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Destination Weddings Photography - part 6 of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

by Brett Florens Published 01/10/2016

I take back-up hard drives - I use the G-technology hard drives with an all-weather case. This case is really good, especially in bad weather conditions because it’s dust-proof, water-proof, shockproof - all in all, a really good product to have with you.

In terms of lighting, I take two Rotolight LEDs with spare batteries. They take AA batteries, so I make sure that I’ve got enough batteries for that. I also have the Lowel GL1, and my charger that I take with that, and then just a small flashlight that I can use either to illuminate tricky situations or just to look for things in my bag during the reception where there’s not too much light around. For my ambient lighting, I have the Manfrotto tri-grip reflector - it collapses in to a very neat, compact item.

I take a prism with me so that I can 'play with light' in certain shots. I do this by placing the prism in front of the lens to diffract the light and create interesting images. And finally, I pack the Quadra ELB ranger from Elinchrom with the HS Skyport.

In terms of artificial lighting I really enjoy the portability and light quality of the Elinchrom Ranger Quadra lighting system, I have a Lastolite Octa soft-box that fits onto the head and I pack a small handle to hold the head rather than a light stand. The next item of lighting gear is the Lowel GL1 Tungsten-balanced LED light. I love the power and control it offers. Other essentials such as batteries and filters usually stay in my bag; make sure that you have them with you too.

Then I look further down the list and I see that I need my passport and visas and I’ve got those. Then there are my credit cards, travel cards, my Nikon professional services card, which is really important to get service abroad with regard to camera gear. If I had to have a situation where a lens went down or a body went down, Nikon professional services are very good at support and back-up for photographers who are registered with their NPS (Nikon Professional Service) project.

Next is my cell phone, its charger and SIM cards if you are changing countries and you do have a SIM card for that country. If you don’t, they are quite easy to buy at the airport when you arrive. Travel adapter - make sure that if you’re going to a country that has a different electricity socket that you have a travel adapter. Also be aware that some countries have different voltages, which might end up damaging equipment - I had one incident where I was charging a battery for a flash and it literally exploded because I was using the wrong voltage - so be very aware about that! Then I take along my HDMI or a VGA adapter from my laptop; this is going to be used for the same-day slideshow. Headphones and my airplane adapter are also packed - I think it’s really important that if you’re travelling a lot, you have goodquality sound when you’re listening to the movies or the music on the aeroplane and it’s just part of my checklist.

Then I have a Hoodman loupe, it’s called a Hoodloupe and I use that to look at my LCD in very bright conditions; it gives me a very good opportunity to view the image by magnifying it as well as cutting out any stray light, which enables me to look at the back of my LCD without any influence from available light. And talking about available light, that brings me to sunglasses - it’s essential when you’re travelling to countries that have a lot of sun to protect your eyes.

My wallet - it is useful to carry a small amount of the local currency with you if you can get this before at a Bureau de Change. It’s not always possible, but if you can, it may be of use at the airport if their exchange offices are busy, already closed, or nowhere to be found! Also remember, that the Bureau de Change at the airport tends to take the largest percentage commission. You might need a quick coffee or to pay for transport. For bigger purchases, Visa or Mastercard credit cards are accepted practically anywhere.

Protein bars - it’s important to have some sort of sustenance on the day of the wedding, so I take protein bars in my camera bag, which allow me to relax about sudden pangs of hunger! Also if you are travelling into a foreign country, perhaps the local food might not agree with your stomach, and on the day of the wedding you really need to be focused on the wedding, rather than any potential problems you might have from eating the wrong food.

Finally, I pack my MacBook Air with its charger. What am I packing them in you may ask? I have two favourites at the moment. The first is the Lowepro Protactic 40 AW backpack camera bag. I opt for this camera bag when shooting on the beach, or needing to do a bit of climbing, as it is really easily portable. My next option is the Lowepro roller; it’s the Pro Roller X200AW and it’s the biggest camera bag that is still within the regulations of the airlines for carry-on baggage. The reason I would take a roller camera bag instead of a backpack, would be if I will be predominantly in hotels and the airport and easily accessible venues; having the roller will be a lot more comfortable than carrying a backpack around with me.

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1st Published 01/10/2016
last update 09/12/2022 14:53:29

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Destination Weddings Photography - part 6 of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12