Indispensable Tools For The Traveling Photographer

When you're on the road or overseas, there are things you want in your gear bag you might not need to drag around with you close to home. Besides a backup camera or spare camera body, there are a few tools that have saved a shoot on more than one occasion for me.

A Small Tool Kit

The kind I carry is made by Black & Decker and has a ratchet handle and variety of screwdriver, hex heads, and small sockets. I'm constantly amazed at what you can fix with this small kit.

A Flashlight

Don't leave home without one. I actually pack several. At Home Depot you can sometimes get small, push-button LED flashlights, with batteries, for a dollar. At that price they're almost disposable.

I carry two in my vest and one more in every equipment bag I carry. Besides those I carry a Nebo Redline Tactical Flashlight with a built-in strobe.

A Pocket Knife

Hard to get through airport security these days but indispensable in the field, there are few things more useful than a good pocket knife.

You don't need to carry a folding bayonet, just something with a pocket clip and sturdy blade. I carry a Kershaw 1620. Be sure to check transport rules and blade length laws where you're going.

A Copy of Public Law 106-206

If you're shooting on government land or U.S. parks, carry a copy of this regulation with you at all times. Sometimes park staff will try to claim you need a permit to shoot on federal land, but that's only true if you're using models, non-natural props, posing a risk to the public or you require extensive assistance from park personnel.

I'm constantly surprised how often park personnel don't know their own rules and try to bluff their way through. That's why I started carrying a copy of the regs.

Set of Jewelers Screwdrivers

Almost anything that's going to need tightening on your camera is going to need a jewelers screwdriver. I've also used mine as distance markers and framing references stuck in the ground (not recommended by the manufacturer).

Gaffer Tape

A habit I picked up shooting video. Gaffer tape is the duct tape of the visual arts. You can tape something down and it doesn't leave a sticky glue residue behind. If you ever go to a movie set, there will inevitably be one or two production assistants running around with a loop of different colored gaffer tape hanging off their belt.

Extra Lens Caps

You'll lose one, eventually. It's inevitable. I always, always put my lens cap in my left front pants pocket. A habit picked up over the years and yet even I lose one once in a while.

Carry a spare cap in your vest and you'll always have one.

Shower Caps and Disposable Ponchos

You can get disposable shower caps and clear rain ponchos by the box at the Dollar Store. They're cheap and life savers in bad weather.

One time I was in a mountainous part of Oregon, miles from the car when a weather front moved in. I was able to take two ponchos and a roll of gaffer tape and fashion a crude shelter. When my friends got back, soaked to the bone, they found me warm and dry under my tent on a recliner made of equipment bags.

There's traveling, and then there's traveling in style.

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How To Pack Your Digital Camera And Accessories When Traveling

Travel opportunities are always great to grab as they give you a time to visit different places. Whether it's part of your job, business or a planned vacation, traveling can be a fun and enriching experience particularly for those who love to take lots of photos of people and places. But before you head on to your destination, it is a must to prepare your things including your digital cameras and accessories.

Packing wisely and keeping safe should be top of mind. Taking these steps will ensure that you bring only your essentials and not putting a lot of burden on yourself.

The bag is the most important consideration when traveling. Depending on your preference and the number of days you will be staying out of town, you can just bring one large bag that can accommodate all your personal belongings. This can either be the luggage type or the backpack. Otherwise, you can choose to bring a separate small bag for your digital camera and accessories if you want to take photos every now and then.

Another tip particularly for the compact users is to use a pouch bag to keep your camera safe. When you won't need your camera, you can always put this pouch inside a larger bag.

The messenger bag is also great to use particularly if you're going out for several hours. The backpack, however, is best to use if you're out shooting the whole day as the weight is evenly distributed on your back and shoulders.

There are many factors that you need to consider when bringing along your digital camera and accessories. Remember that these can put on weight so try to decide early on how you're going to take photos and what subjects you will be taking when you're traveling for a holiday.

If you'd like to travel light and don't want to check in your luggage in the airplane, then don't pack all your lenses. Keep in mind that some of them are quite expensive and they can get damaged during your travel. Instead, you can just use a fast lens that will allow you to take clear images even without the flash such as in places that don't have sufficient lighting. Another option is to use the zoom lens. This way, you are able to take photos using a variety of focal lengths without using extra lenses.

Bringing your tripod or monopod is also a good idea. Choose a lightweight but stable one if possible. Sturdy models available on the market are those made from aluminum and carbon fiber. In addition to the tripod, it would be best to bring a spare plate as well just to be sure. This will come in handy should the original plate gets lost.

Finally, do pack extra batteries and charger, memory cards, lens cloth, a hurricane blower, filter and flash if you're going to take many photos at nighttime. Getting a travel insurance that covers your camera for accidental damage and theft will also be helpful. If you have an existing household insurance, you may want to verify if your camera is covered.

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