Traveling with Photo Equipment
First penned in 2013, most recently updated May 17, 2022

OK, we’ve talked about preparation for your trip and getting there and back, along with some tips for transportation.  Many of us are photographers, and we carry a special set of challenges in today’s world of travel.  For one, we generally have more baggage than your average traveler.

TRAVELING WITH PHOTO EQUIPMENT

The Airline Rules

In the United States, we fall under the regulations of the Transportation Security Administration, more commonly known as TSA.  Generally, professional photographers have been given the latitude of carrying an extra carry-on bag, filled with only photo equipment, smaller than a regular carry-on bag, and subject, as always, to the whims of your airline carrier.

Knock on wood, of course.  When I tried to access the TSA’s regulations for photographers for this blog, I came up against dead end after dead end, those 404, no-go, defunct pages.

I even tried to write to TSA, but too fell into the Black Hole of Calcutta.

The safest thing is always to call your airline and find out what they allow.  Arnie and I have never had an issue, but we are careful to consolidate as much as possible.  If we are questioned, we have proof of membership in a professional organization, ASMP in our case.

Camera Equipment

In an effort to advertise, advertise, advertise, most of the camera manufacturers these days make sure that you and everyone around you knows what camera you own.  Not only is the make and model emblazoned across the front of your camera, but the strap is bright and highly visible in its identifying your camera’s make and model.

The first thing we do when we get a new camera is, in Arnie’s case, take a black, laundry pen and mark out the tell-tale stripe and lettering on the strap.  I have a generic padded strap with suede that keeps my camera where I want it.  Mine is made by Tamrac and is probably no longer made.  If you travel a lot, you may want to consider a strap with metal running through it, so that would-be thieves can’t just cut the strap and abscond with your camera and lens.

Although we don’t happen to do it, there are some who take a small strip of black gaffers tape and cover up the brand and model of your camera.

Carrying your camera is another issue that often invites trouble.  We carry our cameras with the lens facing in toward our bodies, nestled behind us, with our hands always on it and the lens.  In a crowd, with your camera around your neck, lens facing out, or over your shoulder, again lens facing out, experienced thieves can divest you of your lens without your even knowing it happened.

Carrying your camera tucked in behind you serves two purposes.  1) You are not advertising to the world what kind of camera you own, and 2) tucked behind you, it is less likely to bank into things, whether buildings, other hard objects, or trees whose branches could scratch your lens.  And please, always use your lens shade.  It is designed to not only reduce lens flare, but protect your lens and in case of being dropped, it will absorb the brunt of the fall, then pop off, rather than break and scratch your equipment.

The Bag

There are so many options for camera bags, it boggles the  mind.  I have used anything from an old L.L. Bean backpack when I did a lot of traveling alone, to a camera bag I partially designed several decades ago, to two that seem to work for now.  One carries all my gear, while the other works for a pared-down kit.  All had/have padding to protect the contents, and all could/can be converted to a fanny pack.  Arnie uses a combination of ThinkTank units for his gear.

I tend to avoid all black, as that is a sure sign of camera gear, instead opting for bags with color.  Arnie sticks to his all-black mode.  Whatever you carry, it has to work for you.  Arnie wouldn’t be caught dead with my bag, and I avoid his type like the plague.

Many people like to work with a camera vest.  I don’t, as it is another sure sign for wanna-be thieves of lots of good equipment to steal.  That said, it can help get some heavy lenses onto an airplane and avoid weight issues.

The Camera Bag Contents

When traveling, it is good to remember that in many locations, replacing gear may be next to impossible.  Better to carry any extras you might need.  In my camera bag, I carry the following:

• Packet or two of Kleenex (ladies, take note) stored in a rain-proof plastic bag
• Cheapo plastic poncho
• Couple of rain sleeves for my camera
• A Ziploc bag containing the following:
  • Two or three elastic bands, the thick kind that the post office uses when delivering your mail
  • Treble bubble or double bubble level
  • A couple of quarters (useful in lieu of a screwdriver)
  • Lightweight, plastic compass
  • Small, lightweight mirror (for emergencies and for fill light)
  • Allen wrenches for tripod and ball head put in smaller plastic bag (these usually come in a small bag)
• Another Ziploc bag containing the following:
  • ROR (Residual Oil Remover) or cleaning lenses and contact points on lens and camera body; for air travel, these initially travel in the quart-size bag with other carry-on liquids)
  • Three or four lens-cleaning cloths (not to be confused with eye-glass-cleaning cloths!)
• Giotto Rocket air blower, black for Arnie, red for me
• Two extra camera batteries with their protective covers  (I bundle my charged ones together with an elastic band; batteries needing recharging are out of the elastic band)
• Waterproof holder for extra flash cards
• Remote cable release & extra battery/ies
• Neutral-density filter
• Thin, circular Polarizer
• Extra lens caps, preferably made by your camera manufacturer (the cheap ones generally don’t work as well)
• Extra business cards in a zip-top bag
• Couple of pens
• Mini tripod
• Small, 12″ reflectors
• Hoodman loupe (indespensable)
• 2 carabiners hooked to the outside of the bag for holding water bottles, etc.
• Powerful mini flashlight with extra batteries
• Lens hoods/shades for each of my lenses (these are not interchangeable but may be stored on the lens facing backwards to save space)
• Sturdy monopod, if you have one, can be either put inside your bag (more discreet) or strapped to the outside (take the ball head off first)
• Remember, your tripod can be packed in your duffel or roll-on with the ball head off

One’s choice of lenses is a personal one as well as one’s selection of other filters.

