Site search
sponsored by
News
One of my favorite things about being a photographer is the opportunity I have to travel. Aside from traveling here in the United States, my camera has taken me on a recent trip to China, Tibet and Nepal. Traveling to remote locations like Tibet definitely has special considerations such as how I carry my equipment, how to keep batteries charged and how to store weeks worth of images.
Whether you are traveling with a single point-and-shoot or several SLR bodies and a quiver of lenses, the main consideration is how you are going to carry it. There are basically two choices a photographer has. You can either choose a dedicated camera bag or a regular backpack. For domestic and outdoor trips, I definitely prefer my Mountainsmith photo backpack because of its ability to organize my gear so that it is easy to find. However when I travel abroad, there are two reasons I prefer to use a regular “hiking” style of backpack. First, I carry a lot of other stuff such as food, extra clothes and souvenirs that just won't fit in my camera bag. I then use lens and camera wraps from Domke to protect my equipment while inside the bag. Also, I like that my REI backpack doesn't look like a camera bag.
With today's power-hungry cameras, keeping batteries charged can be a problem anywhere, but it is especially problematic in developing countries where the power might only be on for a few hours a day. I start by bringing a lot more batteries than what I think I will use. I also always bring two chargers and power adapters with me. For one thing, imaging what would happen if my charger stopped working on day two of a six-week trip to Asia. Having multiple chargers and adapters not only provides a backup, but if the power is only on for a few hours, it allows me to charge two batteries at once. Another option is to use a solar charger from a company such as Brunton.
As the resolution of cameras keeps increasing, so does the file size and the need for larger and larger memory cards. Many photographers will carry a laptop with them while traveling to store their images on. This is a great option for shorter trips, but for longer trips, the laptop is just one more heavy piece of gear to have to carry. Another option is to bring a portable hard drive with you and connect your camera to a computer at an internet café and back up images to the hard drive. I have found a device from Hyperdrive to be very useful. The Hyperdrive Colorspace combines a portable hard drive with a memory card reader. All I have to do is plug my card into the device and wait for it to download. Keep in mind that any time you have a device with an hard drive such as a laptop, Hyperdrive, or even an iPod, they can be damaged by subjecting them to impact, and they tend to have problems at high elevations. If you are really worried, bring two storage solutions and make sure you have two copies of all of your images.
For a more photography how-to tips, visit www.timothyfaust.com. Timothy Faust is an award-winning photojournalist and fine art photographer living in Breckenridge. His work can be seen at Altitude Gallery at 107 N. Main St. in Breckenridge. Questions can be sent to questions@timothyfaust.com.
Whether you are traveling with a single point-and-shoot or several SLR bodies and a quiver of lenses, the main consideration is how you are going to carry it. There are basically two choices a photographer has. You can either choose a dedicated camera bag or a regular backpack. For domestic and outdoor trips, I definitely prefer my Mountainsmith photo backpack because of its ability to organize my gear so that it is easy to find. However when I travel abroad, there are two reasons I prefer to use a regular “hiking” style of backpack. First, I carry a lot of other stuff such as food, extra clothes and souvenirs that just won't fit in my camera bag. I then use lens and camera wraps from Domke to protect my equipment while inside the bag. Also, I like that my REI backpack doesn't look like a camera bag.
With today's power-hungry cameras, keeping batteries charged can be a problem anywhere, but it is especially problematic in developing countries where the power might only be on for a few hours a day. I start by bringing a lot more batteries than what I think I will use. I also always bring two chargers and power adapters with me. For one thing, imaging what would happen if my charger stopped working on day two of a six-week trip to Asia. Having multiple chargers and adapters not only provides a backup, but if the power is only on for a few hours, it allows me to charge two batteries at once. Another option is to use a solar charger from a company such as Brunton.
As the resolution of cameras keeps increasing, so does the file size and the need for larger and larger memory cards. Many photographers will carry a laptop with them while traveling to store their images on. This is a great option for shorter trips, but for longer trips, the laptop is just one more heavy piece of gear to have to carry. Another option is to bring a portable hard drive with you and connect your camera to a computer at an internet café and back up images to the hard drive. I have found a device from Hyperdrive to be very useful. The Hyperdrive Colorspace combines a portable hard drive with a memory card reader. All I have to do is plug my card into the device and wait for it to download. Keep in mind that any time you have a device with an hard drive such as a laptop, Hyperdrive, or even an iPod, they can be damaged by subjecting them to impact, and they tend to have problems at high elevations. If you are really worried, bring two storage solutions and make sure you have two copies of all of your images.
For a more photography how-to tips, visit www.timothyfaust.com. Timothy Faust is an award-winning photojournalist and fine art photographer living in Breckenridge. His work can be seen at Altitude Gallery at 107 N. Main St. in Breckenridge. Questions can be sent to questions@timothyfaust.com.
