What to bring, what to bring? It’s the big question before most trips, and especially ones that are a little more photography driven. My suitcase is pretty much set – shirts and pants, a dress or two, boots and socks and underwear. My toothbrush will wait till the morning. But it’s my backpack that has me stalled. Sure, I’ll bring my phone, my chargers, a magazine or two, a book, snacks, the usual, but which pieces of gear do I bring? The eternal question.
My real hope to go a little lighter this time. At the moment, I really only shoot with my DSLR, so narrowing down bodies is the easy part. The D600 will come with me. The biggest, heaviest lenses are staying home. They’re great and all, but they live at the extremes of my usage – only when I really need to pull very wide and when I really need to get in tight from a distance. I shouldn’t need them for this trip, and if I’m finding myself missing them, I’m just going to have to improvise which is also part of the challenge. The tripod will stay home too, along with the flashes. At first I was just going to limit it to my 35mm and my 85mm. The 35 is my new love – it’s on my camera so much of the time any more that I can’t imagine not having it with me. The 85 will be great for getting in a bit closer in the crowded shooting situations at this conference.
But the more I look back at my images, the more I find that were shot with a little lens that has been sitting in my bag more lately than it has been on my camera body. I just can’t quite make myself leave my trusty old 50mm at home. Some of my favorite images, personal ones, client ones, and images from workshops have used that lens, and it’s little, really. It’s coming because I just can’t leave it at home.
Oh, and the Instax and my pre-ordered stash of film are totally coming with me 🙂 What do you pack for your trips? Are there lenses, film stocks, filters or other types of gear that have to come with you on your trips? What kind of adventures could you just not face without your trusty ______? I’d love to hear about your best packing lists!
All the best,
Alison
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As you learned, I’m the worst packer!
But the 50mm is almost never left behind, and the instax (because light and FUN). But then, I get tangled up in what other lens and do I want to lug a film camera? Tricky!
The Instax is a staple now for sure. I should have used it more when I was out there. I’ll just have to come back 😀
Oh how I hear you! Hope you have a fab trip.
It was very excellent 🙂 Thanks!
The 50mm never comes off my D700 at this point. The 24-70mm lives on my D810. It’s like those lenses have found their forever homes lol. I’m really interested in the 35mm lens, digitally. I have a 28mm on my Canon AV-1 and freaking love it so much it’s so so awesome. I love a wider viewpoint sometimes so much! For traveling, I love the 50mm. It’s so light, which is good on my low back! I hope you had fun on your trip. 🙂
It was a great trip – a needed little escape 🙂 With most of the shooting being about 25 folks trying to shoot a single subject, I was with my 85 for much of the time, it turns out. Glad I brought it, but it’s not one that I end up using for much daily shooting. I do love it an awful lot though 😀