Essential Travel Photography
Having the right photography gear available when traveling can be much trickier than expected. You want to be prepared for everything but don’t want to take all your gear. Here are the top travel photography essentials that you should pack every time.
Camera Gear Bag
The first thing you need is a great travel camera bag. Not only is it needed to protect and store all of your gear, but it also makes it much easier to travel with all of the gear you need and not have to worry about storage and space.
Look for a bag that is decently large, as having extra space is always more useful than having just enough space. Make sure there are spots for tripods, camera film, and extra cameras, or whatever else you like to travel with; you just want one camera bag and not be forced to have two because one is big enough.
Camera
When it comes to the cameras you should pack, it really depends on the type of photography you take and what you have available. For instance, film cameras can be smaller than DSLRs, meaning you can take two or even three of them with you.
The point here is to have one or two of your most versatile cameras in your bag instead of having every camera and needing to switch them out depending on the type of photos you are taking.
Drone
A drone is always going to be one of the most useful pieces of tech a photographer can pack. Not only does it allow you to capture some of the most unique and amazing footage, nowadays, there are several high-tech ones that aren’t that big, making them ideal for traveling.
Tripod/Gimbal
A tripod is arguably one of the best pieces of gear you can own as a photographer. It allows you to take super-steady photos, as well as acting as a stand that you can use to set a timer on your camera and allow you to be in the photos.
For those going hiking, walking, or being part of a more adventure-focused holiday, you need a gimbal. A gimbal keeps your camera steady no matter the terrain, and nowadays, you can find gimbals for everything from GoPros to the biggest DSLRs on the market.
Lenses
Once again, the lenses you pack will be determined by the type of photograph you do or the type of photographs you want to get. However, if you are unsure of these details, there are three lenses you can pack that should do the job in almost every situation.
A wide angle, medium zoom, and a telephoto zoom lens will give you all the capabilities and versatility you need to capture beautiful photos while on holiday.
Accessories
When it comes to accessories, this will often be a personal preference, but there are a few essentials. A cleaning kit and lens bags are important, as well as additional batteries, chargers, memory cards, and a hard drive for storage.
Weather/Location
There are also a few accessories you may need depending on the weather of your destination, and the destination itself. For example, if you are traveling to Scandinavia in Winter, you will need snow covers for your bag and each piece of gear you use.
It is important to purchase and pack protective items for your gear as even the smallest amount of rain/moisture, grit, or anything in between can cause irreparable damage to your camera, lenses, etc.
Tips for Choosing Travel Photography Gear
There are a few key points you need to remember when creating your travel photography bag and list of essentials, namely, minimalism, the weight and size of the gear, and the versatility of it all.
Minimalism
First off, you want to keep your bag and geat and simplistic and minimalist as possible. You can’t take all of your gear with you, and in some cases, you wouldn’t want to. Therefore, you need to think very carefully about what you pack.
Consider where you are going to be, the weather, the activities you are going to do, etc, and then look at each piece of gear you have and see if it fits into your holiday. Be ruthless; rather, pack the best gear you have instead of tons of items that you “might” use.
Weight & Size
The weight and size of your gear also needs to be considered. For example, a mirrorless camera is much smaller and lighter than a DSLR but can still take incredible photos. This not only makes your pack lighter, but you will also have additional space for something else.
Even just packing cameras or gear that all use the same type of battery/batteries will help you save space as you won’t need multiple battery types and chargers.
Versatility
Finally, think about the versatility of the gear you are using. If you are going on a holiday where you are going to hike, kayak, swim, etc, a GoPro or action camera would be far more useful than a regular handheld camera.
