Amazon Buys for Inexpensive Content Creation

At this point in my short media career, I have put a lot of money for equipment, into content creation. I hope my investments will help build community, connection and education. I hope my content inspires other to try to record their own journeys, too.

Sometimes inspiration needs a little help! Especially when it comes to recording footage. It's an age-old question in content creation: "How am I going to film this?"

The short answer is: The items I have linked below will be your best pals for recording videos on your phone (or action camera) and they're not too expensive, individually. Click those links! and get them ordered now, if you want. They all have good reviews online.

The long answer is in the details of these items below.

I travel solo a lot, and it's very hard filming perfect content without a videographer following you around. I used to set my phone against random items in public, limiting my options, other times, I'm using my water bottle as a phone stand. Ick. And the phone always falls over!

These are some of the best tools I've found on Amazon for solo content creation. Before I get into them, this is where I tell you these are affiliate links and I make a few cents for each purchase you make through these links.

Tripod

This Eucos brand tripod is sturdy! I've gone through many compact tripods that blow over in the slightest wind or only extend 3 or 4 feet. Mind you, this is also a bigger tripod than the small ones I just mentioned. It extends up to 62" high and is about 12" when closed up and the top mount is removed.

It also comes with a remote, which is essential for those long-distance shots.

Since I'm usually filming content on a bike, I need to store it somewhere close. I've often kept it in a jersey back pocket or a frame bag. It comes with a mount for any phone and Go-Pro. The only downside is that it doesn't fit a thick phone case. My MagSafe PopSocket has to come off before tucking my phone into the mount.

Click image to buy

Ring Light/Tripod

This fabulous ring light/tripod combo is perfect for filming in darker places.

I live in Seattle and the lighting usually needs a little help, indoors.

I sure don't take this on the bike with me.

Stores at 17" long (without the ring), and can extend up to 62". There are tons of light settings that range from warm, to very cool tones and you can adjust the brightness a lot from there, too. This can also be used as a stand-alone tripod! I don't think its as sturdy as the one I recommended above, and its bigger, so it's not one I'd bike-camp with. A good ring light is pretty essential for indoor content recording.

Click image to buy

Phone Ring Light

This portable ring light is the cheaper, and very portable cousin of the tripod ring light pictured above. You simply clip it over the top of your phone. It'll sit around the camera, and its grippy. This thing goes on bike-camping trips with me! It's also great to use if you are filming "selfie" content and need a light while moving and holding your phone. It has three lighting settings and doesn't take batteries. It also makes a great back-up flash-light! haha.

Click image to buy

PopSockets

I have a newer Iphone, so I use a MagSafe PopSocket for holding my phone securely while recording. I store my phone in a top tube bag with a velcro/magnetic closure. It's super important that it's easy to open the bag with one hand. I can easily use my phone with one hand intertwined with a PopSocket.

I've never lost my phone while holding it with one of these. I know there are tons of similar brands and designs out there, this one has worked great for me, and I've been able to buy other PopSocket parts to attach to my car. It has many uses outside of cycling and content creation. It works as a tripod for watching horizontal movies in my tent at night.

Here's a link to the Original PopSocket for those that don't want the magnetic version. If you buy this one, be mindful of where you put it. It'll get in the way of your tripod attachments if it's in the middle of your phone.

Click image to buy

Pocket Tripod

Y'all! This Pocket tripod is one of the most useful tools I've bought. It's so incredibly small, there's no reason not to carry it around. This replaced my "water bottle tripod phone stand". It has a lifetime warranty, fits in a small wallet, and works with all phones. This goes where the tripod doesn't.

It did take me a few minutes to figure out how to unfold it! And my partner, flat-out broke it when he tried unfolding it without directions... There's resources on the company site, for people like us.

Click image to buy

Tailwinds Y'all!

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