Toolbox

The Best Tools For Photographers

Explore ways to elevate your photography experience

Why would we need the best tools for photographers? You might think that a photographer only needs a camera and inspiration to make good pictures. But photography is an art and a technique. So if you have the desire to learn and go much further with your photography, you’ll want to have the most suitable equipment and the best solutions to edit your photos.

Here is a compilation of the different tools useful to a photographer: from training to equipment, through photo editing software and tips to become a pro.

The best toolbox for photographers: before taking your first pictures

Today, there is a bit of a photographer in all of us. All we have to do is pull out our smartphones to take pictures. But to succeed in making beautiful images, it helps to look beyond that. Whether you want to feed an Instagram account, become a professional who is given assignments, or simply put your passion into images, you need the right solutions to develop your talent. Here are some actions you can take if you want to improve your photography practice.

Photography training

First of all, get trained! There are many tips online for successful photography: ideas for better light management, contrast, white balance…. Many training courses are also available online. We’ve listed many of them in an online directory, which allows you to search for training courses for photographers by topic and language.

Sources of photographic inspiration

To find photographers who make you want to practice and train your photographic eye, it is very important to find sources of inspiration. The art of photography covers many styles, subjects and moods. At CYME, we like to highlight inspiring photographic artists through interviews where they give tips to improve your photography practice.

The best equipment for a photographer

Equipment is obviously a key ingredient of good practice. You need to find the best camera, the one that will best suit the type of images you want to produce. But that’s not all. You will also need to choose the right flash, the right tripod, or even create your own photo studio. It’s important to be informed and educated about the best equipment for a photographer. Find your favorite equipment at specialty photo retailers.

Insurance for photographers

Finally, the more professional you become in your photography practice, the more specific services you will need. Insuring your photographic equipment and yourself when you go on assignment, especially abroad, is essential to avoid unpleasant surprises. So we’ve listed a number of insurances in our best toolbox for photographers.

The best toolbox for photographers: after you take your first pictures

Don’t think a photographer’s job is over after you press the shutter. Some people even say that if you want to “do” photography, not just take it, all the work happens afterwards. Photo editing, printing, distribution: these are some of the essential actions to think about.

How to retouch your photos

Working on the white balance, refining the colors, improving the contrasts: so many retouches and adjustments to apply to the photos. For some photographers, this work of retouching represents the essence of their job. To the point of modifying their image too much? Photo editing solutions are numerous, from software versions to editing applications on the iPhone and iPad, there is something for everyone. You should definitely look at what’s out there before choosing your own. And for even more freedom, you should know that some tools allow you to migrate from one photo editing software to another.

Backing up your photos

What is the digital photographer’s nightmare? Losing your photo files! You will need a solution to store your photos, which are often very large files if they are high resolution images. It is highly recommended to have a copy of your images stored in another location. Having a backup solution is an essential part of a photographer’s best tools.

Manage your photos well

When you start taking pictures, you quickly become overwhelmed with files, folders and other items that need to be backed up. Photo management software allows you to easily manage your images, organizing and annotating them for faster access. Some, like Peakto, even use artificial intelligence to automatically categorize your shots.

Showcasing your work as a photographer

There are many ways to showcase your photography work. Some online services allow you to print your images for display. Other sites specialize in stock images: you can distribute and offer some photos for free download and sell the others.

Enhance your reputation as a photographic artist

Exposing your work is also accomplished through photo contests or exhibitions that photographers can apply for. You can also take your work to photo galleries to gain exposure. Of course, social networks are an ideal springboard on which you should measure what you give away for free and what you hold back for possible profit. Some are more specialized in photography, like 500px or Vero. Participating in photographers’ networks, such as 100Asa, is also a great way to make contacts.

Become a professional photographer

For professional photographers or enlightened amateurs, it is important to be able to sell your photos. Several solutions are available to you: crowdfunding platforms (like Patreon) allow your community to contribute to your remuneration; contracts with magazines; platforms (like Upwork, Fiverr or Malt) where you can offer your services as a freelancer.

The photographer's ecological impact

At CYME, we are concerned about the future of our planet and we want to contribute to reducing the footprint of our photographic practices. We have developed an ecological footprint calculator and we regularly write about the environment and photography, while developing software that tries to be more virtuous and help photographers reduce the number of photos they keep.

The best toolbox for photographers, whether professional or amateur, should help you find the right editing software, the right training, and the right solutions to develop your practice and make photos you are proud of.

Do you think about other software, applications or others? Please help us!

Give us your ideas!