It has been a while since I have done one of these posts so I wanted to introduce myself in a fun way. If you are new around here, I am Rebecca Plotnick the founder and face of Every Day Parisian. I am a full-time photographer/blogger based in Chicago and Paris. Feel free to comment below and tell me where you are following from.

25 Things You May Not Know About Me

1. My storytelling skills come from my Dad.

If you have been reading the blog for a while or you have met me in person you will know I love to tell stories that go along with the photo. What is the fun of a photo with no story? I didn’t realize it until this weekend, but my storytelling skills are from my Dad. He is the ultimate storyteller. You can hear the same story ten times, and he tells it like you are hearing it for the first time.

2. I am old school when it comes to certain things.

I still use posts its, paper journals, and a calendar. My desk is filled with post its and every time I have an idea, I write it on one. It may look odd to an outsider, but my mind is constantly thinking of new ideas, and it helps to keep them where I can see them. I always carry a notebook in my bag. I have a few empty ones just in case in the closet. Each project has its notebook. Also, I can only write in black pen (never blue).

3. Being an Aunt is the best gift my sister has ever given me.

My niece and nephew are adorable, funny, and sweet. I am so lucky to have them and have an active role in their lives.

4. I hated cooked vegetables until I was about 40

My mom always said my taste buds would change and she was right! I have recently learned to love zucchini, eggplant, and artichokes. On my 41st birthday, I enjoyed artichokes at dinner and my life was instantly changed.

5. My grandma was one of my best friends.

I miss her every day. She was my biggest cheerleader and the person I always called first to tell my good news. She continues to show up in my life in different ways now that she is gone.

6. I didn’t start drinking coffee until later in life.

Coffee is a big part of my life but that wasn’t always the case. I was slow to adapt and now I love it. I really am eying one of these Breville coffee makers I keep putting on my wish list.

7. I am typically late or right on time. The one thing I am always early for is… flights.

I am the queen of airport stress, prefer to be early for a flight, and will leave much earlier than required. This is so that I don’t have to worry about not having enough time to make my flight and get through security.

8. My parents divorced when I was in middle school.

It may surprise many people, but my parents divorced parents are together for Thanksgiving and family trips. My niece and nephew (their grandkids) are the family glue and have helped put us back together. It is really sweet to see their bond with both kids.

9. I am an early riser.

I typically wake up before my alarm goes off. And I am most productive between 7 – and 9 am. In the Summer, I am up even earlier. I love the quiet of the early morning and watching the sunrise.

10. I love analyzing my business stats.

I have a business background. And I have been looking at statistics since graduation from my old job as an assistant buyer. I look at blog, shop, and Instagram stats probably a bit too much but there is always an opportunity for growth. It fascinates me to see what is working and what isn’t.

11. I wanted a dog for the longest time but wasn’t ready for it until now.

Henri is my mini-Bernedoodle, and, we are attached. He was worth the wait in every way. Currently, he is 2 1/2 and very much in the toddler phase of puppies. It gets better and better with each day.

12. I love bookshops.

My dad used to take my sister and me to a bookshop on Sundays and, it became a tradition. I love to read, especially WWII books set in France. There are years I can’t get enough of books and other times I am slower to make it through a book. My husband recently bought me a Kindle and I am loving it.

13. I love to travel but visit the same places yearly, including Amalfi Coast and Paris.

On my short wish list are Ischia, Puglia, and Provence.

14. I suffer from migraines.

So I avoid specific triggers including red wine and anything smoked. I carry Excedrin in my bag at all times just in case I feel one coming on. It usually helps if I catch it in time. If not it is a long road to recovery.

15. I am a beauty junkie when it comes to skincare.

I am always looking to try new products and improve my skincare routine. Clean beauty is my big focus. You can see some of my favorite beauty brands here.

16. I have a dry sense of humor.

I get it from my dad and grandpa. My niece is finally catching on a bit and, I can’t wait until she gets a bit older so we can banter. Sometimes, I am the only one laughing at my jokes.

