Packing light is an eternal challenge. Reams have been written about how to roll your clothes, how to use packing cubes and what roller bag or backpack is best. Add a bagful of camera and video gear and you have even more weight to juggle. Taking pictures or video to share with family or on social media is a huge task on its own whether you blog or not. As a freelance travel writer, videographer and after nearly a decade blogging, I’ve struggled with how to do it best. I’ve also spoken with and observed other writer’s strategies, which blogging camera they use, and what other gear is in their carry-on.
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Luckily the overall trend is towards lighter, more durable, and faster gear. Battery life keeps getting better too. My goal is to keep the tech to a minimum so I can travel light and stay flexible; to capture decent images and video on the fly. I don’t claim to be a pro but work to document moments and love video storytelling. How to do it best is an evolving task. Here are some tips that I hope will be helpful. Feel free to gloss over the geeky parts!
What is your end goal?
Not every traveler is interested in toting around the best blogging camera but no one, amateur or professional, wants to invest the time, effort and expense into taking vacation or assignment shots then end up disappointed or worse, without pictures and video to match the experiences.
Decide how you want to share your shots first. Are you only posting on Facebook or are you building up a YouTube channel? That helps determine what gear goes with you. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have options for uploading ‘natively’ onto each platform. Now that Instagram is owned by Facebook you can share on both instantly which is a time saver but much depends on your goal. Facebook no longer shares every video link (especially if you don’t pay for advertising,) so uploading onto the platform directly is best if you want more of your friends to see your videos. I understand that Facebook Live videos are shared the most (Facebook is after the Tik Tok and Snap Chat crowd) but I’m perhaps too vain or too much of a control freak to go live – yet.
Much has been written about which format, shape, is best. Do you shoot landscape, vertical or square? Juggling between those is a headache, so I suggest deciding which works best for you and sticking with that. I love framing my videos as landscapes and post mostly on YouTube, Twitter, or Facebook. However, I shoot photos with an eye to posting in square format for Instagram (wider shots for editing later) and when I think about it shoot video vertically for Instagram stories.
Plan by Destination
A few years ago I had the great luck to travel to Lembeh Straits in North Sulawesi with a group of die-hard underwater photographers. The resort had a sweet, dedicated camera room close to the dive dock. Each diver had their own table with electrical outlets and shelves in an air controlled environment. Several dive buddies hauled heavy camera cases and multiple cameras. Over five days I watched the dance as they serviced their gear, switched out batteries and memory cards, lenses and lights. By the end of the trip my boyfriend’s camera was soggy and undependable. He started diving with his Go Pro and a single light attachment. He loved the freedom from toting all the gear and got some great images. Were they National Geographic worthy? No, but that wasn’t his goal and the pictures grace the walls of our home nonetheless.
Who’s going with you?
I’ve read little about picture etiquette and have to apologize for some of my past behavior before I knew better and photo bombed other’s shots. Believe me I’m sorry! That said, take a moment before you go for any shot to register where your companions are and if they’re shooting too.
Over time my family and travel partners have learned that I brake for photos. Kidding aside, I’ve chilled my beloved when I ducked into a Rio de Janeiro doorway while he turned a corner and then couldn’t find me. I knew where he was, he had no idea what had become of me. We had a ‘spirited’ discussion that could’ve been avoided if we both knew the game plan. Today I find that I have to stop for his shots more often, especially as he’s become a spectacular drone cameraman. It’s a fair bargain.
If you have a family vacation underway make sure that everyone knows you’ll be taking pictures of them at the beginning of the trip and honor anyone who asks to be left out of candid shots. I now start dinners or trips by apologizing up front half in jest about how many pictures I’ll be taking. Sometimes surprising accomplices volunteer and willing models too.
What are you shooting?
Each trip has its own personality. A camping trip in Alaska will demand different gear than visiting a local botanical garden. Alaska has scores of wildlife possibilities. The garden presents more close up subjects like bees and blossoms. For wildlife I make sure to have my Canon camera battery charged, a backup battery ready and plenty of space on my memory card. The zoom works best on a tripod for long distance shots but I’ve used fence posts, stair steps and even my son’s head to steady my camera on occasion. More often I’ve been using my Samsung Galaxy 10S phone for most everything (see below.)
- Notice your surroundings at all times – a precaution for your safety and out of respect.
- Be considerate if you’re taking pictures of others and know your rights for photo use. Public places are usually legal when you are shooting people. Much depends on how you are using the photos. If you’re going to sell your pictures or load them to a public site like Flickr where others may download them, you’d be safest to get written permission.
Are you shooting inside or out?
Each location has it’s own restraints. Over the years I’ve become keenly aware of light. Backlit flower petals expose a pattern; a ship in the harbor at dusk; shadows falling softly on a cheek – each is exhilarating to witness and then capture. Doing it well can take a lifetime to master but I shoot on the fly capturing fleeting moments.
I adore the work of great food photographers like Cintia Soto. and have had the good fortune to travel with her. Watching her work is a lesson in patience. Seeing how much gear she carries to do her food styling well is a shock. It’s no wonder that professional photographers and videographers develop shoulder, back and neck problems. I have no illusions or desire to emulate them.
