Everything I Use for my Photography and Inspiration
Sony Cameras: my favorite camera and lens brand. The raw files just look fantastic.
Sony A7CR - 61MP of jaw-dropping awesomeness
Sony A7R3 - my main workhorse camera for several years, and it is still amazing
Sony ZV-E10 - tiny and great for video, I use it to film my Youtube videos
Sony Lenses: some really amazing glass here. I have developed quite a taste for prime lenses!
14mm f/1.8 GM - wow what a wide angle masterpiece, perfect for landscapes and night skies
20mm f/1.8 G - my favorite lens of all time, I love it for handheld city shots at night
24mm f/1.4 GM - a true bokeh beast, great for street shots
35mm f/1.4 GM - a beautiful, versatile all around lens, especially in cities
16-25mm f/2.8G - wide angle goodness and a perfect fit on the smaller A7CR
24-50mm f/2.8 G - a perfect everyday carry option, super versatile
50mm f/1.8 - very affordable prime that’s surprisingly good for the cost!
10-18mm f/4 - this is a crop-sensor lens that I use on my ZV-E10 to shoot my Youtube videos
Non-Sony lens:
Tamron 70-300 f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD - a long name for a lens with a long reach, this one is budget-friendly and gives me the ability to get those really distant shots when I want them
Software for photo editing: this is a huge part of my workflow, and these are the products I depend on. Save money on these powerful apps by using my coupon codes, listed below.
Luminar Neo - This is my daily workhorse app that I use the most. Harness the power of AI to get perfect control over light, color and detail across your image. It’s amazing and I always end up with a final edit that I really like. Use coupon code JIMNIXNEO to save $10, or coupon code JIMNIX10 to save 10%. Get it here: https://skylum.evyy.net/Vy6nZ3
And if you need training for Luminar Neo, here’s my complete playlist of Luminar Neo training videos
On1 Photo Raw - An amazing all-in-one editor, On1 Photo Raw gives you so much control over your images. The masking tools are world class and it fits so well into my workflow, complementing what I like to do with Luminar Neo. Use coupon code JIMNIX20 to save 20%. Get it here: https://on1.sjv.io/3PRvYd
And if you need training for On1 Photo RAW, I’ve got you covered. Here’s my complete playlist of On1 Photo RAW training videos. All free to watch!
Topaz Photo AI - Topaz makes quite a few products, and they are all good. Their most recent product is Photo AI, which combines noise reduction, sharpening and enlargement into a single app. It works really well! It’s a combination of three previous apps, but having all that in one place is a massive time-saver. An excellent tool to have at your fingertips! You can get your copy here: https://topazlabs.com/ref/96/ and here’s my full playlist of training videos for Topaz products - all free to watch!
Adobe Lightroom Classic - I manage my library in Lightroom and it does a great job for me. LrC has come a long way in the last few years in terms of editing capabilities. It’s masking is fantastic, as are the color tools. It’s an added bonus that nearly every app out there works as a plugin, making LrC a fantastic “home base” for any editing workflow. You can find all my LrC videos in this playlist - enjoy!
OcuDrone skies: This is a wonderful collection of skies that you can use in Luminar Neo, On1 Photo RAW, Photoshop, or any app that supports layers. Get creative and replace a boring sky with one of these dramatic and colorful skies. Get it here: https://www.ocudrone.com/skyart?ref=FeUfJUPm
Backpacks, tripods and various accessories: don’t leave home without them!
GoPro Hero 11 - I really love this little thing, and the video output is pretty impressive (I use this to vlog and capture behind the scenes vids)
ThinkTank Urban Approach 15 - my favorite backpack ever, great for travel
ThinkTank Photo TurnStyle 20 - great sling bag for walking around in a city
Mindshift Gear FirstLight 20L - a bigger bag, great for longer trips, holds so much stuff!
Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod - just get it, it’s amazing
Ulanzi F38 Quick Release Travel Tripod - a really solid tripod that’s very budget friendly - use coupon code Jim at checkout to save 10%
Manfrotto PIXI Mini Tripod - so good I bought two of them!
G-Technology 10TB G Drive with Thunderbolt - absolutely rock solid drives
SanDisk 2TB Extreme Portable External SSD Drive - durable & tiny - back up your photos while traveling!
Memory cards - lots and lots of memory cards, mostly SanDisk and Hoodman
Giottos Rocket Air Blaster - great for getting dust off a lens or sensor
Peak Design Slide Camera Strap - I love this strap, perfectly comfortable and solid
Photographer’s Clothing
My friends over at Haukland make an amazing photography jacket. It’s a 7-in-1 combination of 3 layers that has multiple pockets for all those goodies we carry around (batteries, memory cards, etc). It’s perfect for cooler weather as well as rain and snow. There’s even a handy little pocket for a microfiber cloth to clean your lens. They literally have thought of everything. That’s no surprise of course, since it is made by photographers, and for photographers.
Photography books, travel guides, and more: ideas, insights, and inspiration.
Capturing the World, by Nick Rains - a great book about travel photography
The Soul of the Camera, by David duChemin
The Visual Palette - Defining Your Photographic Style, by Brian Matiash
The Oregon Coast Photo Road Trip, by Rick & Susan Sammon
The Street Photographer’s Manual, by David Gibson
Understanding Color in Photography, by Bryan Peterson
The Americans, by Robert Frank
Uncommon Places, by Stephen Shore
Rick Steves Guidebooks - amazing guides to the best of Europe
Lonely Planet Guidebooks - fantastic travel resources
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield- what a great book about overcoming creative blocks
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert - a fantastic book about creativity, well worth a read
Website Hosting, Newsletter, Online Store and Blogging
Squarespace - yep, one site can do it all