Being a professional photographer means that you do photography as your bread and butter. Making a living from photography on photography means that you are relying on your cameras, batteries, storage devices, lighting, and other gadgets to perform well while they are in use. Your dependence on these gadgets takes a higher toll when you do travel photography. This is because you are most likely to be outdoors, in the wilderness, in harsh conditions, and away from dependable power sources.
With this, a careful purchase of various photography equipment is a need. There are unlimited choices for the gadgets your craft will require, but don’t worry, here are 8 essential travel gear for the professional travel photographer.
A wide variety of cameras are available, but we recommend these cameras, as tested by various photographers. Go with a variety of cameras. Take a point and shoot camera, an action camera, and a DSLR. For point and shoot cameras, here are some you can choose from.
For capturing action photos and videos at the moment, GoPros are the way to go. These small and lightweight cameras can capture high-quality photos and videos while being mounted almost anywhere, using mounting kits for this device.
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With your camera, accessories are also available, which have variable uses to assist your outdoor photography.
This traditional camera accessory gives the ease to carry your camera around. You’ll also have easy access once you take the shot. This is also equipped with a rubber-molded pad to grip the shoulder, helping the strap to be steady as you walk around.
UV filters work similar to sunglasses, filtering out harsh sunlight which can damage camera lenses. Moreover, this filter also guards against dust, oil, and moisture.
Neutral Density (ND) filters are used to avoid overexposing shots despite harsh lighting, especially during daylight. This works like polarized shades for your lenses. Make sure you find an ND filter that can be adjusted for ten stops, instead of carrying multiple ND filters.
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Polarizing Filters, or CPL Filters, are also a beneficial accessory for your daylight shooting. CPL filters eliminate sun flares and provide more color and contrast to your photos.
Camera hoods, such as this one, are made of waterproof material and constructed with taped seams for additional waterproofing. This is placed like a raincoat for your camera lens that will keep you worry- free when shooting during the bad weather.
If you do not want to bring a laptop to travel with you and would like easy access and backup to your photos, the Gnarbox, is a must for you. This device is a Solid State Drive (SSD) ideal for photo and video backup. It stores photos and videos directly from various devices, as it houses multiple ports namely USB 3, USB 2, micro SD and full-size SD card.
With a smartphone, files in the Gnarbox can be seen through apps made for the device. Moreover, the capture can also be viewed on larger devices such as monitors with the use of a connector.
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Shooting photos in RAW format consume more space than the typical JPEG format. With this, we recommend purchasing SD cards with sizes from 32 GB up to 128 GB. If you take only photos and occasional videos, a 32 GB or 64 GB is a practical option. For videos in 4K quality, a 128 GB is more workable storage for the camera.
Also, having multiple SD cards can be more reliable and secure than using a single SD card for all your photos. Having them also helps organize your shoots if they are separated in different SD cards.
If you are not into the Gnarbox and have a laptop with you, or you just want additional back-up storage, a Solid State Drive (SSD) will do the job. This is more recommended than an external Hard Disk Drive (HDD) as the latter may be prone to failure as it has moving internal parts that may malfunction when you travel.
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Of course, your power source should never be missed out. Your camera brand may offer batteries compatible with your gear, but for more heavy-duty usage, V-mount batteries and Gold-mount batteries can be a better substitute.
V-mount batteries and gold mount batteries are packed with high capacity power that typically ranges from 95 Wh to 300 Wh. These batteries may be heavier and larger, but these last much longer than standard batteries, from shooting photos or capturing videos. Also, with the right adapters and cables, V-mount and gold mount batteries can charge and power up multiple devices simultaneously.
To go with your batteries, chargers are essentials for powering your batteries back up after usage. These are accessories and chargers used for V-mount and gold mount batteries, along with adapters and charging plates.
Tripods were known to be bulky and space-consuming, but new tripods are developed and made to be light but sturdy. Some tripods optimized for travel are the Benro 5-Section Carbon Fiber Slim Travel Tripod and the ProMaster XC525 Tripod. Also, these Joby Gorilla Pods are also a popular option as they can be the all-around mounting tool and stabilizer for your cameras.
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Portable lighting accessories may be considered a new development in the photography world. Old lighting instruments used to be heavy and bulky. With new flexible LED light panels, lighting tools are already lightweight and travel-friendly. These LED lights can fit your travel bags for their flexibility and light build.
These are the new updates and developments in photography devices. With these gadgets at your reach, you can now travel conveniently with light and optimized devices, while boosting your productivity. With fewer struggles when you travel with your gear, you can now immerse yourself more into the moments and scenes you capture.