Whenever possible Cintia uses natural light and that works spectacularly well for food. Faces benefit from soft light so I avoid my flash whenever possible. Cintia showed me how to use my cell phone flashlight wrapped in a white napkin or to bounce it off a plate to get a softer glow. I now carry a Lume Cube with filters whenever I’m going to an indoor event. The original Lume Cubes were waterproof to 30 feet. While not as powerful as professional underwater lights (and a fraction of the cost) they work fairly well on macro, closeup, subjects. The Cubes have 9 light settings, are a bit heavy but small and hold their charge for a long while. Other lights for video are larger and don’t have flexible settings but I’ve seen spectacular pictures from the effort.
Experiment and find what works for you!
Professional vs. Blogging Camera and Cell Cameras
Gear
- Dry bags in various sizes
- Lights: Lume Cube and filters
- Go Pro with lenses
- Shoulderpod cell phone holder – one of my most indispensable accessories
- Zihyun Gimble Stabilizer – Great for smooth, traveling video clips
- Selfie stick with tripod – Compact and helpful with Blue Tooth remote control
- External tripod – If you’re planning to use your camera more than cell phone
- Chargers and duplicate chargers
- Cords!!
- Batteries and external hard drive
- Memory cards
- USB plug cords
- Multi-plug charger USB included
- Wide shoulder straps
- Fanny pack and collapsible back pack
- Tote by Bagallini- I adore this style for ease of access and zippers for security. I’ve worn out several!
- Camera bag – Here’s an earlier post about some bag options.
Software and Editing
I started editing pictures in Photoshop then tried a series of knockoffs to keep costs down. Nothing surpasses Lightroom, I’ve been told but the ACDSee software allows me to do what I need at a one time fee that’s a fraction of Adobe software. Same with my video software. I started on Windows Movie Maker (don’t laugh – it’s still a good beginner tool although only available as an unsupported download.) Today I use the robust, free version of daVinci Resolve for video editing and I’m looking for another that’s compatible with my new phone videos.
Best Video Tip: Shoot short clips instead of long videos. This will speed up your editing exponentially.
Edit video in your phone! There are dozens of Apps that make it easy and if you’re an Apple fan, you can create videos quickly. They’ll all look like Apple videos though. Find ways to make them your own.
Audio
I hosted a podcast on the Women’s Radio Network for years and love my Snowball microphone when I’m in my office recording studio. On the road, I use my cell phone Voice Recorder App and internal mic when I must but when it’s windy the audio is horrible. I carry a plugin mic with a ‘Dead Kitty’ windscreen and have begun using a lapel mic with windscreen for interviews. I used to carry my Zune recorder but again the cell phone has improved and now that’s one less thing to carry. Mind you, this is not going to give me broadcast or professional quality but it works. I use a Snowball mic in my home studio on the road I use the Pop Voice lavalier mic with windscreen.
Editing Software – A Minimalist’s List
- Audacity for audio – free download
- DaVinci Resolve
- Windows Movie Maker – This is more informational – download with caution for Windows
- ACDSee for photos (they have inexpensive video software too which I’m in the process of testing.)
This post contains affiliate links to help you research gear which helps keep this blog going. Thanks!
I’d love to know more about what you use as a travel or blogging camera and what strategies you’ve discovered. Leave a comment below.
Travelling with photographic gear is always a difficult trade off. Professional vs lightweight. Your article has some good insights.
I had been carrying a Nikon D200. Great and quite robust but weighed a tonne. I bought a nice lightweight $A2000 Sony RX100 v7 for a trip to Iceland. It fell out of my pocket when I slipped and I did not even notice until it was too late. I didn’t even get to upload the images to see if they were any good.
I had an older backup camera and a phone, neither of which were sufficient for the northern lights. My wife had one of the latest Apple iphones which produced quite good photos of the northern lights. However, it does not have the zoom or the detail that I like.
I will try and get another one of the Sony’s before my next trip unless something better comes along. However, with COVID not sure when that will be.
Happy travels.
Hi Bruce, Crushing to hear about the lost camera. I often carry an old Canon for the zoom and would certainly do so for the Northern Lights or the chance to capture wildlife. Covid is certainly slowing travel-lusters down but we’ll get out eventually. Thanks for the comment.
Great tips, all in one place! Technology for taking photos has been changing so rapidly over the last few years. I find myself using my Samsung cell phone more and more since it takes such great photos, and they edit well too.
I couldn’t agree more and am happy to hear another vote for Samsung. It’s taken me awhile to get an editing app to work in phone.
You have shown us that we could certainly pare down on some of the equipment we lug around, depending on the circumstances. Thanks for the helpful tips.
It all depends on the circumstances and I hate getting out in the field needing something that’s just sitting at home!
I have to admit that I carry a bit more heavily than you. Depending on the situation, I may have up to four picture devices, gimbal, selfie stick (wireless) and accessories. For us, we are all about images, so I concentrate on this realm. You have certainly shown that we could pare down some depending on the situation.
I’m about images too but since I publish online almost exclusively, it’s easier to carry less.