17. I am a Hoosier!

I went to college at Indiana University. Watching IU in football and basketball each season is a lot of fun.

18. My first love was Italy and not France.

I studied abroad in Siena and Florence in college and fell in love with Italy. The original plan was to find a way to move back to Italy in some way. I still miss Florence and Siena and hope I get the chance to get back with a fresh set of eyes soon.

19. I love matching pajamas.

My pajama drawer is well stocked with summer and winter pajamas. One day, I would love to design a pair of my own.

20. I fell off the bunk beds at summer camp as a kid.

I broke my collarbone and was very lucky to have that be the only injury. It was the first night of camp, and I ended up staying at sleepaway camp with a sling and refused to give up and go home.

21. I reconnected with both of my Aunts after my grandmother passed away.

They are both so different but lovely in their way. One Aunt will practice yoga with me, putting a huge smile on my face. The other Aunt is the most fantastic cook. I love spending time catching up with her in the kitchen.

22. I love to cook/bake.

The pandemic helped me learn and grow in the kitchen. I prefer to eat at home than to eat out most nights. After a fantastic experience in Italy this summer, I am ready to roll up my sleeves and work on my pasta-making skills at home.

23. I wanted to own my own hotel as a kid.

While most kids played teacher and doctor when I was younger, I dreamt of owning my own hotel. I am fortunate to have travel as a part of my life now and create content and blog about different hotels I visit. Now I know how much hard work goes into hotels. It’s best to be enjoyed on the other side.

24. I started learning photography with black and white film in high school.

When I went to college, I didn’t think photography was something I could make a career out of so I let my dream go. I was laid off in 2008 and decided to pick up a camera again and become a travel photographer.

25. You can now find my work at IKEA and Pottery Barn.

I license my work to different retailers and sell on my own website here.

This post does include affiliate links that help contribute to my coffee and croissant fund. Merci!

What on the list surprised you the most? Is there something you want to know about me that I didn’t share?

The post 25 Things You May Not Know About Me appeared first on Everyday Parisian.

My story begins in 2008 when I lost my job in corporate America. I remember driving home from my meeting and crying my eyes out. And I called my Dad and shared the news. I had no idea how I was going to pay my rent or my newly leased car payment.

I was the first of my friends to lose my job during the recession. So I was embarrassed, even though it wasn’t my fault.  During the first couple of months, I was completely lost. I couldn’t find a job, but I refused to spend my days sitting at home on the couch watching tv or sleeping late.

I was on unemployment. So I didn’t have much money at all. I walked to the bookstore every day. I would visit Borders or Barnes and Noble or sometimes both. And I would pick up a book that I wanted to read and I would literally read ALL day. I would take a break for lunch and cross the street to the other bookstore. I didn’t finish a book in a day but sometimes I was close. And I would make notes on what page I finished on and picked up the next day. I would read anything and everything. And I even considered going back to grad school.

I could have gone to the library, but there was something comforting about the bookstore. My Dad used to take us on Sundays when we were kids. I think I have made up for it with the Book Club! I have helped sell a lot of books over the last couple of years.

One of my friends asked me if I could do anything for a job what would it be.

The answer was simple, “I wanted to travel the world taking photographs and find a way to get paid for it.” This was way before e-commerce took off. But I had no idea how I was going to make this happen. I truly believe in putting what you want in the universe.

I learned about Etsy from a friend towards the end of 2008. And I made a goal to start a shop at the beginning of 2009. I had no idea what I was going to sell in my print shop. I call 2009 my year of discovery because I was still figuring out what my niche was and my pricing. It took a while to get my first sale. I had one photograph that was getting more hits than anything else in the shop. 

In 2009, I still couldn’t find a job so I started working as a Nanny.

