These beginner photography accessories can help you with travel photography on a Disney for couples trip, product photography, or simply shooting for the fun of it.
When I decided to start a new passion project at the end of 2022, I had no idea how expensive professional hopes and dreams could be. 🙄
Right before leaving for a Walt Disney World trip, my boyfriend and I tried to find out-of-the-box ideas just for couples. But other than “drink around the World Showcase in Epcot until you can’t stand up,” all of our Google searches were disappointing.
“When we get back, I’m going to write it,” I told Mike, unsure of what “it” was but recognizing a gap in the market where information about Disney for couples was getting lost.
The Problem
After publishing my first Disney for Couples article, I quickly spotted a problem I hadn’t anticipated facing: photos.
It took me far too long to find Disney World photos that I could use for my purposes — meaning maybe commercially, even if I wasn’t sure where any of this was going yet.
❌ I spent a ton of time sourcing photos on Unsplash and building my own Disney for Couples image library, but it still wasn’t enough.
❌ Next, I considered hiring a photographer in the Orlando area to take photos for me. Too expensive, and I’d still be limited by how many pictures I’d realistically get.
Both of these options felt like I’d be working against myself. The obvious solution hit me.
I would fly down to Florida on a super-short trip and take the photos myself. 😬
Since the website wasn’t yet monetized, the photos wouldn’t technically be for commercial use, which got me around Disney’s photography rules. At that point, I was just a budding Disney travel blogger who didn’t want to spend one more second looking for royalty-free Disney photos of anything other than Cinderella Castle or Dumbo.
The biggest problem was that, other than two film cameras from my college days, I didn’t have a DSLR, and I wasn’t about to use my iPhone for a project important enough to justify a whole Disney trip.
Little did I know that buying a DSLR was only the beginning of all the gear I’d need over the next year and a half.
Here’s what I bought and what you may need if you’re an amateur photographer getting into travel photography, product photography or both (like me).
You may also like:
- 10 Best Disney Ponchos for Adults
- Here’s How I Carried My DSLR at Disney World
- Should I Bring a Backpack to Disney World?
The Camera
After booking a last-minute photography trip to Disney World, I had to buy and learn how to use a camera fast.
I spent enough time reading and re-reading reviews of beginner-level cameras to make my head hurt, and eventually, I settled on the Canon EOS Rebel T7.
It had iffy feedback from some users, but I’ve always been a Canon fan, and I figured it would have enough functionality to get me started.
✅ I also wanted a traditional optical viewfinder over the electronic viewfinder that mirrorless cameras have.
✅ And for about $600, I could get an extra lens and a (very simple) camera bag.
Sold.
Over time, I’d grow to love this camera, but even when I knew almost nothing about it, it definitely served its purpose and produced great photos.
See the Canon EOS Rebel T7 Kit that I have on Amazon.
Insider Tip: How To Get Canon Rebel T7 Photos Onto Your Computer
Technically, the Canon Rebel T7 has a way to wirelessly send your photos to your devices. But it’s a complete and total pain that will make you cry frustration tears.
Save yourself the headache and get an adapter hub that lets you plug the SD card into your computer. This is the one that works for me since I use a MacBook Air for photo editing.
The Basics: Must-Have Travel Photography Gear
Next, I had to think about how I would safely transport and use the camera in Disney World. There were two main considerations:
👉 Protecting the camera while transporting it, including on the plane, to and from the Disney parks, while weaving through crowds, and on rides.
👉 Keeping myself comfortable enough to get through long days of shooting while in the unforgiving Orlando heat and humidity.
These items ended up being excellent pieces of equipment that I continue to use all the time.
Also, if you’re looking for a Disney packing list with those items you never think to bring, check out our suggestions here.
Hard Travel Case That Could Survive Space Mountain
While I’d be packing a camera bag with essentials, I knew it wouldn’t be sturdy enough to keep the DSLR safe through all of the travel, people and bumpy rides it would face.
I bought this hard case, which was the perfect size for the Rebel, and I stored the camera in this whenever I wasn’t using it. It even has a strap to wear it like a cross-body bag if you don’t want to stash it in your backpack.
See this hard DSRL case on Amazon.
Camera Strap That Wouldn’t Drive Me Crazy
Next, I had to think of what it would feel like to carry a DSLR all day long in the Central Florida heat. I worried about this more than anything else as the trip approached. 🥵
I had never carried a non-iPhone camera for as long as I’d need to on this trip, and it had been years since I’d carried a camera at all.
Here’s what I knew I needed in a camera strap, if possible:
- It couldn’t irritate my neck, which meant it probably shouldn’t hang around my neck at all.
- It had to be long enough so the camera wouldn’t constantly bump against my chest or stomach.
- I didn’t want the camera lens to stick straight out while I was carrying the DSLR — Disney is crazy crowded, and I knew I’d bump it a ton if it was constantly pointing outward.
- I had to easily access the camera but I didn’t want it to just freely travel along the strap when I didn’t have my hand on it.
- The strap had to add the least amount of weight and the least amount of discomfort possible, so a light, non-itchy material was a must.
I think I read every single camera strap review ever written, and eventually, I splurged on this one from BlackRapid.
I love — LOVE — this strap. It’s the most comfortable, convenient, reliable, adjustable and clever strap in the world.
🙌 It hangs across you in a cross-body style, and it can be used across either shoulder. This allowed me to switch sides as the day went on when I needed to adjust for comfort.
🙌 The shoulder pad is large enough that the regular strap never touches your skin, and it’s soft and light enough to not be a burden even in extreme heat.
🙌 You can adjust the length of the strap, and it gets pretty long, so I could have the camera sit below my hip, which kept it from bumping into things.
