PROBLEM: Traveling with cameras, lenses, lights, computers and all the rest of the gear that us photographers use these days can be a serious challenge. After all, this stuff is spendy and breakable, yet it needs to travel to the same places that photographers do to make great pictures. From urban jungles like the Big Apple to the real jungles of Zimbabwe, traveling with photography equipment requires some special know-how.
SOLUTION: With a bit of savvy, some organization, and some of the right packs, bags, boxes, and cases for the job, your gear can travel safely and efficiently almost anywhere in the world. I figured I’d whip together a couple videos that might shed some light on this murky subject. Whether you’re packing around a dSLR and a couple of lenses OR a ton of cameras, lighting kits, and all the trimmings to shoot a large ad campaign, there are tips in here for every level of shooter. Thus, the following two videos illustrate how we go about schlepping our stuff via plane, train, automobile, foot, -hell- even donkey, on assignment all over the world.
http://www.viddler.com/player/5b02ecbf/
This first video, above, Chase Jarvis TECH: Packing Photography Gear (Advanced) runs at 30 minutes and focuses on the big picture. It details packing and traveling domestically and internationally with dSLR kits, medium-format digital rigs, video cameras, lighting and accessories, tripods and stands, computer equipment, radios, and various other production equipment. Insider tips, resources about airlines, shippers, expediters, strategy, theory and lots of other information is abound.
The second vid, Chase Jarvis TECH: Packing Photography Gear (Basic) runs at 10 minutes and is a trimmed version of Advanced. It highlights packing and traveling with a dSLR kit, light-duty flash photography accessories, and essential computer equipment. It also touches on air travel rules and regs, keeping a low profile, and working in extreme weather or location conditions:
Finally, keep in mind that no video or even some kooky week-long seminar could address ALL the ins and outs of packing and traveling with photo gear. These vids are meant to highlight what works for us. There’s a million other details we couldn’t include, but the magic is this: No doubt you have other ideas and techniques too! Please share your packing secrets, tips, thoughts, and experiences in the comments below. So much of the value of this blog is directly a result of your participation and the ideas of this community. I’d love to learn a thing or two about your favorite way to get your gear from here to there. Let’s make this entry another killer resource like a few others we’ve done in the past.
[NOTE: In case you missed our last post, Chase Jarvis Videos on iTunes, we're happy to report that we've now got a great iTunes Video Podcast going. Every video on this blog is available for FREE at iTunes in two resolutions, iPhone/iPod (lower res) and AppleTV (higher res). We've posted both of today's videos there, however it takes about a day to post/propogate through the iTunes system. Check over there soon to put 'em in your pocket or on your boob tube].
Other related videos/posts:
-Chase Jarvis TECH: POV Photography
-Chase Jarvis TECH: Photography Laptop Case (aka pimp your laptop)
-Chase Jarvis FRAMES: Hasselblad Masters
-Chase Jarvis RAW: Ninjas
-Chase Jarvis RAW: New Zealand Spring
-Chase Jarvis CURRENT: Photoshelter NYC
-Chase Jarvis Videos on iTunes
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@ anon: We DO use reflectors and scrims – I think I mentioned them at the end of the Advanced packing vid. We throw them in the top of one of the big pelican cases…
It is also worth adding that European Union labor laws restrict each individual check in bag to 35 KG when flying on airlines. This is supposedly to protect the baggage guys from hurting themselves when carrying luggage.
These video posts and the accompanying gear list have been very helpful. I’m tiring of spending long hours researching gear purchases. This December I just went down you list and bought everything that I thought would help bring my game to the next level. The last month of shooting has really benefited from some of these purchases.
Just wanted to leave you a ‘from the bottom of my heart and bank account thank you’– born of real world experience taking action from your blog. Such practical time saving, help offering advice here. I know I got more shooting time in because I spent less time trying to decide which lowepro backpack to get etc.
ps Most all the items through amazon were not availabe to me in Alaska. Something funky about Adorama not shipping to AK through Amazon. But they don’t tell you until you go to checkout! Sorry I couldn’t be chartible in my purchases.
I have heard of people packing a race “starter pistol” in camera bags. This technically makes it a gun case, and then when you declare and check it (on US domestic, of course) it gets special tracking and handling. An interesting security hack, since they don’t want to be losing checked guns!
This photgraphy is a great resource.
Just learned a new term .. ‘scout lens’ *lol
This photography Gear is very nice this site is very nice.
My first comment on this page so I first have to say that I loved this page from the second I came across it.
Great photos, great info, great inpiration.
I just wanted to comment on the question about what to do with the stuff you have to leave at the hotel room. Though not theft-proof it is a good diea, I think, to turn on the TV loud enough to be heared outside the room and to put on the sign “don’t disturb”. I also try to hide wathever is expansive and hideable. Lenses, small flash, CF cards etc.
When deciding what I take with me as hand baggage it is price, size and “shock resistance”. Lenses for example don’t like to be thrown around be airport staff while tripods and stands don’t care too much. CF-Cards won’t care either but they are rather expansive and very small. The price per gram, let’s say, is very high. So they are hand luggage. For clamps or batteries e.g. it is the other way around, though they are not very big.
For big flash heads you might think about removing the bulbs und take them as hand luggage as they don’t weigh but get you into trouble if they break.
Just a few thoughts
Cheers,
hey Chase. I have one question. What is this thing you use to put your Lacie hard drives in? It looks pretty cool and useful but I couldn’t find it anywhere. Thanks for all the videos.
Filip
Great job…. much to learn here. Thanks
Hey Chase,
I noticed in the section of this video where you show your laptop case setup that you have your Lacie Rugged Drives tucked in the lid area of the Pelican Laptop case and not underneath the laptop itself as shown in your dedicated laptop case video… Just wondering if this is how you set it up all the time now. I recently got myself set up with a 1490 CC1 and fried my MacBook’s Logic Board from the heat of the laptop and drives and was wondering if you’ve run into that heat issue also.
Cheers, Josh
Fantastic video Chase, Watched it twice. My problem is I just dont know how to pack light. I end up bringing a tons of props on top of all my gear. Fortunately I end up being able to drive to a lot of my client shoot. But really a seven seat SUV should be a requirement just for the photographer eh?
Nice Spreading of the security camera technology towards airport, railways and street roads.Which shows increase in importance and demand of the security cameras.Security Camera Equipment
Yeah it's really tough to get even this much stuff on carry on, especially without paying the extra fees. That about as good as you can do though.
Thats a great Video…
Yes it is I also liked the video