I worked as a night Nanny and as a day Nanny. My hours were 10 pm – 7 am twice a week for a newborn. (they ended up keeping me for a whole year) The other was for a family during the day a few days a week. I would work on my Etsy shop while the kids slept. Then I read a ton of articles and tried to figure out tricks and tips on how to build my shop. On the weekends, I would take my photography to the farmer’s markets to sell. I would set up by 7 am and finish around 2 and drive back to the city.

In 2010, I booked a trip to Paris with babysitting money and airline miles from my previous job.

I photographed from morning until night learning the city by getting lost. I came home from that trip and put my photographs in the Etsy shop. It was pretty quickly afterward that my business started to grow. I finally found my niche! I had two bestsellers from that Paris trip that ended up selling with One Kings Lane.

By 2011, I was completely on my own as a Travel Photographer.

It was one of the scariest parts of leaving behind a stable income from being a Nanny to relying fully on my photography. For anyone who has taken the scary leap, it somehow finds a way of working out.

Since my first solo trip to Paris in 2010, I have been fortunate to have had a lot of Paris adventures I had no idea that this would turn into a full-time business and Paris would be the main focus. It was never the plan. I actually thought if anything, I was going to move back to Italy after my semester abroad.

Earlier, I mentioned that you have to put what you want out in the universe. In the very beginning when I was walking to the bookstore every day, I stopped by the store Papyrus that was close by. I decided that I wanted to sell one of my photographs in the store. And I had no idea how I was going to do it but I simply asked. I made it a goal. A few years later, I received an email from Papyrus asking to license one of my images. This also happened with IKEA about 10 years later.

In the past few years, I have had the opportunity to sell my work at Barnes and Noble (3 projects) Indigo (a bookshop in Canada), Pottery Barn, West Elm, World Market, even Target! You should see my face when I see my work out in the wild, I can’t help the biggest smile. I am so proud.

When people ask me about what I do for a living, it always sparks a conversation.

I couldn’t find a job back in 2008, so I created one.

I found a way to travel the world, take pictures, and make a living.

There is a lot of the story that fills in from my first solo trip to Paris up until now. It hasn’t always been easy and it hasn’t been a smooth ride. There have been a lot of roadblocks along the way and my business is constantly changing and evolving. If I had the chance to do it all over again with all the struggles, I would say yes! Owning a business isn’t for everyone. It takes a lot of self-motivation, dedication, late nights, and early mornings. I’m a self-taught photographer and blogger.

I lost my job in my twenties when my friends were still single and going out on the weekends. I had to make a lot of sacrifices with money and time to get to where I am. It has been 2 years of discovery and 12 years as a solo entrepreneur.

Every Day Parisian

The blog came about in 2016 when I was homesick for Paris. I had the idea in the middle of the night to write about how I live a French-inspired life in Chicago. So I quickly typed in the domain into GoDaddy at around 3am and for $12 everydayparisian.com was born! It took more than 9 months of planning before the site ever launched.

You can see the inspiration for the blog here. 

In the past few years, I have had some dream collaborations including Cuyana, Avène, and Diptyque.

Everyday Parisian continues to evolve and grow each year.

In 2021, I worked on a rebrand and merged both the photography site and blog together to make a more cohesive brand between the two.

My favorite part of the blog has been connecting with readers around the world each Sunday for links I love. They are a tribute to my grandma and the letters she used to send me with post-it notes and cut-out newspaper articles. I am happy to see the tradition be carried on each with.

The blog is 6 years old and still going strong. I love the EDP community of Francophiles from all over the world. It has been so rewarding to be able to help so many people plan amazing trips to Paris for their first time, honeymoon, and families. During the pandemic, I was able to bring Paris home with the Frenchify series.

This post does include affiliate links which helps contribute to my coffee and croissant money. Merci!

The post How I Landed My Dream Job appeared first on Everyday Parisian.

Bienvenue!

