So, you are leaving for a year and you need to work out how much gear to take with you. More importantly, what type of gear to take with you. When I started planning for this I just thought, well surely I can only take one camera and maybe two lenses. Then I thought that this would not allow me to get every shot I wanted to. I opted for more the “I’ll just take what I think I’ll need” option.
Today we left for the airport and I have so much gear I’m struggling to even carry my hand luggage. However, the other two bags I have, well they were shipped off to the ‘Outsized Luggage’ belt. Fail!
The Gear Options
But if you are travelling for a year, you need to make sure you have the equipment to take the images, and being we are doing so much in different locations, the gear requirements change drastically. If you are a wedding photographer, you need maybe a telephoto, prime, spare body, a few flashes and you’re done, for one day. When you do wildlife photography, you need a telephoto and possibly a macro, usually planned for just a few days. If you do landscape photography, you will need a wide angle, filters, telephoto and tripod. When you do Street and Portrait photography, you need a standard zoom, a prime, a telephoto and off camera flashes. I am doing all of these and video over a one year period. Boom, I need a truck please.
After having a near aneurism going through security just trying to carry my hand luggage (photographers never trust the hold with their gear), I think I might just ship all this home, the alternative would be to buy bag number 4. Oh, I forgot, I also have a drone!
So, there it is, no matter how much you plan, prepare and consider the options, you end up taking more than you need and stress over how the hell you are going to get this ‘stuff’ from the UK, through Africa, Asia, Australasia and South America without at least once thinking “bollocks, I just want to go home”, I lasted 2 hours before I said that, but onwards and upwards, off to Johannesburg we go!
I’ll do a “What’s in my bag?” post sometime, probably when I get the feeling back in my legs and stop sweating profusely! In the meantime head over to the gallery or follow us on Instagram.
Until next time…Ciao!
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