How to travel light(er) – Photofocus

We have all said the phrase, “This time I am going to travel light.” It takes discipline and effort to make it happen.

Have a plan to keep it light

When planning a trip, determining what is necessary vs just in case can be a difficult decision. One of the main factors to consider is what kind of photography (landscapes, buildings, macro) will you be doing. Is this trip a vacation or a photography trip?

Recently, I returned from a six-week trip to Italy. I wanted to enjoy the experience and not be weighed down, but on the other hand, I wanted to come home with amazing photographs. I decided I needed to travel light and take less gear. Let’s take a look at what I packed, and what was used and not used.

Travel light with a smaller bag

I know a lot of photographers who have a collection of camera bags for different photography scenarios. For example, I have a bag for just my Lensbabys and macro photography. My Peak Design Everyday Backpack (30L) is great for big trips. For this trip, however, I did not want to carry that large of a bag. I purchased the Tenba Fulton v2 14L Backpack.

The smaller size forced me to keep my gear in check. The camera compartment rests against your back, making it more difficult to be tampered with when you are in a crowd. It has a compartment for a 13″ laptop or tablet. I was not sure about the roll top but it did work out well for me. I was able to tighten it down once I had items packed. As an aside, the side compartment will fit a full-size tube of Pringles Crisps!

What is in the bag?

Let’s look at what is in the bag:

Camera bodies

When looking at what all was in my bag, did I really pack light? I took two bodies and just used one the whole time. In the last couple of years, I have been on trips with friends who have had cameras go tumbling out of cars onto the pavement. I did not want to be without a backup. I had considered taking my infrared camera but opted for a backup instead. The second body took up little space but added some weight to my gear. I felt better knowing I had the extra body available if I needed it.

Lenses

I took a total of 7,193 photographs during my six-week trip. My primary lens was the M. Zuiko 12-100mm f/4.0 Pro. It is a great walk-around lens and the range is perfect for most situations. In my opinion, everyone should own a lens like this. The full frame range is 24-200mm and has great close-up capabilities, as well as wide and telephoto. The 12-100mm is one of my “go-to ” lenses. This is a perfect choice to travel light.

What about the M. Zuiko 7-14mm f/2.8 Pro? I used it for only 163 photos. Would I pack it again? Absolutely! There were times I chose not to change my lens because of it being windy, dusty, or just too crowded to make the switch safely. Most of the time it stayed behind in the apartment as the 12-100mm was adequate for my scenes. As an aside, there were times I wished I had my M. Zuiko 40-150mm f/2.8 and 1.4 Teleconverter, but I do not think it would have been used much because of the range overlap.

What about the Lensbabys? I did not use them at all. Again, finding situations to use them and being able to change them safely was a big factor. They weigh very little, and they are small in size so they do not take up much space. Having them available is not an issue.

Tripod

I did not use my tripod. On a couple of occasions, other photographers lent me one of theirs. I dislike packing a tripod. While I understand the need, I rarely use one when I travel long distances and I prefer not to have the extra weight. I did not use my PlayPod Ultra. The PlatyPod will stay in my bag as it is small and easy to pack and does not take up much space.

Computer and accessories

My laptop is a necessity when I travel. Why so many hard drives? Since this was a big trip and there were not a lot of “do-over” opportunities, I backed up my RAW files three times. I did not want to take a chance on a hard drive failing or being damaged in transit.

Once I am confident everything has been imported and is secure, I will delete the files and continue to use the hard drives when I travel. The hard drives are SSD’s and are lighter and easier to pack than some of the other external hard drives.

Chargers and cables

I like having the mophie charging station. I can charge my watch, AirPods, and phone all at once. Why have the extra cables? I have found myself in situations where my chargers failed and having a backup helps. In Europe, the train stations and trains all have USB charging. If you have been out all day and need the phone on your return trip, it is handy to give it a charge. I did have one situation when my phone did not charge overnight and I had to use my battery pack to charge it up.

Did I really pack light(er)?

My nickname is “Gadget Girl.” Considering all of the gear and gadgets I own and the various scenarios I can pack for, I believe I packed as light as I could. When I began photographing what was in my bag, I was surprised at what all it held. I am not sure if “light” is the correct word to describe my process, but it was certainly compact and efficient! Try packing light for your next trip.