I am so excited to share the new EDP site with you. Grab a glass of champagne and toast to the next chapter! The blog will be 5 years old this Summer and I wanted to invest in making the site bigger and better and more user-friendly. I started blogging on Squarespace back in 2016 and it was easier to navigate. This time around, I switched to WordPress which gives me so much more flexibility with the site. Plus, I needed a new logo and colors to go with the whole brand refresh. 

I hired a team of designers and developers to make my dream come to life. It is beyond what I imagined. The biggest difference you might see is that there is so much more content available. I have been working hard writing and creating content and on the old site, it was getting buried and you only saw what I most recently wrote. I even forgot about a lot of what I had written. The site highlights a lot of this content on different pages and categories.

My favorite things is one of the pages I love the most. It helps highlight the brands and products I love the most and makes them easy to shop.

My iPhone and Zoom backgrounds are easily accessible along with my playlists.

You can easily access what books I am reading with a look at what is on my nightstand.

You will notice, there are no ads currently on the new site and there is no paid model for a subscription. I know this was a concern for some readers. The best way to help support me as a blogger and photographer are to shop through my links (which I make a small commission through affiliates) and The Print Shop. 

Thank you so much for all of your support! I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on the new site. xo

The post The New Site appeared first on Everyday Parisian.

There are a good amount of questions that I get asked on repeat so I thought a blog post would be a great place to host all the questions and answers. If you don’t see your question answered in this post, please feel free to comment below and I will try to add it in!

1. What is your full time job?

   I am a full-time travel photographer and blogger. Blogging is a full time job but it hasn’t hit the full time pay. Hard work pays off right?

   I started off as a travel photographer when I was laid off from my job in 2008. You can read about how I created my dream job here. I went to Paris in 2010 and I have been photographing the city ever since. I truly believe there is a book in me along with the thousands of photographs I have taken. That is my next big dream.

   If you want to purchase my photography you can do so here. All of my Paris trips are fully funded by me. I basically work 7 days a week so I can travel to Paris. I can’t complain one bit. It is a dream job and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

2. Why don’t you live in Paris?

   The easy answer is taxes and family. I moved to Paris in 2013 for three months and traveled back as often as I could since my life was in storage. That same year my sister had my niece and everything changed. Being an Aunt to my niece and nephew is such a joy. We Facetime a few times a week and I see them for visits at least 6 times a year. It never feels like enough. Chicago to Florida is far enough. I would miss them way too much if I lived in Paris full time.

   I am often asked if I met a Parisian, would I stay? Of course! It makes the family part complicated. I will have to cross that bridge when I come to it.

   Since I run my own business, it is much easier to do in the US vs France. I could get an Artists Visa and live in Paris but taxes would be complicated. From my expat friends that live and work in Paris, they tell me that it is much easier and cost effective to live in the States.

3. Favorite croissant in Paris?

   I wrote a post about it! I am always looking for new boulangeries in Paris when I visit. I recently added a new croissant to the list!

4. How did I end up in Chicago?

   I was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. I moved to Chicago after college and I have left and come back. I am happy to call this place home. Right now, I can’t think of another city in the US I would like to live right now. I was a bit hesitant to return to Chicago after traveling but the city has grown on me in the last couple of years. You can read my full list on my favorite spots in My Chicago Guide including my favorite croissant in the city.

5. My favorite arrondissement/ neighborhood in Paris?

My first and second apartment in Paris was in Montmartre. This will always have a special place in my heart. I love the vibe and how it is a little removed from the center of the city. My current favorite is The Marais. I have always wanted to live in this neighborhood and I finally spent a good chunk of time in The Marais in 2017. You can see my adorable apartment I rented in The Marais here. I have a Marais Guide where you can see my favorite places to shop and explore. You can find me here on a Sunday for a stroll and a coffee no matter where I am staying in the city.

