What photography accessory can you not live without??

[CarolineJensen]

I hate that mine is so simple, but it is an apron. 😂 I lay on the ground all the time and learned that a repurposed kitchen apron is a valuable asset for every shoot. 

[DonSmith]

A sturdy travel umbrella. I use one made by Repel. Just spent 3+ weeks shooting in Iceland and it is meant to protect my gear - especially the lenses from getting spotted with rain and/or wet snow. As long as there is not a ton of wind, it works great!

[LensBrew]

My AirPods pro. In sporting venues, I turn on noise cancellation and they protect my ears. While traveling or just walking and taking pictures, I love to listen to some podcasts. And I have a growing playlist for editing. 

[RoGina]

A fanny pack. I used to lose lens caps like crazy, but I started wearing a runners fanny pack while I'm doing a session and I haven't lost one in a while. 

[pm-r]

Mine is simlar to yours... It's a Crazy Creek chair.  I always have it in the back of my car on shoots.  It's great for sitting on grass or rock when getting low angles for portraits without getting my pants dirty.  I also un hook the two straps and lay on it when I need to for the same reasons.  I kneel a lot while shooting various assignments and my knees aren't what they used to be so the hard padding in the Crazy Creek chair really helps.

[tonygale]

Tough to say, maybe my Gitzo traveler tripod 

[CarolineJensen]

Tough to say, maybe my Gitzo traveler tripod 

I have to look at that. I need a nice travel tripod!

[CarolineJensen]

Mine is simlar to yours... It's a Crazy Creek chair.  I always have it in the back of my car on shoots.  It's great for sitting on grass or rock when getting low angles for portraits without getting my pants dirty.  I also un hook the two straps and lay on it when I need to for the same reasons.  I kneel a lot while shooting various assignments and my knees aren't what they used to be so the hard padding in the Crazy Creek chair really helps.

Ok, I totally need one of those! 

[CarolineJensen]

A fanny pack. I used to lose lens caps like crazy, but I started wearing a runners fanny pack while I'm doing a session and I haven't lost one in a while. 

That is the best idea! I have lost nearly all of my caps! 

[CarolineJensen]

My AirPods pro. In sporting venues, I turn on noise cancellation and they protect my ears. While traveling or just walking and taking pictures, I love to listen to some podcasts. And I have a growing playlist for editing. 

That is a great idea! Thank you! 

[jb]

Tape.  Lots of tape. Gaff tape.  Duct tape.  Masking tape.

[ST]

A fanny pack. I used to lose lens caps like crazy, but I started wearing a runners fanny pack while I'm doing a session and I haven't lost one in a while. 

Great tip.
I just replaced a lost lens cap and camera cap. Together with shipping those two pieces cost nearly $50 CDN from Sony.

[ST]

Most valuable - my camera hip bag/holster plus shoulder sling

I'm a belt and suspenders kind of person.

I've found the only way I can carry my A7IV or A1 with a 70-200 GM II for my two-to-three hour daily walks, is a holster bag on a padded belt. If I carry the camera bag on my shoulder, or in a backpack, or carry the camera in my hands, my back gives me grief. 

The holster bag/belt is a now discontinued LowePro model. It's deep enough to (barely) fit the body and 70-200 with the lens hood in place. It's ready to shoot as soon as I pull it from the bag. I keep the camera in the bag as I hike around. The camera only comes out to shoot photos. This way, the camera is not exposed to the elements and is not vulnerable if I trip and tumble or brush up against something.

I also have a shoulder sling attached to the bottom of the camera (tripod mount). The sling is loose so there's no weight on my shoulder. Its only function is safety in case I lose my grip on the camera.

Today, the worst case happened. I had caught a fold in my rain jacket in the closing snap for the belt holster. Two kilometers in, I moved my arm and tugged at the rain jacket in just the wrong way. With that, the belt holster released.  The belt, holster and camera headed toward the ground, but the shoulder sling strap saved the camera leaving it dangling at my hip. Otherwise, the camera would have hit the ground, landing on the lens hood. Even in the bag, well, I wouldn't want to guess at the damage.

So, that's why the belt and suspenders (shoulder sling) approach and why I can't live without these two items (belt/bag and shoulder sling).

[MattK]

My ballhead… Flexshooter Pro. Takes the place of a gimbal for wildlife photography, and a ballhead for landscapes.