A Complete Guide to Travel Photography Gear

A Complete Guide to Travel Photography Gear

We are often asked about the equipment we take with us on our trips. In response, we have written a detailed and complete guide to travel photography gear

I have dabbled in film or photography throughout my career: first as a cameraman, video editor and AV engineer, later as a digital media teacher and now as a travel writer.

I have published photographs in a number of magazines, newspapers, books and websites including BBC Travel, Lonely Planet, The Telegraph and The Independent, among others. I even once provided photography for a recipe book.

I've also been selling stock images on Shutterstock and iStock by Getty Images for several years, and my photography features prominently on our travel blog and social channels, particularly Instagram.

I continue to learn and improve my work and expect to do so indefinitely. I learned the most by watching and reading about how other photographers work - professional or amateur. The more I learned, the more I refined my equipment.

Atlas & BootsOne of my favorite shots from Antarctica

As with many things, it often comes down to personal preference; what works for one person may not work for the next, but it always helps to see what your peers are using. That's why I've put together a complete travel photography gear guide to share the details of how I use it.

Travel photography equipment guide

There's still a lot of gear I'd like to add, but photography is an expensive proposition, so I'm using what I can afford and looking forward to the day when my budget is enough to accommodate my next toy!

Camera body

Fujifilm X-T30

I recently made the jump from my long-time association with Nikon SLRs to a much lighter Fujifilm mirrorless camera. Known as the “little giant,” the X-T30 is ridiculously light and compact while remaining well-built and sturdy. It has a 26-megapixel sensor, a tilting touchscreen LCD, an excellent electronic viewfinder (EVF) and direct controls that simplify operation.

FujifilmThe Fujifilm X-T30 and the kit lens

If you're spending that kind of money, there isn't too much of a difference in quality between the main brands. What matters is what feels right for you. You want to be able to adjust your camera, access presets, and swap lenses without thinking too much about it and driving it home. I find the Fujifilm surface to be particularly fluid, but everyone is different.

Fujifilm X-T4

Sometimes I rent an additional camera body for specific trips like safaris or wildlife viewing like our recent trip to Antarctica where I rented a Fujifilm X-T4. Simply put, the Fujifilm X-T4 is the most enjoyable camera I've ever used and it took the best wildlife shots I've ever taken.

Natallia Boroda/ShutterstockThe Fujifilm X-T4

Unlike the X-T30, it has dedicated single-purpose dials to control shutter speed, ISO, exposure compensation, and advance and still/movie modes. The 26 megapixel sensor produces excellent image quality and the 4K video benefits from integrated image stabilization. We were particularly excited about the penguin shots we took with the X-T4.

Lenses

I have used the following three lenses and I never miss it.

Fujinon XC15-45mm

This is Fujifilm's smallest and lightest interchangeable zoom lens in the X-series. The kit lens is incredibly light and compact and has a maximum aperture of F2.8. It works great in low light and is incredibly versatile. It covers all commonly used focal lengths from 23mm to 69mm (35mm format equivalent) and has the ability to capture close-ups just 5cm from the lens tip.

Atlas & Boots

Peter on location in Antarctica with the X-T4 and telephoto lens

Fujinon XC50-230mm

Fujifilm's mid-range dynamic zoom lens is an extremely versatile piece of kit that covers most situations, from fairly wide landscape shots to long-distance wildlife shots. The lens is light, fast and delivers consistent performance.

Fujinon XF 100-400mm telephoto lens

I rent this high performance super telephoto zoom lens for our wildlife viewing tours. The 5.0-stop image stabilization system is exceptional when used for handheld shooting (which is great because I'm notoriously lazy when it comes to tripods) and the lightning-fast motor autofocus is fast and reliable, which is ideal for capturing fast-moving subjects. Finally, it is water and dust resistant and can function in temperatures as low as -10°C, making it practical for outdoor and adventure photography.

Atlas & BootsWith two cameras in Antarctica

filter

It didn't take long for me to discover that a landscape photographer's primary need for a glass polarizing filter is to reduce reflections from water and glass and make blue skies darker and clouds more defined.

I also have a Tiffen neutral density (ND) filter kit. ND filters are essentially gray-tinted filters that absorb light as it passes through the lens, allowing you to shoot at wider apertures in brighter conditions.

Action camera

GoPro Hero7 GoPro is the industry standard when it comes to action cameras and it's easy to see why. They are sturdy, reliable and come with a wealth of accessories and mounts. Video stabilization is excellent and voice commands are particularly useful. We've used our GoPros in a range of locations, from icy conditions in the polar regions to diving and snorkeling trips on the Great Barrier Reef and the Galápagos Islands. It never lets us down.

Taken on our GoPro Hero7

tripod

The Slik Sprint Pro III has spent years trying to find the compromise between a sufficiently large and sturdy collapsible tripod that is simultaneously light and small enough to fit in backpacks and be carried around the world. Kia bought me the Slik Sprint Pro for my birthday in 2015 and I've loved it a little more since then!

I also have something similar to this flexible Gorillapod for our GoPro.

Bag

F-Stop Kenti I've used other backpack-style camera bags in the past, but either couldn't fit everything or found it difficult to access my gear as quickly as needed. I love the F-Stop's laptop compartment as it keeps it safe and secure while keeping the entire backpack focused on the adventure photographer with all-important shoulder access. There is also a waterproof case.

SD + microSD cards

Transcend 512GB SD / 128GB microSDI used to be rather nonchalant about SD cards. For years, I always bought the cheapest memory cards with the largest capacity available and backed them up manually. As the years went by and I started photographing thousands (and tens of thousands) with multiple cameras, I needed a more thorough and reliable system.

TranscendI use Transcend SD and microSD cards

I've now invested in some high quality, high capacity Transcend SD cards to ensure I never lose a photo again. Transcend's SD and Micro SD cards are tested to withstand extreme conditions. They are temperature resistant, waterproof, shockproof, X-ray proof and static resistant - ideal for an outdoor travel blogger.

In addition to durability, the memory cards with up to 512GB storage capacity allow you to record thousands of RAW photos and hours of HD videos. With these updated maps, I don't need to delete photos from the map until I get home.

Storage + backup

Transcend Storejet 4TBI I'm a clumsy guy (Kia called me "Bumble") with a knack for destroying expensive electronic devices, so a portable external hard drive that features a "three-stage shock protection system that meets U.S. military drop-test standards" will also be Peter-proof! In addition, the hard drive is small, compact, lightweight and has a built-in power saving function - ideal for outdoor and adventure travel.

TranscendOn the go, I use a lightweight but durable 4TB Transcend StoreJet

Stock photography

We also use a number of stock photographs on our website. Shutterstock has over 247 million royalty-free images and offers monthly packages to suit every budget. We use Shutterstock to sell Peter's stock photography and to source other images we may need for the blog. The Shutterstock Editor is particularly useful for creating custom web banners and tailored social media posts.

Hardware and software

MacBook Pro 13-inch LaptopI'm a Mac man - always have been and always will be.

Adobe LightroomThis is an excellent image cataloging software that comes with numerous powerful effects and editing tools. I use it religiously.

Adobe PhotoshopStill the industry standard for advanced image editing. I pay for the Adobe Photography plan, which includes Lightroom, Lightroom Classic, Photoshop, and 20GB of cloud storage.

Apple PhotosAn easy-to-use, everyday image library that works well with your other Apple devices. Improved editing tools have made it more versatile, but it's still far behind Lightroom.

Mission statement: Dreamstime

      .