6. I am headed to Paris soon, where should I eat?

Where to Eat and Drink in Paris and Where to Drink Coffee

7. Where should I stay in Paris?

I have had better luck with hotels than apartments lately. Airbnb isn’t what it used to be in Paris. I used to rent from a few independent companies in Paris but the city cracked down on them and they had to close down.

10 Budget Friendly Hotels in Paris and 10 Boutique Hotels in Paris (this covers a range of budgets and I have stayed at all of these)

8. Where did I go to school for photography?

I started off in the dark room in high school. I shot in black and white film and would develop my own prints. I watched a family of 4 kids every Summer so I photographed them a lot for assignments and practice. I went to college in 2000 and having a job as a photographer wasn’t something that was on my radar. E-commerce wasn’t even developed at this time. Once I was laid off in 2008, a friend told me about Etsy. I took photographs that I had shot over the years and tried selling them online. I was early to the Etsy platform in 2009 it was just beginning. I used to have to explain to people all the time what Etsy was. Etsy is a huge part of my story because it was my main source of income for years as a photographer.

When I finally started shooting digital in 2008/2009, I had to completely learn how to operate a manual camera from scratch. It has taken years of practice and trial and error to develop my style. I am still learning. It still amazes me that I went from being laid off in 2008 to a self taught photographer and blogger ten years later. I am so grateful for every opportunity and I love what I do every single day.

P.S. Don’t miss How I landed My Dream Job and 25 Things You May Not Know About Me

The post My Most Frequently Asked Questions appeared first on Everyday Parisian.

Recently my friend Leyla asked me if I had ever written an introduction for the blog. This month the blog turns 8 months and I haven’t formerly introduced myself.  Forgive me! If you enjoyed the post 15 Things You Didn’t Know About Me you will enjoy this one! 

If you don’t know me from social media or Etsy, or personally you may have stumbled here accidentally but you should know a little about me. I would/could write a long story about my life but we will save that for another time. I hope this is a quick but fun introduction to who I am.

Name: Rebecca L Plotnick

Age : 36

Born: Cincinnati, Ohio

Currently lives in: Chicago

College: Indiana University

Places I have lived : Cincinnati, Bloomington, Florence, Paris, and Chicago. 

My First trip abroad was: Age 20 

Countries I have traveled to: 13 and counting including Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland

Bucket list Travel: Greece, Maldives, Thailand, Australia

Dream Job: Travel Photographer (mission accomplished)

When I was a kid I wanted to: own my own Luxury Hotel (now I work with them so it worked out in the end)

Favorite Food: sushi, pasta, and anything with chocolate.

I can’t live without: Paris, my family, chocolate, coffee, my camera.

The next thing I want to learn how to cook/bake: baguettes and croissants.

Favorite Arrondissement in Paris: I love the first and the seventh to visit but would prefer to live in the eighth or ninth. 

Am I fluent in French? Non. But I am working with an amazing French tutor.

Favorite Color: Baby Pink

Favorite Café in Paris: St Regis for sunsets, Cafe de Flore for coffee or people watching.

Favorite Park in Paris: Parc Monceau and Palais Royal.

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Chocolate Mocha Chip from Graeter’s in my hometown 

Favorite Season: Spring/Fall

Favorite Flower: Peonies 

Favorite French Pastry: tarte au citron or tarte framboise. 

Brands I have worked with: Pottery Barn, West Elm, Papyrus, Barnes and Noble, Indigo, Amazon and Target. Dream about seeing my work in Anthropologie. 

The thing I am most proud of: Building a business from nothing and being an Aunt.

I secretly wish to be a guest on The Today Show

Brands I wish to collaborate with on the blog: Le Creuset,  JCrew, Anthropologie, Kitchen Aid, and Air France. 

Goals/Wishes: To live in Paris again, To write a book (working on it) , and to be a Mom.

I hope you enjoyed getting to know me better! I would love to know you more! Feel free to introduce yourself below in the comments and tell me where you follow from and something about you that makes you happy! 

xo

Rebecca 

P.S. Headed to Paris? Don’t miss my list of my favorite places to stay in the city.