🙌 The attachment point allows the camera and lens to point down instead of out. I would angle it to point toward my inner thigh, which kept it super protected even in tight spaces.
🙌 You can adjust fasteners along the strap to limit how much the camera can slide while still giving you plenty of slack to pick it up and look through the viewfinder.
See this chef’s kiss of a camera strap here.
Reversible Lens Hood
Since I was going to be shooting in bright sunlight, I needed a lens hood to not over-expose my images. I actually got this lens hood for my second photography trip because I didn’t realize I needed it the first time around.
I opted for a super cheap one, and I got what I paid for. My lens hood pops off so much that it makes it a nuisance to use. I chased this thing all over the Disney parks. 😑
I ended up getting great photos without it, even on the brightest days. But if you want one for your camera, read the reviews and spend a bit extra so it doesn’t fall off when you look at it, like mine does.
Backup Batteries and an Extra Charger
The battery that came with my Canon Rebel sometimes dies quickly and sometimes lasts for hours. 🤷🏻♀️
I guess that has to do with how I’m using the camera and the settings that eat up more battery power, like relying on the screen more than the viewfinder.
With something as power-hungry as a DSLR, what matters more than battery life is having a backup for when the battery inevitably dies.
Before our trip, I got this pack of two batteries that comes with a dual charger. I was worried about how off-brand batteries would function — like if the charger would overheat or if my camera would go haywire — but I’ve never had a problem with these.
I always use the main Canon battery first, but if it dies and I need to continue shooting, it’s nice to have two extras on hand.
Lens and Electronics Cleaning Kit
Full disclosure: I’ve only ever used the spray cleaner and cloth from this kit, but I’m sure, at some point, I’ll make use of the rest.
A lens and DSLR cleaning kit is the kind of thing you want on hand when you need it instead of having to buy one the first time your lens gets smudged or debris finds its way into your camera’s crevices.
See the DSLR cleaning kit here.
Product Photography Gear
The next phase of my Disney-inspired business came to me by accident. (The best things do, don’t they?)
After hiring a graphic designer to create my Disney for Couples logo and illustrations for my Instagram, website and downloadable content, I had an idea to turn some of the designs into stickers.
Using the proofs from the sticker production company wasn’t going to be enough, though. I needed my sticker shop to be eye-catching and on-brand.
Which meant I’d have to teach myself product photography. 😥
I put myself on a shoestring budget — I’d already spent a lot on travel, gear, stickers, etc. — and bought the following.
A Portable Photo Studio
I tried shooting the stickers in all types of lighting and settings, with all different kinds of backgrounds, and no matter what I did, I ended up with dull coloring, grayish backgrounds, weird shadows and crummy photos.
I even tried to cobble together my own desktop photo studio, but nothing worked well enough for the photos to actually sell what I was trying to sell.
I bought a foldable, portable desktop light box and photo studio, which made all the difference. And after a harrowing month of trying to figure out why the white background always had a pink tinge — a journey that forced me to learn every single camera setting on the DSLR, only to discover that turning off the warm-lighting LED ring completely fixed the issue, duh — I was on a roll.
I love this light box. It’s easy to set up and pack away, and it comes in different sizes. It took me a couple of tries to settle on the 16×16 version, which is what I’m currently using.
See the desktop photo studio here.
Light, Adaptable and Inexpensive Tripod
After a few photo shoots spent trying to hold the camera perfectly still while making adjustments to my miniature set, I bought a tripod, and I honestly don’t know why it took me so long to figure out I needed one.
Tripod pricing is like camera pricing, and you can spend a little or a lot on it. I went the budget-friendly route, and I ended up with a tripod I really love.
This one has all the features I need it to have:
👍 Mounting for a DSLR or smartphone.
👍 Adjustable everything — height, tilt and pan, plus a vertical option.
👍 Quick-release plate for when I need to swap out my always-near-death battery.
👍 Super lightweight, so it’s never a hassle to set up.
I feel completely comfortable with my DSLR on this tripod, and I’ll leave it set up for days if I’m in the middle of a creative bout (or a non-creative bout).
Remote Shutter Button
Once I had the tripod, I was on a no-camera-shake kick, so I went in search of a remote shutter release.
The Canon Rebel T7 doesn’t get a lot of love in the accessories department. That’s typical of a (1) DSLR (read: not mirrorless) camera that’s (2) low-cost and (3) designed for beginners.
There was exactly one remote shutter button I could buy, and it’s wired, so I still have to be near the camera to use it. It works for my purposes, though, and it keeps the camera from moving when I go to take the photo, which is important when it comes to the precision that product photography needs.
See the remote shutter button here.
Wrapping Up
Starting your own business, even one that’s based on your passion and has relatively low stakes, is expensive. Learning a new skill also costs a lot — money, time, patience, faith in the process, etc.
✨ That’s not a reason to avoid trying anything new, though.
You can get caught up in what other people say and how everyone else found their way to (alleged) success, plus what you must absolutely, unequivocally avoid unless you want to be an utter failure.
Or you can buy the entry-level camera and the no-name light box and the cheap tripod and just get started.
You can read 10 Reddit threads about how the reason your white backdrop has a pink tinge is because you’re a talentless photographer with garbage equipment, or you can take a good look at your setup and see the small, solvable problem right in front of you.
That’s what an Imagineer would do, after all.
Want even more inspiration in your daily Disney life between your Disney for couples vacations? Check out my go-to Disney workout playlist for when I’m ready to scorch calories. 🔥
This post about the beginner photography accessories I brought on our Disney for couples trip includes affiliate links. I may make a small commission at no cost to you if you make a purchase after clicking a link on the Disney for couples website.
