Heading off for the summer? Make sure you’re as prepped as can be to take some fantastic photos of your travels and pack these five must-haves for seeing the sights and soaking up the atmosphere.
1. A tripod
A tripod is the perfect tool for taking really fantastic shots, panoramas and time lapses, but it’s another piece of kit that you’ll have to lug around with you. The size really does depend on the type of trip you’ve got planned – if you’re hopping from city to city, a more compact tripod you can easily slip into your backpack would be ideal, but if you’re out in the sticks or up in the hills, a larger size would really help you capture those breath-taking scenes with more impact. Tripods come in all shapes and sizes, so shop around and find one that’ll fit your trip.
2. Memory cards
That last thing you want when you’re out snapping is to have the dreaded “Memory Card Full” notification pop up on your camera, so make sure you take a back up or two depending on how many shots you think you’re likely to take. Micro SD cards are great value for money, and so tiny that you could take a whole bunch and not notice the difference in weight.
3. A power bank or portable charger
Ok, so maybe the last thing you want to happen is your camera’s battery dying in the middle of a trip. For this, a power bank is essential. You’ll want to go for one with at least 10,000mAh so you can get several charges a day – something you’ll definitely be thankful for when you find that money shot 7 hours after heading out!
4. A notebook and pen
A photo goes a long way to capturing a scene or a moment, but there’s often a lot more going on that can’t be seen. Taking a notebook for your trip and keeping a travel journal – or at least a photo journal – where you jot down the sounds, the smells, the names of the people or the location, can really help you flesh out the story of the shot when it comes to creating a book when you’re back home.
5. The camera
Now, obviously you’ll be taking a camera – but the real question is, which camera? If you’re trekking about a lot, a heavy camera is only going to slow you down and might become more of a burden. But if you’re after some really impressive shots – the bigger the better. You could of course take both, switching them out depending on your plans for the day. And, as always, if you’ve got a great smartphone camera, that’ll be more than fine for your day to day photography needs.
So, when you’re writing that all important packing list, make sure to include these essentials to be totally photo-prepped this summer. And remember, wherever your adventures take you, be sure to download the bonusprint app on iOS and Android and turn those amazing snaps into fantastic photo products before you even get home.
We’d love to see how your summer photos turn out, so share them with us on Facebook and Instagram by tagging us in posts and stories and by using #shareyoursummer.