The post Personal : An Introduction appeared first on Everyday Parisian.

First off I want to THANK YOU all so much for following!  We are 4 months old this month and growing so fast! I would love to know more about what you want on the blog. After all, this blog is for YOU! 

I wanted to start off this month with a little get to know me so you can know a little bit more about the face behind the blog. I am a travel photographer as my main job. I sell my work through Etsy, as well license my work with other retailers such as Pottery Barn, and Barnes and Noble.  I would love to know what questions you have for me so feel free to comment below! 

1. I LOVE country music. I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and got hooked in high school. My favorite Summer thing to do is crank up the country music and drive with the windows down. Plus I sing… it puts a huge smile on my face. 
2. I didn’t start drinking coffee until 5 years ago when I was visiting Spain. I figured if they do it why not give it a try. I was hooked and it is rare for me to go a morning without it. If you follow me on instagram you will know just how much I like it. 
3. I grew up wanting to own my own hotel. I blame my Aunt and Uncle for buying me Eloise at a young age.. But I fell in love with the hotel life and it has really come full circle this past year as I now create content for luxury hotels. 
4. I don’t eat cook vegetables! I think they should be replaced with chocolate in the food pyramid. 
5. My first trip abroad was when I was 20 and it was to Italy not Paris. I fell in love with travel when I studied abroad in Florence. For years afterward I was planning on moving back to Italy and by chance, I ended up in Paris.
6. I am the Aunt to the most adorable niece and nephew. It is the best gift my sister ever gave me! 
7. I dance just about every day when I am home. I have a studio close to my house and will carve out an hour just to destress and dance with friends. 
8. I lived as a nomad for three years. I lived between the US and Paris for three years out of a suitcase. It was a crazy fun experience and I would do it all again in a heartbeat. 
9. I am not fluent in French. After all these trips to Paris you would have thought I was. I am getting better and I understand a lot, but I am so shy when it actually comes to speaking French. 
10. My Grandma was my best friend. She was my cheerleader and supported all my crazy ideas good and bad. I miss her every day. 
11. I rarely watch TV, but since my sister bought me Apple TV for my birthday I got hooked on Gilmore Girls. I cannot wait for November 25. 
12. I love olives. My go-to cocktail is an extra dirty martini. 
13. I chipped my front tooth as a kid on a ride at an amusement park. From time to time I have it fixed by my Dad who is luckily my dentist. I have been known to rechip it on Parisian baguettes so I prefer to get the ones that aren’t so crunchy.
14. I am dying to get a dog. I have names picked out and would love to have a cavalier king Charles but I travel too much. 
15. My dream project is a book! Growing up I used to sleep in my Grandma’s library when I would visit and I have always dreamt of having a book on the shelves. I have a few ideas in mind but I don’t think my story is finished yet.  

The post Personal : 15 Things You Didn’t Know About Me appeared first on Everyday Parisian.

Welcome to the first entry into the Paris Diaries. The idea came about while I was planning my latest Paris trip. When I first moved to Paris in 2013 I blogged daily. It wasn’t about anything so specific but just about where I went and what I saw. I took people on my personal journey. Life got crazy and I stopped blogging for a while. So here I am 2016 and I started Every Day Parisian. There are a lot of different parts to the blog but I wanted to make sure that you had my personal point of view. I decided to introduce my daily blogging while I am back in Paris so you can see just why I love it so much.

As I tell you I plan on blogging for 10 straight days I am already thinking I am crazy. My days are long and exhausting but I really want to do this. Instagram is fantastic and so are individual blog posts highlighting some of my favorite places in Paris but there is nothing like getting the play by play. 

So to bring you up to speed. The last three weeks I spent in Miami with my sister, niece, and new baby nephew. I have the flexibility in my job that I can work anywhere so it was really important to me that I spent time with my family during this exciting time. I read a million books to my niece and snuggled my nephew while he napped on my chest. It was the best! I arrived back in Chicago with about three days to spare to get ready for this trip to Paris. 