The Computer Bag/Briefcase Contents

In my backpack computer bag, I carry the following:

• Laptop & cord
• Passport folder
• Two or three thin plastic folders for receipts and paper work
• Ziploc bag containing battery charger for camera and cord
• Ziploc bag containing card reader (it is recommended to never link your camera directly to your computer)
• Extra business cards (in zip-top bag)
• 2 more pens
• 10-12 of my address labels (can be used for plane-side check stubs, forms, etc.)
• External hard drives (we use 2TB Western Digital My Passports) for storage and backup
• Zip-top bag containing:
  • 2 cell phone USB cords (always good to have an extra)
  • Cell phone plug-in adapter
  • Extra USB cable (in case one of your non-cell ones fail
  • USB cable for GPS unit
• Another Ziploc bag containing the following:
• Ethernet cable for those times when WiFi is not available
• Foreign-plug adapters for overseas travel

There are always more things that you can add to your kit, depending upon your personal likes and needs, but these lists should get you started.

Smart Phone

Don’t laugh, this is one of the most important pieces of luggage, aside from the camera gear, that I have. On my iPhone (Droids have the same apps or similar apps), I have loaded the following, organized by category:

• Photo/Video:
  • ProCamera, a more sophisticated cell camera for those times when I cannot take a “real camera”
  • 360, an in-phone panorama maker
  • Easy Release, for those times when I need a model or property release
  • Camera Buddy, for sun/moon, exposure, depth-of -field, diffraction, and other calculations
  • TPE, The Photographer’s Ephemeris, for sun and moon data
• Navigation:
  • Google Maps (forget Apple’s wannabe that is useless, as far as I am concerned)
  • Compass (you already have one on your smart phone)
  • Buoy Data, by NOAA, useful for boaters
• Skies/Seas:
  • iEphemeris, similar to TPE above, but I can find it in both categories
  • Star Walk, great for identifying constellations and night skies
  • Sunrise Clock, shows three twilights for dusk and dawn, critical for timing getting to a location
• Weather:
  • WeatherBug, more accurate, we think, than the standard app or The Weather Channel
  • Hi-Def Radar, for what it states
  • NOAA Now, for storms and satellite images
  • NOAA Radar, another weather source
  • Star Walk, great for identifying constellations and night skies
• Travel:
  • FlightAware, for tracking flights
  • Skyscanner, to search =for available flights
  • KAYAK, for comparison shopping
• Language:
  • Ultralingua, for translating offline – need individual languages
  • Translator by Lonely Planet, another good translation ap
  • Google Translate, can speak phrases to it for translation

There are many other apps, to be sure, and we each have our favorites, but these only represent some you may not know and that you may find useful. This is in no way meant to be a total list of possibilities.

Carrying Bags

“Elementary, dear Watson,” you might say, but some people forget to face bag openings and pockets toward them when traveling in populated areas.  I tuck my small purse with shortened strap under my arm, gripped firmly with both arm and hand, zippers facing inward.  If I am carrying my backpack, I carry it in front of me, or in an airport, snapped around the carrying handle of my roll-on bag.

When I am out photographing in populated areas, my camera bag sits in front of my rather than in back.  Not only do I have quick access to it, but I can keep an eye on it! Frankly these days, I rarely carry a camera bag, opting instead to have just one camera body and something akin to a 24-70mm lens with extra batteries and cards in a pocket. As my late mentor, Ernst Haas, said,  “Use your feet to zoom in or out, because the less you carry, the more you will see. And the more you see the more photographs you’ll make.”

Adjusting Your Gear

There are times you want to change your lens or pull something out of your camera bag.  Most people are honest, but in traveling, a little healthy paranoia can serve you well.  I find a quiet spot, if possible to change lenses.  A park bench can be convenient, but keep an eye out for people near you. I may grab a cup of coffee, so I can sit down, rest, and discreetly reorganize things.  If I put my camera bag down, I slip my foot through the strap and tuck it under a table or chair away from possible fiddle fingers.

We have now addressed some of the things to think about while traveling as a photographer, whether in the country or on a city street.  Next, we will talk about hints for safe and productive travel.

Next: More Travel Tips – On the Road

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