“A camera didn’t make a great picture anymore than a typewriter wrote a great novel.”

— Peter Adams

I bought my first DSLR a few years ago on the recommendation of a friend. Robyn has been a wedding photographer for over ten years and when I started assisting her I didn't own anything but a point and shoot. Slowly I went from assisting to second shooting and that meant I needed my own gear. Hello Rebel! I read a ton of reviews but in the end I relied on Robyn to point me in right direction and I've continued to do so. Robyn and Darrell are always the first two people I ask for advice when it comes to camera gear.

But I'm still guilty of taking way too many photos with my phone. (I used my trusty iPhone for this shot) When Darrell and I got back from our first trip to San Francisco I realized I'd taken the majority of our vacation photos on my iPhone and I was really disappointed. There's only so much editing you can do with an app. It was a good learning experience for me though and since then I've been more active about putting my phone away and reaching for my camera instead.

A year ago I made the switch from the Rebel SL1 to the 6D and it's been a world of difference. I still love my Rebel, it's a great second camera for fencing tournaments and it fits easily in my purse. But I always reach for my 6D and 50mm lens first.

I've included the prism I broke because it was my absolute favorite and I've continued to use it. If you want to add something to your photos prisms are a great way to go. The harness was a gift from Darrell and it's been life changing! I use it when I shoot weddings or fencing tournaments and it's such an easy and comfortable way to wear two cameras or one camera and an extra lens. The Instax Mini camera is a must for anyone. My kids especially love having a hard copy photo so quickly and I've spent a ton on film but it's worth every penny.

I'm not a super tech-y person. I don't read manuals (I know, I'm terrible) and I tend to learn the lens/camera/whatever by trial and error. Also, lots and lots of YouTube videos. I've got a few other items, a tripod I inherited from my dad and the kit lenses that came with the Rebel, but this is the stuff I keep in my camera bag all the time. I use it all on a regular basis and I'm never disappointed with the results.