While
it is only rare that I am accompanied by any friends on a serious photography
trip (well, I cannot and would not like to try their patience…) but on
many occasions they have a look at my backpack/bag and are really curious
to know what might possibly be in there.
Here is
a sneak peek into my bag for outdoor photography.
I would skip my DSLR and the
Lenses from the list, simply because these two things are so very obvious to be
there in the bag when you go for a dedicated photography trip.
THE TRIPOD!
I
try and make it a point to use it at least for landscape photography. Also, it is
great when you want to shoot outdoor self-portraits!
MANUALS
OF THE CAMERAS!
It's
good to refer to your camera manuals every now and then, and the best time to
do this, is while you are on your way to your photography destination.
It helps
two ways, it prevents you from getting in that rut of a certain style of photography
(Of course! The more you explore your camera, the more you experiment!), and
secondly, in case your camera mal-functions or gets damaged all of a
sudden, you know exactly what is to be done.
MINI-LAPTOP!
You
never know when you stumble upon that treasure of frames, and run out of memory
in your camera. A Netbook/Mini laptop doubles up as back-up storage
while providing for an instant review of the images on location as well!
USB CABLE OF THE
CAMERA!
Obvious
when you carry that laptop!
THE COMPACT CAMERA!
There are certain situations when you don't want to put your costly DSLR at
risk, or simply it is too bulky to handle for the given situation, you can
always take out your compact camera and make sure you don't miss a good frame
entirely.
A NON-PHOTOGRAPHY
BOOK, OR TWO!
This
applies more when your trip is made of days and not hours... It is always a good
idea to read something not related to photography, not only it refreshes you;
it may provide some unique inspirations too!
THE BUSINESS CARD!
There are circumstances when you are photographing at certain places, and you are breaking some laws (of-course not the serious ones :) knowingly or
unknowingly...at these times, you can always hand over your business card and
make your situation more convincing.
A SMALL NOTEPAD &
A PEN!
I
have a habit of jotting down things- about the location, the
lighting conditions, the mistakes I may have made during capturing some
shots and so on...Sometimes, I draw tentative sketches of some noteworthy compositions too...
PLASTIC BAGS!
In
case of sudden downpour, nothing can be more handy and portable for saving the
camera. Also, in windy situations, you can change the lens by putting the
camera inside the plastic bag!
A CLEAN NAPKIN!
Be
it water or dust, it is always better to keep the enemies of your gear at bay!
BATTERY CHARGER!
Last
but certainly not the least…particularly when you want to shoot for long hours
or stay overnight at some place!
Images & Article © 2012 Gyaneshwari Dave