I have a lot of projects planned and so many blog ideas to teach you about Paris and share some of my favorite spots as well as learn about new openings. I can’t wait to catch up with old friends and I have a friend that happens to be visiting Paris at the same time so I plan on giving her the royal grand tour. 

If you are wondering why I am going back to Paris, the answer is simple. I found a $500 plane ticket this Summer and I couldn’t say no. This will be my third trip to Paris this year and I am SO excited to get back. It has been a whole six months since my last trip. I spent two weeks in April part of the time was with my family visiting and the rest was a solo trip. 

The black and white photos in this post were taken by my friend Anastasia from I heart Paris  She was so kind to take these photos of me in Paris. I can’t believe a year has passed since these were taken. When I look back they make me smile so much and bring tears to my eyes. I am usually behind the camera in Paris so to have some beautiful photographs of myself in Paris truly is the best gift. 

SO much has happened since this time last year. I was dating someone at the time who didn’t stick around. Which I promise is a very good thing! He actually came with me to Paris in January but we broke up not too long after. I have actually really enjoyed being single the last couple of months. I finally have my freedom back and for so long it was a bad relationship I find myself so much happier now than when I was with him. 

I really can’t wait to show you around Paris. If you have some favorite places that you want to see in Paris with the Autumn leaves feel free to comment below. I will be working double and triple time trying to capture the Autumn colors and collect images and stories for the blog. But I can honestly say although these trips are crazy busy they make me so happy! 

The next post will include what I pack in my carry on for Paris including my favorite flats, blanket, and lip balm for the plane. 

The post Paris Diaries : No 1 appeared first on Everyday Parisian.

The question I get asked most often is: If I want to buy a camera what should I buy?

I started with Canon years ago. For a DSLR you can either go Canon or Nikon. It is similar to Mac or PC. They are relatively the same but operate a little differently. I stick to Canon because I have loved my experience with them and I know how to use their cameras. I have never had a problem and will continue to use them in the future!

When I first started my business I had just lost my job and was on unemployment. I had very little money and I had to account for rent, insurance, and food on top of everything. I gave up taking taxis and going out drinks with friends. I saved up enough money for my first DSLR camera which was a Canon XSi. The camera came with two lenses an 18 – 55mm lens and a 55 – 250mm. Honestly, this got me through a lot of my first years shooting. Its so light weight and it works really well. If you are looking for an entry level camera and not sure how to use the basics I highly recommend a canon in this series. 

I held onto this camera for a while but eventually switched over and upgraded my camera and lenses. I shoot in RAW since I sell my work this helps keep my files in the highest resolution and quality for printing large. I currently shoot with a Canon 70D and my favorite lenses are the 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm. These are all fixed lenses which means it’s a bit of a learning curve knowing where to stand when you are shooting your subject. There is no zoom so you have to step forward or back to get what you want in the frame. My next camera is going to be a 5d mark iii hopefully later this year. Birthday present ideas

As far as a camera bag I know there are some great ones on the market but I typically will throw everything my Longchamp or Madewell bag depending on the city. In Paris, it is so important to keep everything closed up for safety. My Cuyana Classic Leather Zip Bag is perfect for Paris.  I prefer not wearing a camera bag because it just isn’t my style. Until someone makes a fashion camera bag I will stick to these bags!

If you have any questions about cameras ask away!

The post Personal : My Camera appeared first on Everyday Parisian.

Every Day Parisian is a lifestyle blog that brings the emotional and romantic “je ne sais quoi” of Paris into your everyday life. The blog will bring you original and compelling content directly from people who have worked, played, and loved in the City of Lights. The brand will feature aspirational, yet tangible ways to bring that unmistakable Parisian style to your home, closet, kitchen, beauty regimen, and parties. 

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