What to carry for travel photography

by Eddie | Jan 21, 2022 | Eddie Blog Post

The important aspect of travel photography is having the right gear but also packing light, especially if you are flying on a plane where you will have carry on baggage limits. The other aspect here is that you don’t want to be carrying heavy packs of camera gear all day.

Choosing the right equipment to take on that trip is important. This is my list of equipment that I take on all my trips.

Camera

I have either Nikon D800, D850 or a Sony Alpha A7R IV camera body. In some cases, I opt to carry a crop sensor camera (with my Nikon 24-70mm f.8 lens), which will reduce my overall weight, but the images a typically still pretty good for a 24 megapixel camera body.

Lens

I have a 24-70mm f2.8 lens for both my Nikon and Sony cameras. If I don’t have weight restrictions, I also have a 14-24mm wide angle lens, a Nikon 70-200mm zoom lens, and a Sigma Art 50mm prime lens that are for my Nikon bodies.

Batteries

I always carry at least two camera batteries. One in the body, and one either as a spare or on charge.

Battery Charger

Always carry your battery charger and the applicable cord, and international adapter if you are travelling overseas. In any case, if you have an international adapter, you will be good for any international country that you visit. My only note here is that an international adapter will not convert voltage, it will only have a range of various plug types. Ensure you have a 120-240 volt rating on your charger before you take it overseas.

Memory Cards

I always carry multiple memory cards anywhere I go, period!

Laptop

I always carry my Apple Macbook Pro giving me the ability to download as I go. My Macbook Pro has an SD card slot, so I don’t need to carry a separate card reader. If you don’t have this luxury, you will also need to carry a card reader.

Cleaning Kit

I am really vigilant about cleaning my gear before every sheet. That one spec of dust will ruin a whole day of shooting, so having a basic cleaning kit will allow you to keep your gear ready for the next shoot.  Another aspect of this is that I minimise the need to change lenses in windy and dusty environments, so the only thing I really need to do is clean the lens glass, minimising the amount of cleaning work that needs to be done.

Camera Strap

I always carry a wrist strap and neck strap to allow safe carrying of my gear without any fear of dropping a $7000 camera body and lens. 

Tripod

If you want to get some low light, night or long exposure images, a tripod will be really important. I have multiple tripods, but when I travel I tent to carry a carbon Fibre travel tripod that is really stable and guaranteed to ensure my shots are sharp.

Another note here is that if you have a tripod with a head with quick release system, ensure you have spare quick release plates and a small screwdriver or small coin to attach the quick release plates to your body.

Other Considerations

Pack light gear for the conditions of where you are shooting. There is nothing worse that being somewhere trying to capture that perfect landscape and you are freezing cold, so think about a light jacket, gloves and a beanie for cold conditions. The important issue here is that you consider the environment in which you are shooting, whether is be hot, cold, rain, or snow.

I also pack a mini torch with a neck strap when shooting at night or early morning. You’ll be surprised at how handy this is in the dark.

You may have to consider other items, but I find that this is what I carry to make my photo tour a success. 

Happy shooting!