When you’re just starting out with photography as a hobby or very early in your career, you can get away with using one or a few lenses. But when you’re a professional photographer who needs to create a variety of shots, having specific lenses for certain needs is super important.
You don’t need to go out and buy a ton of lenses all at once. If you find yourself thinking, “having this lens would make my work so much easier” then that’s a good sign it’s time to invest in one!
So, if you’re on the hunt for a new lens or need a little inspo before your next purchase, take a peek at what’s inside my camera bag below.
Best multi-purpose lens
$125
I use this lens sooo much for lots of different shots. I probably reach for it most often for straight-on photography, like you see in the two shots below, and anytime I need a blurred background.
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This lens is also great for cool shots of small items like this:
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You can use it for flatlays of smaller items like I did here, but the larger the objects, the harder it is to get far enough away to create a good shot.
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Great for travel and interiors
$999
Travel photographers, fashion/lifestyle/home bloggers, I have the lens for you. This one works really well for travel, lifestyle, and interior shots since it’s a great wide lens.
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Some distortion may happen if you adjust for wider shots, but it’s still useful to have on hand. It’s also a good lens if you don’t need background blur, or you need to shoot flatlays with bigger props and products.
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My favorite for flatlays
$599
Now, if you need a wider frame with less distortion, go for this fixed lens, which is my favorite for so many of my flatlay shoots! It’s an awesome lens for flatlays with a mix of products of all sizes, like these:
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It works for much bigger products too.
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Great for closeups
$419
Get ready for your closeups with this lens! Anytime I need to shoot real close to a product or model, I reach for this lens. I love it for shooting faces and lifestyle shots.
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I used it for most of our work with Yes To, a cruelty-free and sustainable beauty brand! See how well this product photo turned out?
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Use for teeny tiny product photography
$599
When you need to shoot itsy bitsy, teeny tiny products like jewelry or gummy bears (yum), you need a macro lens that can grab those little details and bring them to life!
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If you’re shooting tiny insects, plants, flowers, or food, pick this lens. It’s my favorite for getting up close and personal in a shot.
Wanna learn more about camera gear?
For more tips on what camera gear to choose, camera settings to use, lighting, composition, and styling, join my Slay the Flatlay course! 
My course has over 4 hours of instruction and over 20 modules. It’s perfect for aspiring photographers, biz owners, bloggers, and content creators.
And guess what? You can save $50 on the course with the code SLAY. Sign up here!
