Summer is here. Time to get out with family and friends to enjoy the season. A lot of us want to capture the memories in photos but we may not know what to bring and how to make sure our gear stays in good working condition.
What gear you bring will vary depending on where you are going and what you are doing. A day at the beach will require some considerations that are different from what you need if you are going on a 5-milehike in the Ozark Mountains.
A day at the Beach, or Johnston Shut-ins
The Olympus Tough TG-6 is a great all around, all in-one camera that is perfect for the beach or pool. It is waterproof up to 50 feet so if the kids take it in the water, no problem, just make sure you have a float on it.
Going for a hike
This is a great time to capture the sunset or just beautiful landscapes while hiking in the woods. A great well-made backpack will be more comfortable while keeping your gear safe. Make sure it is big enough to have room for a lunch and raincoat. St. Louis’s own F-Stop bag has that backpack for you. Their new DuraDiamond material is super tuff.
Taking the kids to the Zoo
This is always a great summer activity going on in St.Louis. We have a world-renowned zoo, AND IT’S FREE!!! Do you want capture great shots of the animals? Tamron makes the wonderful 18-400 lens for Canon and Nikon. You can zoom in tight on the tigers and bears while still going wide to capture images of the kids on the train. This is also great vacation lens, one lens covers most anything you will want to photograph.
Capturing Landscape
We love to photograph landscapes even if we are not going for a hike. A ride up the Grafton sky lift, a drive along Hwy 94, or a trip to the wineries in Hermann and Ste. Geneviève will lead you to gorgeous landscapes.A good, sturdy tripod is a must to get the shot. Often, we shoot landscapes at sunset, and we want to make sure everything is sharp and in focus. This requires longer exposures and a sturdy tripod to prevent motion blur. From Promaster’s XC-M 525 price leading tripods to Benro lightweight Carbon Fiber Rhino tripod,Schillers has a tripod for you.
Lone Elk Park
This is also a wonderful time of the year to go out in the wilds of Lone Elk Park to photograph elk, deer, and buffalo (please do not pet the fluffy cows!). Canon’s new R7 with its high frame rate and crop sensor is a wildlife and birds photographer’s dream camera. Its autofocus system will get you sharp, in-focus images without any hassle and the 32mp image will allow you to enlarge a print to poster size so you can hang your art on the wall.
A few quick tips.
· Don’t keep the camera in a hot car or in direct sunlight. Cameras do not like getting super-hot just like we don’t
· Pick up a rain cover that keeps your camera dry while still allowing you to take photos
· Keep a spare battery with you so you’re not caught with a dead battery at the perfect time
· Have a good, wide, and comfortable camera strap.It’s nice that cameras come with straps, but a Peak Design strap will not dig into your neck allowing hours of shooting
· Make sure you have a UV filter protecting your lenses from scratches
Cover photo Alley Springs by Robb Muller