Confession time: I’m not a professional photographer, or even a wannabe professional photographer.

First and foremost, I’m a traveler. Second, I’m a writer. These are the two parts of the “travel blogger equation” that come naturally to me.

Photography? I really enjoy it, and it’s always been sort of therapeutic for me. I love wandering around, camera in hand, snapping pictures and reveling in the chance to be privately creative. But professional photography? It’s kind of a new concept to me, and something that I never really had to consider before starting this blog.

And yet, I’ve noticed that I get a LOT of questions (mainly on Instagram) about what kind of camera I’m using or how I was able to get a particular shot (Totally flattering by the way–keep it up!!). So, I figured it was time to share my secrets with everyone.

Ask, and you shall receive, my friends!

As a blogger, it’s crucial that I provide high-quality images for my readers; but, preserving my travel memories in the form of photographs is important to me personally as well. I want to remember these adventures for a lifetime!

Here’s the gear I use to make it happen:

Olympus TG-3 Waterproof Digital Camera

I’ve never been thrilled about the idea of lugging around heavy, bulky camera equipment on the road.

Multiple lenses, tripods and other accessories, plus the camera itself, all loaded up into my backpack? In addition to the million other things I’ve inadvertently over-packed into my bag?

My poor back honestly aches at the thought of it.

Actually, my equipment needs are pretty basic: I need a camera that’s lightweight and compact, travel-friendly, takes good-quality photographs for the blog, and won’t get damaged when it’s bouncing around in my backpack or if I accidentally drop it while horseback-riding or biking or something…hey, it happens.

I also don’t currently happen to be rolling in dough (…one day, people, one day…) so finding a camera that was affordable and didn’t need a lot of pricey accessories to function was key.

Oh, and having a camera that’s waterproof is crucial for me as well.

And thus, enter the Olympus “Tough” TG-3.

>>> Buy it: Olympus TG-3 Waterproof 16 MP Digital Camera (Black)

Truly and simply, I am in LOVE with this camera!

It is the ultimate camera for adventure-seekers, travelers on the go, and anyone who wants an extremely sturdy and “life-proof” camera.

Why?

You can take this camera anywhere! It’s waterproof, crushproof, freezeproof, shockproof and dustproof.

I’d feel comfortable taking this camera everywhere on earth–to a sandy beach, to a rocky mountaintop, to an icy ski resort, on a boat, into the ocean, and even in my checked luggage on an airplane. It’s resilient, provides consistently great quality photos, and allows me to play around with settings and adjust features without completely screwing anything up. Win!

This camera has the perfect balance of simplicity and cool features. It’s easy to figure out after you spend some time playing with it, and the easy-to-understand settings (such as “food photography”, “snow/beach”, and “landscapes”) make taking top-quality pictures that much easier.

Plus, it takes AWESOME underwater pictures and I love that I don’t have to think twice about jumping into a body of water with my camera.

I also love the built-in Wireless LAN feature, which means that I can transfer pictures from my camera to my iPhone instantly and wirelessly without needing access to WiFi or my computer.

Specs

• Waterproof: Down to 50 ft / 15 m
• Crushproof: Up to 220 lbf / 100 kgf
• Shockproof: Up to 7 ft / 2.1m
• Freezeproof: Down to 14°F / -10°C
• Dustproof: Yes
• Lens Aperture Range: Wide: f2.0, f2.8, f8.0 / Tele: f4.9, f6.3, f18.0
• Zoom: 4x Optical Zoom + 2x Super Resolution Zoom + 4x Digital Zoom
• Focal Length: 4.5 – 18.0mm (35mm equivalent: 25 – 100mm)
• ISO Sensitivity: ISO 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, AUTO, HIGH
• Shutter Speed: 1/2 – 1/2000 (Night Scene: Longest 4 sec)
• Continuous Shooting: 5fps / 100 images (16M); 15fps / 100 images (3M); 60fps / 100 images (3M)

Newer Versions

Quick note: I’ve had the TG-3 for less than a year, but Olympus has already released the newest TG-4 model. Although I’m totally happy with my TG-3, I’d love to try out the TG-4 and play around with the new and improved features.

>>> Buy it: Olympus TG-4 16 MP Waterproof Digital Camera (Black)

>>> Buy it: Olympus TG-4 16 MP Waterproof Digital Camera (Red)

Camera Accessories

Camera Case: Even though I trust the sturdy design of my Olympus TG-3 to hold up in even the toughest environments, I still feel so much better storing it in this little zippered pouch. I keep extra memory cards and batteries safely tucked away in here as well.

>>> Buy it: Olympus Tough Neoprene Case for Camera

Camera Float Strap: I picked up this handy dandy little float strap to help protect my camera when I take it into the water. It’s strong enough to keep my camera completely afloat if I accidentally let go of it, and I really liked the orange color because it stands out better than colors like blue, green or even yellow.

>>> Buy it: Olympus Foam Float Strap

Travel Tripod: I opted for a tripod that was light, portable, and wouldn’t break the bank. Check, check and check!

>>> Buy it: Polaroid 50-inch Photo/Video Travel Tripod

128 GB Flash Memory Card: Yep, I went for the big boy here. I take a LOT of pictures when I travel–it’s not uncommon for me to take 10 pictures of the same exact view/building/doorway/meal, just to make sure I get exactly the right shot.

…Which means that my pictures take up a lot of storage space, and I’m not cool with my camera suddenly telling me that it’s out of storage as I’m frantically trying to capture a once-in-a-lifetime view. Nope, not cool with that at all. I treasure my 128 gigs!

>>> Buy it: Transcend 128 GB Class 10 SDXC Flash Memory Card

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And that’s how it’s done! Does any of my gear surprise you? What gear do you use to make your travel photography magic happen?

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