Traveling with Your Camera Gear
The year of travel is here! More and more people are taking adventures and seeing the world! And one of the most fun parts of any trip in my opinion is taking photos! So let’s talk about the best way of traveling your camera gear.
As a professional portrait photographer I am used to thinking about my gear for different shoots locally and planning differently for those than when I travel. Travel has many moving factors to it and the gear you bring is not exception to that. In this piece you will find 10 of my favorite tips for traveling with your camera gear safely and efficiently.
Pack your Gear In Your Carry On
If you’re flying to your destination always pack your gear in your carry on, and make sure your bag is padded! There are lots of backpacks designed with padding for camera gear but of course do what works best for you! I personally love using an insert for gear in one of my regular bags so it is a bit more discrete. This also makes it easy to pop it into different bags. I am also a fan of bringing a gear wrap when I can. In general: keep your gear close! Traveling with your camera gear takes a bit of planning but it does not have to be stressful.
Pack Pieces Individually
Carry on, checked or on a long drive, detect your lenses from your camera bodies when traveling. If things get shaken round this can bent mounts or in extreme cases even break your gear.
De-Brand
Don’t use branded camera straps or bags or anything like that. Remove an extra branding even if it means using duct tape over a logo just to hide it while you need to. As dramatic as it may sound, these logos can make you a target for thieves. Thieves they know those brands are cool too!
Don’t Bring Excess Things
When walking around avoid extra accessories and bulky equipment when you can. For example, I love using prisms here and there but when I travel they stay home. The goal is to be inconspicuous for the most part and extra things can bring attention to the fact you have a bunch of gear with you
Protect That Gear!
At a minimum have a UV filter on any lens you have! Personally I always have a polarizing filter as well but the most important thing the UV will do is actually add a layer of protection to your lens’s glass. Another little thing that can help protect your lens is hood, not only will it cut out excess light but it will keep dust and dirt away.
Only Bring Necessities
Avoid over packing / try to keep your set up simple. For most travels a 24-70mm lens can become your go-to lens! Of course there will be places where you will want more or different lenses and this is something you should think about when you’re packing. What are you going to want to capture What gear is going to help capture that moment? Can I find a lens that serves more than one purpose? Consider these factors when planning your gear list. Try and take less than you want to take. Bonus tip write down all the gear you do take and pop that list into the cloud! It’s a good ideas to have a list like this for all your gear as well but when traveling it is especially important to have tracked what you brought.
Back Up Images Regularly
Back up your images! Follow whatever system works best for you but be sure to back your images up regularly especially on longer trips. I saw in Hungary for two weeks last year and at the end of every night I backed up my RAW images on my usually hard drive. Not only did this method keep me organized but it also helped me not loose any images. I was not editing every night but having the images in a second location did allow me to edit multiple days in one sitting with ease.
No Gear Left Behind
Do! Not! Leave! Your! Gear! On! A! Table! Even if you feel like you are at the fanciest place on earth do not leave your gear out in the open (on the tape, on the back of your chair etc). Anyone can walk by and grab it. This is a good rule of thumb for phones and purses as well. It is also a good idea to not leave gear in any car or car services and so on, keep it with you.
Be Aware of Your Surroundings
Following the idea of our last tip, be aware of your surroundings. Busy public transport spots are the most common spot for pickpockets to be around but assess each day as well. Use a neck strap, I prefer to wear mine like a crossbody bag for extra security. Don’t boast around with your gear, be savvy.
Stay Organized!
Stay organized, clean and protected! Have insurance and have a spot for your gear to be safe where you are staying. Keep your extra batteries, charging pieces and SD cards clean and organized. Keep track of all the little things. This is so you can stay stress free in the day and take a million amazing photos!
I hope these tips are leaving you feeling ready to travel and take all the photos! Traveling with your camera gear is a big step in your photography journey and I hope this brought you some comfort.
To see some of my travel photos find me on instagram @irenececiliaphoto
