What’s In My Bag
The Essentials
Below is my go-to kit for travel shoots plus I usually bring one of the film cameras below depending on the location.
Let’s break it down: 1) North Star Filter 2) Variable Neutral Density Filter 3) Circular Polarizer 4) UV Filter 5) MeFOTO Classic Carbon Fiber Globetrotter Travel Tripod 6) LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt Hard Drive 7) Apple 15 inch Macbook Pro 8) Canon Timer Remote Controller 9) Profoto A1 Flash 10) Canon 5D Mark IV 11) Canon 5 Mark III 12) Canon batteries & charger 13) Canon Wireless Remote 14) Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L Series Lens 15) Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L Series Lens 16) Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II Lens 17) Waterproof Memory Card Case 18) Lens Cleaners
Film Cameras
Pentax 67II
This is the camera I used to shoot exclusively when I started out as a photographer. It’s a tank but it takes beautiful photos and you can see what fall-off you will get through the viewfinder. I have the 55mm, 75mm, and 100mm macro with an attachment to shoot very close macro. The 100mm is an amazing portrait lens. Also pictured is a Minolta light meter.
Fuji XT2
Sometimes if I’m on a vacation with a lot of walking like in Japan or Europe it’s nice to bring a good low key camera that doesn’t weigh you down. I sometimes will skip the Canon backup body if the trip is for pleasure and have the Fuji be my “backup.” The files aren’t as big as the Canon 5D but they’re still big enough to print up to 16x20in or so. I love the tactile controls on the Fuji XT2 and its retro look. I also bring along a UV filter, a variable ND filter, and a polarizer.
Olympus TG-5 Waterproof Camera
This is a fun little camera to throw in your bag if you’re headed to a tropical destination. It’s not as good as a professional housing but it’s very low stress and easy to swim with.
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Mamiya 7II
I used to hate this camera but have come around on it. I still prefer the Pentax 67II but I love how lightweight it is. What you trade for that lightness is a rangefinder viewfinder where you have to imagine the framing of the photo and fall-off unlike the Pentax where what you see is what you get. Also, the focusing takes a bit to master as you have to overlap two images to obtain focus. This is the camera I take if I don’t have an assistant, a car, or just want to travel lighter.
Extras
Essential items to keep in your camera pack:
bug repellant, business cards to hand out to people you meet or shoot, ear plugs for the plane, hair tie for numerous uses, a pen, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, lotion, Aquaphor with sunscreen, ginger chews for fighting nausea on bumpy car or boat rides and a small snack. Also not pictured: a S’well water bottle that is amazing at keeping water cold no matter the temperature outside and Bose noise cancelling headphones for the plane.
Contax T2
This is the camera I would take if I wanted to shoot some nightlife because the flash is great or if I was going on a small road trip with hiking since it’s so small.
DJI Mavic 2 Pro Drone with Smart Controller
It took me a while to add a drone to my kit because I always thought they are so annoying and invasive. But they are also incredible and can get angles for photos and videos you used to need a helicopter or crane to achieve. Just be respectful of the people around you and don’t ruin their experience.
This drone has now been upgraded to the Mavic 3 which is probably great too and you can also find this used for a good deal. It has a Hasselblad camera and is relatively user friendly but I recommend getting a lesson in how to use it and watching lots of youtube videos as well as practicing in open areas with no people.