I’ve been doing this for 7 years and it is good to be reminded of how times have evolved when it comes to blogging. I used to bring chunky camera as well and now my iPhone is doing the work for me. Truly crucial to have great photos with your blog. Also helped that this powerful phone cameras allow me to travel lighter than before. Go pro is also a good a addition for adventurers.
I need to consider a Go Pro or learn on my travel buddies old one.
I wish I had your dedication. I spent lots of time thinking I should learn to use more of the functions on my camera – but never do!
I can’t keep the camera specifics straight since I use it so rarely, so I rely on the cell phone more than ever.
Great tips and ideas. I use Final Cut Pro X to edit. Some more gear I would like to get of course.
Thanks, Holly. If I were Mac based, Final Cut would be a good option. Always more gear on the horizon too!
Awesome tips, thank you. I’m always needing to pack less, pack lighter and be more organised. Your tip to shoot short videos on a phone resonated with me. I shall be doing that on our next trip tomorrow. WAAAH, still have to pack!
The organization part of packing takes the most time for me still. I also have dedicated clear, zippered bags for quick tech in my carry-on, with a back pack/tote for the rest. The zipper bags are full all the time and easy to grab when I’m packing.
Lots to think about here! I haven’t gone “live” on Facebook either — yet. Thanks for all the technique, gear, and apps tips!
Thanks for your comments, Cathy. There’s always some new media option out there and we can’t do them all. Also, it’s wise to know where your niche is. Mine isn’t on FB Live or Snapchat.
Great tips for travel photography, Elaine! It’s always a challenge to balance what to take with a desire to pack light. I’ve found a camera that works really well for me, and that makes all the difference! I’m excited to have it with me on an upcoming UK trip.
I’m excited for you too! Great finding a camera that you love traveling with.
Great suggestions here! I wish I could follow your advice! I too much of a gearhead to leave anything behind. I packed a Mirrorless, tripod, drone, 2-3 lenses, and a 17 inch laptop when I was backpacking in Europe 🙂 I had a backpack and another backpack that I carried in front of my chest. Insane. Looking back though, I could use your tips to pack much less.
That is a lot of gear to carry and keep track of while backpacking! 17″ laptop too? You must be strong!
I bought an SLR a few years ago and carried it to some of my initial trips but then started to realise it was a hassle to carry it, especially when you’re struggling to carry less luggage in the first place. So I started using my iPhone to shoot. Having said that, a few factors are really important to consider- like the destination you’re shooting, what you’re planning to shoot and whether you’re shooting inside or outside. While the iPhone gets really good shots during the day and in the outdoors, nothing can do justice to the nighttime photography or to things such as Northern Lights but an SLR.
You’re absolutely right about nothing comparing to a good camera for night shots. I leave the most technical shots to my travel buddy.
I had to laugh about stopping for photos without telling anyone, that does create problems. On the other hand, constantly saying wait or hold on a minute also causes problems. I’m going to look into the Lume Cube and daVinci Resolve
Thanks, Sheiranne. I think my family has gotten used to me wandering by now. Hope you like the gear.
You can get completely overwhelmed with camera equipment. A few years ago I rented this crazy zoom lens. I don’t think any of those photos turned out because I hadn’t practiced. Time is money with a rental lens. I usually travel with my phone, a Nikon with a zoom lens and a very small video camera. I don’t necessarily carry them all at the same time, but they are handy to have. My niece told me about an Apple app called Quick Video that is easy to use and will mute noise and add music if you want. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m going to. PS that new HDR thing on the phones is a pain. On my iPhone I can get around it by turning off the live feature on the photos. I’m not sure if this works on videos though.
I’m considering getting a small video camera but hate having to carry another piece of gear. Yes, the HDR thing has been a total hassle. Nice to find however that transferring the video to Movie Maker to convert to MP3 has been helping! It’s another level of hassle. I’m sure there’s a set of software in development now.
Fantastic tips!! Good to know that Facebook doesn’t share every video link, will have to keep that in mind. Great tip about shooting short clips to speed up editing.
Thanks, Debra. Yes, I’ve heard about FB strategies and algorhythm but as with many things as soon as you figure things out – they change. We’ll see.
Great advice here on photography. I being doing basic photography for the last 20 years but as time goes on, the more equipment I am gaining and the more I am taking with me on my travels. I think it also helps if you have a natural eye for things (and what you are snapping at) as well as handling the equipment well.
I’m a pretty basic photographer as well and while I have a good eye, when I look back it’s easy to see that I’ve gotten better with composition and light. So there’s always hope for improvement and as my digital friends say – film is cheap!
You are right, even if we get our clothes down to a small bag we end up hauling a ton of camera gear and electronics. We finally bought a smaller camera with a great zoom for travelling when we really did not need a full range of lenses. If we are taking pictures in crowded or sketchy spots, we watch each other’s backs. It is too easy to be a target if you are distracted taking photos. What a great comprehensive guide. Some new software to look into.
Thanks, Linda. I’m glad that you have someone to watch your pack. It’s a big help when you want to focus on the shot. One of my friends had their zoom lens taken off their belt in a crowded place! Glad you found some of the tips helpful.