What I carry in my camera bag often depends on where I am going. That means when I go for a long walk or a genuine hike, I have to prepare. It usually also means that what I carry is a little heavier on a hike.
If i am taking a short walk, I don’t carry not much: a spare battery for sure but that is about it, unless the mosquitoes are really bad, But when I am facing a planned hike in the woods or a trip kayaking into the unknown, I make sure to carry a small arsenal. I totally believe in the boy scout motto to Be Prepared, even though I never got past cub scouts. My dad, a mechanic, taught me how to be prepared for anything.
I usually have a waist pack or sometimes a small back pack depending on how far I am walking and what size lens I am hauling. The waist pack is a Porta-Brace, usually packed with two Fuji X-Pro2s, one with a 16mm F1.4 and the other a 90mm F2, But aside from the camera, I make sure I have:
Batteries
Extra memory cards ( always more than I need, strapped to the bag)
Lens cleaner with paper
Polarizer (if not on the lens)
Handy wipes (a couple of individual packs)
Band aids
A plastic bag to cover my gear in case of rain
A multi-tool (Don’t forget to take it out if you are going through security at an airport)
A jeweler’s screw driver (for them tiny screw on cameras and lens)
A small wrench/socket (my monopod locks are worn out and slip like crazy)
A remote shutter release
Bird identification information
Paper and a pen
Foam ear plugs ( a habit from the newspaper days)
Business cards
A bottle of water and can of bug spray, in my pocket.
Finally, a cell phone with a map app.
This list will vary.
Getting to remote locations to shoot images like these takes time and if you need just a small screw driver to repair something, it could mean not getting the photograph, or a long walk back to the car. Sometimes I forget something. But this is a good start to be prepared just in case it is a long walk back to the car. What do you carry? Am I forgetting anything? Let me know in the comments section below.
