Tools I use every day for Photography

Photography is as much about the tools you choose as it is about how you use them. Over time, I have settled into a collection of hardware and software that supports the way I see and create. Each piece plays a specific role, from capturing the moment in the field to refining and organizing images afterward. These are not just gadgets on a shelf, they are tools I rely on to help translate an idea or feeling into a finished photograph.

What matters most is how these tools fit into my workflow. Together, they allow me to move smoothly from shooting to editing, from experimentation to final output. They remove friction, save time, and give me the freedom to focus on composition, light, and mood rather than technical roadblocks. This section walks through the gear and software I use and how each one helps support my creative process behind the camera and beyond.

Hardware

Apple Macbook Pro
The Apple MacBook Pro M3 is a strong companion for photographers who need speed, accuracy, and reliability in their editing workflow. Powered by Apple’s M3 chip, it handles large RAW files, layered edits, and high-resolution exports with ease, keeping apps like Lightroom and Photoshop responsive even during intensive sessions. The Liquid Retina XDR display is a standout for photography, offering excellent color accuracy, deep contrast, and high brightness that make fine adjustments to shadows, highlights, and tones feel precise and trustworthy. Combined with long battery life and efficient thermal performance, the MacBook Pro M3 lets photographers edit on the go without hunting for outlets or dealing with noisy fans, making it a practical choice for both studio work and field editing after a long day of shooting.

Nikon z50
The Nikon Z50 is a compact mirrorless camera that punches well above its weight for photographers who want quality images without lugging around a big rig. At its heart is a 20.9-megapixel APS-C (DX-format) sensor and Nikon’s Z-mount system, which together deliver crisp, detailed photos and strong performance across a range of shooting conditions, from bright landscapes to moody low-light scenes. Its hybrid autofocus with 209 focus points and eye-detection makes it easier to nail sharp portraits and fast-moving subjects, while the 4K video and responsive tilting touchscreen add creative flexibility for both stills and motion work. The Z50’s lightweight body and intuitive controls make it especially appealing for travel, street, and everyday photography, offering a satisfying balance of image quality, handling, and mirrorless versatility for enthusiasts and aspiring creators alike.

DJI Osmo Action Camera
The DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro redefines what action cameras can do for photographers and adventure shooters who want serious still-image chops in a rugged, pocket-sized package. Its next-generation 1/1.3″ sensor and powerful imaging pipeline deliver up to 40-megapixel stills with a wide dynamic range, making it capable of capturing sharp, vibrant photos in bright light and high-contrast scenes like sunsets or snow-glare landscapes. Dual high-brightness OLED touchscreens and robust RockSteady/HorizonSteady stabilization keep your compositions steady and easy to review on the fly, while waterproofing to around 20 meters lets you shoot serious outdoor and underwater imagery without extra housings. With 4K video at up to 120 fps, excellent low-light performance, and features like subject tracking and RAW photo support tucked into its compact body, the Osmo Action 5 Pro pairs durability and versatility—ideal for travel, adventure, and creative photography where a heavier camera just can’t go.

Apple iPad Pro 11
The Apple iPad Pro 11-inch is a powerful and portable tool for photographers who want to edit, organize, and share images on the go with a responsive, color-accurate display. With Apple’s M-series chip under the hood, it handles RAW editing in apps like Lightroom and Affinity Photo smoothly, even on large files, and its ProMotion display delivers fluid scrolling and precise detail when fine-tuning exposure or color. The compact size makes it easy to carry in a camera bag, while accessories like the Apple Pencil elevate precision retouching and masking work that can feel clumsy on smaller touchscreens. Whether you are culling shots in the field, presenting galleries to clients, or finishing edits before upload, the iPad Pro 11 provides a blend of performance, clarity, and mobility that complements a photographer’s workflow without weighing you down.

ReMarkable 2
The ReMarkable 2 isn’t your typical tablet, but for photographers it can become an essential part of a thoughtful, distraction-free workflow—especially when it comes to planning, note-taking, and creative conceptualizing. Its ultra-low-lag e-ink display and paper-like feel make jotting down shot lists, mapping out lighting ideas, sketching compositions, or annotating print layouts feel natural and enjoyable without the eye strain or notifications of a traditional screen. While it’s not built for editing images, the ReMarkable 2 shines as a companion device for organizing project notes, writing blog outlines, and refining creative visions after a shoot. Light, long-lasting, and beautifully minimal, it helps photographers stay focused on the art and intent behind their work before they even open files on a more powerful editor.

Software

WordPerfect 2021
WordPerfect 2021 is a robust word processing and document creation tool that photographers can lean on when they want precision and control in their written work—whether it’s crafting detailed blog posts, writing client contracts, or building photo essays that pair narrative with imagery. Known for its clean interface, powerful formatting features, and reliable performance, WordPerfect makes it easy to manage large text documents with complex layouts, captions, and embedded visuals without worrying about unexpected reflows or style glitches. Its familiar tools like Reveal Codes give you granular control over formatting, which can be a huge time-saver when you’re polishing long posts with multiple sections, callouts, or custom styles. For photographers who value craftsmanship in both their images and their words, WordPerfect 2021 offers a stable, professional platform to bring your stories to life on the page.

Adobe Lightroom
Adobe Lightroom is a cornerstone tool for photographers of all levels, offering an intuitive yet powerful environment for organizing, editing, and sharing your images. Built around a nondestructive editing workflow, it lets you make thoughtful adjustments to exposure, color, and tone without ever altering your original files, which means you can experiment freely and refine your vision over time. Its cataloging system and keyword tagging make managing large photo libraries far less daunting, while presets and sync options help streamline your edits across shoots or devices. Whether you’re batch-processing a wedding gallery, fine-tuning landscape tones at golden hour, or prepping images for web and print, Lightroom combines essential editing features with smooth performance and tight integration across the Adobe ecosystem, helping you go from import to finished image with clarity and creative control.

DXO Photolab 9
DxO PhotoLab is a premium RAW photo editing powerhouse that many photographers turn to when image quality is the top priority. What sets it apart is its industry-leading noise-reduction engine (DeepPRIME) and incredibly precise optical corrections that are tailored to specific camera and lens combinations, bringing out the finest detail and sharpness with minimal fuss.
Its local adjustment tools and newly added AI-assisted masking let you finesse exposure, color, and contrast exactly where you want, while advanced color controls give you creative freedom without losing accuracy. Although its interface can feel more technical than some rivals, PhotoLab’s RAW processing quality and intelligent corrections make it a standout choice for photographers looking to squeeze the most out of their files and elevate the clarity and tonality of their work.

Anything you think I missed or should work into my collection? Let me know - kris@whispering-yak.com