will do the same job as the software is the same. The reason I suggest an iPad over a laptop is the smaller form factor and the better user experience especially when editing photos. Personally I hate editing photos on my laptop or even worse at a desk as it makes me feel detached from the image. Holding the iPad in my hand and editing with the pencil or my finger just feels a lot more natural. This is of course very subjective and there is no right or wrong.

Good Trainers 

The final essential bit of kit is a good pair of trainers or walking boots. Having good footwear will be the difference between a full day exploring and shooting vs being back at your hotel after a couple hours with blisters. Street and travel photography involve covering many miles every day so make sure you buy good trainers. Personally I use Allbirds running trainers and in the past found anything Adidas ultra boost to be really good but this is not a trainer channel so do your own research.