What I Use for Solo Travel Photo/Video

Another day another damn dollar! Just kidding! None of this earns me any money.

Someone, somewhere, at one time, wanted to know what Josh and I use personally as our camera gear. I made a video about it. I wish this video was better. The truth is, any time you see a video on YouTube that isn't a heinous pile of shit, you should appreciate the work that went into it, because it is work. 

This video is long, and somewhat rambling. I recorded it on a day when I had a terrible head cold, and shot it with my GoPro because I have a million other things to do in my life and it was the most streamlined solution. Inevitably people's videos about their video gear will suck because at that point you are INSIDE THE MATRIX and how can you record a video ABOUT THE VIDEO GEAR without using THE VERY VIDEO GEAR you are describing!?!! Ya know??

Anyway, one point that I didn't make in the video that I should've is that what I shoot with also is, for me, more budget-friendly. I do mention the Sony A7 series and its wonderful reputation, which I believe is justified, but the camera bodies and lenses are so expensive that owning one is rather prohibitive, nevermind the notion of carrying two of those bad boys.

And this is where I'd like to go on record with my personal philosophy about gear and tech overall. A camera is a tool, just like a paintbrush or a pen is a tool. The gear that you use and the money that you spend on it, in my opinion, are somewhat irrelevant. The more important thing here is the person using the tool, the talent they possess, the care and time they put into practicing their craft, and their ingenuity when it comes to making the most of what they've got.

I used to shoot with a Canon 5D Mark II - by all accounts, a great DSLR and for a long time, the leader when it came to still image and video quality. But, the goddamn thing was so big and heavy, and so lacking in modern features, that I hardly ever used it. And what good is the best camera in the world if you're not inspired to take it out and shoot with it??

So I switched to micro four-thirds. If you're not a professional and simply want to take great pictures, don't worry what the "best" or most expensive toy on the market is. Simply have fun, be creative, be inspired, and do your best with what you've got, even if it's just an iPhone. 

PHOTO:

Body: Olympus OM-D EM5II
Lens: Olympus 17mm f/1.8
Peak Design Leash strap

ALSO:

GoPro HERO4
Fujifilm Instax Mini

VIDEO:

Body: Panasonic Lumix GH4
Lens: Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro Lens (weather-sealed)
Peak Design Slide strap

AUDIO FOR VIDEO:

Rode VMGO Video Mic GO Lightweight On-Camera Microphone
Rode smartLav+ 

OTHER ACCESSORIES:

Joby GorillaPod SLR Zoom Tripod with Ball Head
ND filters
Spare batteries
Memory cards 32-128gb