My Blogging Kit Must-Haves

This March will see my blog have it’s seventh birthday. How mad it that? Over the years a lot has changed. I’ve gone from a false lash wearing, fake tan addict who loves all things leopard print, to a slightly more minimal makeup wearing, black clothing addict who loves all things leopard print. When I got thinking about my must-haves in my kit though, not that much has changed. There was a shift at the beginning when I ditched my little pink point-and-shoot for something a little more hardy (and less pink), but since then although I’ve upgraded the odd piece here and there – the majority of it and the brands that I love have stayed the same. So today I thought I’d share the tools I use everyday that go into creating The Anna Edit…

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION. All you really need is a camera, a laptop and an internet connection and you’re good to go. Picking the right camera is a tough one though. I had the Canon 600D for years (now discontinued and replaced by the Canon 700D) and it did me well for YouTube videos and blogging photos, but I recently upgraded to the Canon 5D and it’s all kinds of amazing. It’s pricey though and an investment so if you’re starting out I’d recommend something like the Canon 700D or the Canon G7X which is what I use as my vlogging camera. It’s takes beautiful quality photos, especially when you take into account that the lens isn’t interchangeable and the flip-out screen is great for if you need to see yourself when you’re filming and for taking selfies. I highly recommend. One thing you might need too is lighting. I don’t tend to use it that often, but it does come in handy for lighting photos and videos, especially in the winter when the sun comes out to say hello for about 10 minutes a day. I’d recommend the PhotoSel Softbox Lighting Kit if you have the space to store them or the Manfrotto Spectra LED Panel if you need something compact. For a tripod you really can’t go wrong with Manfrotto’s offering – I’m currently using their 290 Extra 3 Section Tripod. If you are thinking of making videos then it might be worth investing in a microphone to clean up the audio a little. I love the RODE Pro Compact Directional On Camera Microphone which is easy to use and takes out excess noise ‘fuzz’.

TECH TOOLS. Laptop-wise I could quite honestly marry my MacBook Pro. I have an iMac that comes in really handy with editing and selecting pictures, but I spend the majority of time tapping away on my laptop as I love to move around as I work. You can often find me upside down on the sofa with my laptop on my belly. My spine loves me. My advice would be make sure you have a computer with a fast processor, plenty of storage and keep all your pictures, videos and back-ups on a hard drive – I tend to use the Lacie ones. I also recently purchased an iPad Pro after hearing Lily’s raves. I’m still trying to get my head around it, but using it with Procreate can create some really cool effects in videos and photos. Plus it’s really fun to play with and prop up in the kitchen when I’m following recipes or watching videos. It’s a want, rather than a need.

SCHEDULING AID. Although I’m slowly converting to a more digital way of life organisation (I only got into the swing of iCal last year), I’m still a notepad lover. It’s where I store my video ideas, to-do lists, editorial calendars – the whole shebang. I’ve tried them all and love these wide-page pads that aren’t particularly easy to find in the UK. Appointed are my favourite notebook brand and luckily now the UK-based Quill stock them so I no longer end up with a shipping palaver every time I order. They’re amazing quality and I find a pad lasts me a solid six months, if not longer. I dare you to take a look at the Appointed website and not swoon – it’s minimalist’s stationery porn.

Photos by Lauren Shipley

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