Being a solo wanderer has its own perks. For starters, you’ve nobody to answer to, except your prospective clients. This is a major liberation that many photographers yearn for. Solo traveling for a photographer can be a perplexing ordeal if you don’t know what to choose and what to discard. Travelling solo also adds a layer of added responsibility for your gear, as you are the sole entity responsible for it.
We are here to make your job easier so that you focus more on your profession, rather than worry about details, every time you choose to step out of your comfort zone. Here are some pointers for managing the traveling gear when traveling solo.
Grab a Tripod
Traveling solo comes with its own set of challenges. But that doesn’t mean you don’t pack the essentials. A tripod stand is a must-have for any outing that can turn into work/leisure activity.
The stand must be invulnerable to shocks and more importantly, fit the camera you choose for the outing.
Invest in a foldable tripod that is not of extreme lengths. It should be maneuverable and lighter to carry around with ease. A tripod enhances the quality of your shots by adding the much-needed support to otherwise shaky hands. It can also bolster your prospects of capturing beautiful time-lapses of a bustling place, that gets deserted with the nearing sunset.
A tripod stand can also enhance your vlogging prospects, especially when you are visiting newer locations. It is the easier way around to carry an otherwise hefty camera, although vlogging with heavy cameras requires some experience. It also will add to the video stabilization while moving and shooting constantly.
One such honorable mention is the Joby Gorilla tripod that seems to offer the best of both worlds without requiring much effort. It features an individually twistable, bead-structured body that actually bends according to your will and is a great photography/vlogging tool.
Camera
The interests of the photographers are dangling between choosing a full-fledged DSLR and a mirrorless camera. DSLR beats the mirrorless camera in quality aspect but adds a certain amount of heft that can be felt, especially when you’re traveling solo. The DSLR’s have good autofocus that can close-in, on your focus object with ease. Mirrorless cameras lack this feature and have tried to compensate for it with fully mechanized hybrid autofocus that can track your subject efficiently.
Mirrorless cameras are closing in on the DSLR with AI-enhanced attributes that render good raw files and pack fast shutter speed. Due to this, they are becoming increasingly popular among travel photographers that can easily maneuver the camera in versatile environments without complaining about wrist-cramps. Mirrorless cameras are equally good for vlogging too and can be a huge plus for videography/Youtube evangelists.
A lightweight laptop
Photographers don’t just need a laptop, they need a powerful yet light machine that tends to supplement their needs without surmounting the weight. Laptops nowadays are getting slimmer yet powerful with each newer iteration. The laptop tends to serve numerous purposes for photographers, the primary objective being an extra storage device.
The laptops can copy the content of a full SD card and clear out space for the next shooting session. They are useful to edit the raw image content on the move on Adobe and other competent Softwares with ease. The battery life is getting impressive with newer gen models that can last longer while not lacking in power.
Remote camera shutter
Using a camera while embarking on a solo journey can be difficult at times. You have to do most of the work solo and carry-on without relying on external help. A remote shutter can be extremely useful in situations where you want to include yourself as a subject in the capture. It can be useful in scenarios where your hands are full with the props and cannot directly access the camera with all that in your hand.
A remote shutter, as the name suggests can be operated via remote and is Bluetooth controlled in most cases. It can prevent the guilt of asking every passerby to click the camera shutter and interfere with your shots.
A robust backpack
Don’t cram your camera gear into any sack with a chain embedded in it. Try to invest in a strong backpack that is made for the camera itself. A plethora of choices are just a google search away and that can perfectly house your traveling essentials without any difficulty. The bag should have separate compartments built-into it and should be heavily padded from all the sides. It should not have a thin lining that is not admissible as padding.
It is imperative that the bag is waterproof to combat the dicey weather conditions that change with the terrain. The latest iterations come with anti-theft properties that can protect your camera gear from nefarious eyes looking for a quick snatch.
Extra necessities
While traveling its easy to run out of many tiny components that make up your camera. The two most important ones being extra batteries and SD cards that are made for your cameras.
It is more important to pack a charging dock for your batteries that can refuel while you stop for rest. The mirrorless cameras are light on the power and can last for less overall shutters.
Packing the extra SD cards can enable you to capture more of a location without worrying about first flooding, and then deleting the shots after a few sessions. Using extra SD cards can also act as an extended backup option for photographers. Add an external hard drive to your collection to bolster your backup prospects and increased access to your precious libraries.
Conclusion
We’ve tried our level best to incorporate most of the camera items that are quintessential to a photographer while traveling solo. You can add a Go-pro to your gear for promising vlogging sessions. It is also water and splash-proof with appropriate casings for the earlier models. This will heighten your experience while recording solo.
