Content Creator Toolkit By Raquel Pires Photography
My Favourite Content Creation Gear: Tripods | Microphones | SSDs | Lighting | Cables
Since the beginning of my career as a professional photographer, people have always asked me about equipment: which camera I use, which lens I recommend, and what they should buy to improve their images.
With the growth of content creation — and the fact that today we can create high-quality photos and videos using the phone we already carry in our pocket, those questions have only become more frequent.
It is easy to believe that better equipment is the secret to better content. It is not.
Good content comes from a combination of technique, storytelling, creative intention and the right tools.
Equipment can make your workflow easier. It can improve your sound, light, stability, storage and efficiency. But it cannot decide what to capture, where to place the camera, how to use the light or what story you want to tell.
So on this page, I am focusing specifically on the tools and equipment I use or recommend to make the capturing process easier and more efficient.
They are not what creates the quality of the work I deliver to my clients. They are simply tools that support the process.
The real result comes from knowing what you want to communicate, how to capture it and how to bring all those elements together.
To make these recommendations even easier to use, I have included direct links to many of the products that are part of my own content creation kit.
This is simply a curated selection of tools I use or feel comfortable recommending, chosen to make your content creation process easier, more organised and more efficient.
As with any equipment, performance can vary and products can occasionally fail. I am not responsible for the performance, warranty or individual suitability of any third-party product listed here.
Think of this guide as a practical shortcut: a selection of equipment that has worked well within my own workflow and that may help you build yours with a little more clarity and confidence.
1. Tripod
A tripod is one of the first things I recommend.
It is useful for:
Talking-to-camera videos
Interviews
Group photos
Stable video shots
Reels and Stories
Creating content when you are working alone
A magnetic tripod makes the setup particularly quick and practical.
Click here to buy: Strong Magnetic Tripod
2. Storage & Backup
If you start creating photos and especially 4K video regularly, storage becomes essential.
Do not wait until your phone is completely full before thinking about where your content will live.
Portable SSD
An SSD is fast and useful for transferring footage from your phone, freeing up storage and keeping current projects organised.
Click here to buy: Magnetic External SSD 512GB
External Hard Drive
For larger archives and long-term storage, an external hard drive is a useful and more economical option.
Use it to keep completed projects, photo libraries and additional backups.
Click here to buy: LaCie Rugged Mini 2TB Portable Hard Drive
High-Speed USB-C Cable
Not every USB-C cable transfers data at the same speed.
If you are moving large video files or connecting an SSD to your phone, use a proper high-speed data cable rather than a charging-only cable.
Click here to buy: USB4 for Thunderbolt 4 Cable
3. Power Bank
Video recording, high screen brightness, Bluetooth microphones and editing can drain your phone battery quickly.
A large power bank is particularly useful for:
Events
Workshops
Travel
Long filming days
Content creation away from a power source
Click here to buy: Power Bank 20,000mAh Portable Charger
4. Wireless Microphone
Good audio can improve your content immediately.
A wireless microphone is especially useful for:
Interviews
Talking-to-camera videos
Educational content
Workshops
Events
Outdoor recording
Clear audio is often more important than having perfect image quality.
Click here to buy: DJI Mic Mini
5. Lighting
Portable Phone Light
This is the practical light to keep in your bag.
It can help when filming:
Faces
Events
Restaurants
Indoor environments
Evening content
Quick interviews
Behind-the-scenes footage
Click here to buy: 80 LED Clip-On Video Light for iPhone
Fixed Indoor Lighting
If you start producing content regularly at home, in an office or in another fixed location, a larger continuous-light setup becomes useful.
A two-light setup works well for:
Interviews
Talking-head videos
Educational content
Product photography
Workshops
Regular indoor filming
You do not necessarily need this when starting. Consider it once content creation becomes more frequent.
Click here to buy: LED Studio Light with Tripod – 2 Pack
6. Handheld Stabilisation
You do not necessarily need a full gimbal when you start.
There are different levels of support depending on how you like to film.
Magnetic Phone Camera Grip
A small magnetic grip gives you a more secure and comfortable way to hold your phone.
It makes the phone feel more like a small camera and can improve control without adding much weight.
Useful for:
Events
Handheld video
Walking shots
Quick content creation
Better control while filming
Click here to buy: Magnetic Phone Camera Grip
Phone Gimbal
A gimbal provides more advanced stabilisation and is useful when you want very smooth movement.
Great for:
Following people
Walking shots
Venue videos
Sport
Reveal shots
More cinematic camera movement
Click here to buy: Phone Gimbal
7. Pocket Gimbal Camera
Once you become more interested in video, you may eventually want a dedicated compact camera rather than using your phone for everything.
A pocket gimbal camera is particularly useful for:
Events
Travel
Behind-the-scenes content
Walking shots
Vlogging
Social media production
This is a level-up tool, not something you need to start.
Click here to buy: Pocket Gimbal Vlog Camera
What Should You Buy First?
If you are building your kit gradually, I would prioritise:
1. Tripod
2. Storage & Backup — SSD + External Hard Drive + High-Speed Cable
3. Power Bank
4. Wireless Microphone
5. Portable Light
6. Fixed Indoor Lighting
7. Magnetic Grip or Gimbal
8. Pocket Camera
You do not need everything to create good content.
Start with the phone you already have and invest gradually in equipment that improves your stability, storage, sound, light or efficiency.
Good equipment helps, but it does not replace:
Good Light → Strong Composition → Impactful Story → Intentional Movement → Clear Sound → Clean Editing
A final note*
ou may have noticed that I didn’t mention my phone earlier. That’s because I can’t personally compare the performance of every smartphone brand, I will let this subject for a phone reviewer specialist. I feel more comfortable commenting about what use.
I am personally an Apple user from the past 10 years at least and I tend to upgrade my phone every couple of years. So naturally most of my hands-on experience and recommendations come from working within the Apple ecosystem.
Although I consistently hear excellent feedback about Samsung and other recent Android devices.
The good news is that most mainstream smartphones released from around 2020 onwards already offer very capable cameras for both photography and video. In many cases, the biggest improvement will not come from buying a new phone, but from learning how to properly use the camera you already have.
Camera settings, resolution, frame rates and how to get the best possible quality from your phone deserve their own explanation — so I will leave that for another blog post.
