We’ve been dreaming of Paris (and other cities) lately, but no matter how wonderful the destination every traveler knows that a secret to a good trip is to bring the right essentials.

Here’s what’s on our must-bring list. What can’t you travel without?

1. We bring at least four different cameras in every trip. Aside from Ted’s DSLR, we keep also bring along the Golden Half and Mini-Diana. The Digital Harinezumi is a no-brainer. This little baby also takes videos.

2. A good passport case is a blessing. The Upcycled Passport Case comfortably carries our passports, money and cards.

3. Street banner bags pack flat and are the perfect thing to whip out when the shopping bug hits us. We easily carry them on board the plane without having to pay expensive overweight charges.

4. Comfort is key especially when taking long flights. The eco pullovers are super soft and ward off that chilly recycled air on the plane.

What do you bring on an adventure?

Summertime is when we go out and have a little fun. That means planning a trip (even just out the door) and taking our trusty cameras with us along for the ride.

This week, we’re sharing a few finds from the shop that add a little oomph to your usual snap.

They all look great, but it’s the photos they take that really add fun to an already awesome summer day. My favorites are the ones that literally change the way you see a shot.

Wide Angle Cameras

The wide angle lens on the Angel cameras expands your view. It makes me realize just how big this world is. It’d be perfect for a trip….

…even ones just outside my door. Here’s Nori out for walk.

The vastness of Downtown LA.

Sometimes, it takes two photos are better than one. The Golden Half camera lets you put together two photos that can tell interesting stories together.

This is Ted on a joy ride in Los Angeles. I love how you can see the driver and the view all in one photo.

What do you think Nori is up to and where is he?

Fisheye
If split screens aren’t for you, how about stepping into the shoes (fins?) of a fish? The Fisheye No. 2 Camera takes you there.

Here’s a cow from a different perspective.

The Fisheye makes something old new again. The 1918 Hotel Gellert by the Danube takes on a very different look apart from the guidebooks.

Oktomat
How about seeing the world through a spider’s eyes? The Oktomat takes eight shots consecutively and puts the images all in one 35mm frame.

No cows. How about daffodils?

Love how the yellow ball suddenly pops up on frame.

The world can be seen through so many perspectives (and lenses). Sometimes, it’s also a trip in itself to see how it can change from one shot to another.

So, how do you see the world? Share your favorite summer shots with us on our Facebook, we’d love to see where you’ve been and what you’ve seen!

It’s nice to know our passions can sometimes mean good news for people halfway around the world. Each purchase of these new cameras on Poketo means a donation of EUR 20.000 to the Red Cross Relief Japan.

This mini-Diana F+ is rightly called Jiyu (meaning Freedom). A light floral design and clean color palette lends this analog camera a delicate charm while letting your creative juices loose with dreamy or softly focused photos. Shoot using easily found 35mm film to produce either square or half-frame snaps. You can even shoot in multiple or long exposure.

See the world a different way with the Shiawase, Fisheye No. 2 camera. In Japanese, Shiawase means the spreading of happiness. Share this inspiring sentiment with this camera’s 170-degree radius shots. Your photographs turn into nicely rounded shots within each 35mm print. Shoot in multiple or long exposure for an extra helping of ebullience.

Additional photography from: the lomographer

I have an old, crappy car. A hand-me-down. Over 170,000 miles, and my 190E is still running strong, kind of. Over time, little things fall apart–the rearview mirror has cracked, the shift knob rattles, the check engine light is constantly “red”, when I press the brakes it honks, and three of the four power windows have stopped working. Okay, it’s a P.O.S. I would love to trade it in for new wheels, but, my conscience and practicality get the best of me. Do I really need a new car? Can I live with this one? After all, it does run. So, instead of heading down the new car path, I decided to try and fix it on the cheap.

Welcome to the concept of car ecology, a junkyard south of Los Angeles in Wilmington. A place where dead cars go, but, where people scavenge the yard in search for their exact model and can basically start cannibalizing. All of the hoods are popped open, the doors unlocked, wheels usually taken off and propped on blocks. As I was walking down aisle after aisle, the thrill of the hunt set in among tons and tons of metal, I was surprised to find a few 190Es exactly like my own. As I was picking through the old carcass of cars, it got me thinking of how amazing this type of recycling is. People lease or buy, upgrade and or trade in all the time, but, to extend the life of your car by finding new parts, this is real recycling. Along with a couple of power window parts and a new mirror, I found what I was looking for–a new appreciation for my old car.