If taking great pictures is an important part of your trip, make sure you bring everything you'll need. Also, make sure your gear and supplies arrive safely and stay safe. Here are some tips to help you prepare for your travel picture-taking experience.

This page: Camera and accessories / Case / Film / Batteries / Packing / Traveling and security

(And in our next Members Gallery, we'll offer some indispensable tips for taking travel pictures.)

• Get familiar with your camera. At least a week or two before your trip, take your travel camera out and shoot a couple rolls of film. Or, if it's digital, fill up a memory card. Try out all the features. Make sure you understand how everything works (including loading batteries), and check that everything is working. Even if you've owned your camera for a while, this is a useful refresher.

  Run through the rest of the process, too. Get your test rolls of film developed, preferably using the same service you'll use for your real travel pictures. Make sure you know which options you'll want to order, and check the quality. For a digital camera, upload, edit, e-mail, and print a few test images.

• Lenses. When taking travel pictures, you may not always be able to get as close to your subject as you'd like. If your camera can accommodate it, bring a zoom lens (wide-angle and moderate telephoto). Bring a lens cap to protect each lens.

• Filters. For SLR cameras, an ultraviolet (UV) filter can help protect your lens. It also helps minimize haze (that bluish tint) in your pictures.

  A polarizing filter also is a wonderful tool. It saturates color, removes reflections, and deepens the blue of the sky.

• Memory cards (for digital cameras). Bring at least one additional memory card – it's worth the extra money. Without extra memory, you'll either have to take fewer pictures at a time or shoot most of your pictures at a lower resolution (which is fine if you're mainly going to e-mail pictures, but not good if you want nice prints).

  Even if you're bringing a laptop computer for downloading images, you'll want the extra memory. It's a lot easier (and safer) to carry around an extra memory card or two than your laptop – and you won't want to run back to your hotel twice a day to download pictures!

• Neck strap. This inexpensive accessory can make a huge difference. It helps you keep your hands free, it can deter theft, and it can protect your camera from falling.
  
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• Unobtrusive camera case. Select a lightweight, nondescript model with a comfortable shoulder strap. It should hold your camera, 5-6 rolls of film (or a couple of memory cards), spare batteries, and lenses and filters (if you're bringing any). If possible, try it on fully loaded to see if it's still comfortable and convenient.

  Your camera bag should fit easily under an airplane seat when fully loaded. Most bags are make to fit under standard airline seats. However, if you'll be taking smaller planes (which tend to be bumpier rides), double-check with those airlines about under-seat storage dimensions.

  To prevent theft, avoid cases that have logos related to cameras or photography. The best camera case is one that looks like it might contain anything.

• Memory card storage. Currently, most camera bags do not have special pockets for holding memory cards. These small but valuable accessories get lost easily. If you must, sew a special pocket inside your camera bag to store memory cards. Or purchase a small Velcro pouch that will attach to the inside of your case.

• Plastic bags. You never know when you'll get caught in the rain. Bring several resealable baggies to provide quick shelter for your camera, film, batteries, and accessories. Also, tuck a full-size plastic garbage bag into your camera case. If you get caught in a sudden downpour, just throw everything into it, tie it up, and wait out the storm. Only your clothes will be wet.

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• Bring plenty! Pack twice as much film as you think you'll need. On vacation, even a casual snapshooter may take 2-3 rolls per day. If you're really into taking pictures, plan on 4-5 rolls per day.

  Film can be expensive overseas or in touristy regions, and in some places it might be difficult to get at all. So it's better to bring film from home if you can.

  (Tips on packing film...)
  
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• Bring plenty! As with film, batteries can be more expensive or difficult to find when traveling. In some cases, compatible batteries might not be available. Bring more batteries than you think you'll need. This is especially true if you're bringing a digital camera – they deplete batteries quickly.

• Lithium lasts longer. If your camera can safely take lithium batteries, bring those. Lithium cells last longer, so you'll need fewer of them.

• Battery charger. If bringing rechargeable batteries (often a good idea) bring along the correct charger for the type of battery you're using.

• Adapters. If traveling overseas, be sure you bring the appropriate adapters for your battery charger, disc reader, laptop, and any other plug-in electrical devices you're taking.
  
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• Put your name and address on everything. Also your phone number, and e-mail address, too. This information should be on every major piece of equipment, case, and accessory (even memory cards) that you bring.

• Photocopies of receipts. If you're going through customs, bring along a photocopy of the receipt for your camera, laptop, and any other major piece of photo gear. If you're bringing a lot of film and batteries, you might want to bring copies of those receipts, too.

• Write down the serial number of your camera. Leave a copy at home, and put a copy in your wallet. This is useful if your camera is lost or stolen.

• Camera manual. You never know when something might go wrong. If your camera manual is small and easily portable, it's best to bring it. Also, a camera manual can be a useful communication tool when trying to explain what your digital camera is to a customs agent in a less-developed country.

• Carry everything on the plane. Don't pack your film (exposed or unexposed), camera, or other photo supplies into luggage that will be checked. The X-ray machines that airlines use for checked luggage are several times stronger than the ones used for carry-on luggage. The X-rays could damage your film – and the baggage handling (especially on a long flight) could damage your camera.

• Film. If possible, have your film hand-inspected at the airport security check. However, any film that is 400-speed or less can pass safely several times through the airport X-ray machines used on carry-on luggage. But don't put your film through these machines more than five times – the effect of X-rays is cumulative.

  In some countries, customs agents will want to hand-inspect your film. So if you're carrying a lot of film, get to the airport early. Take your film out of the cans, and pack the empty cans in your checked luggage. (You can use them at your destination to protect your film from humidity.) Then, put your film (which you should carry onto the plane) into clear resealable plastic baggies for easy and fast inspection. On the return trip, this strategy also makes it easy to see which rolls you've shot.

  If you're traveling by car in hot weather, pack your film in a small white Styrofoam cooler. Put a small bag of ice at the bottom of the cooler, cover the ice with a towel, and place your film on top (in a sealed plastic baggie).
  
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• Don't ever let go of your camera bag. Cameras are a favorite target of thieves. Always have the shoulder strap on, or at least keep your hand directly on the bag.

• Stay vigilant. Thieves rarely work alone – one or more will try to distract you, while another will run off with your camera. Don't let your guard down, even for a second.

• Store your camera under the seat. On airplanes, the contents of overhead common bins tend to get shoved around quite a bit. Storing your camera at your feet helps prevent damage – and also theft.

• Keep your film cool. It's okay to carry around the rolls you intend to shoot that day, but leave the rest in your hotel room in a sealed plastic baggie (or in the film cans). If your hotel is air-conditioned, you can leave the film on a table or in a drawer. Otherwise, store your film in a refrigerator.

  If your room has neither air conditioning nor a refrigerator, don't worry. Consumer films are made to withstand a fair amount of heat. It'll probably be fine.
  

• Keep count. When you're carrying a lot of camera gear, keeping track of it all can be a challenge. One of the easiest strategies is to count all of your major items (camera, lenses, memory cards, and anything else that would be terrible to lose). Then on your trip, run through your count a few times a day. Don't worry so much about remembering which items you brought, but rather how many. If a count turns up short, it should be easy to figure out what's missing.
  
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...For more information, read The KODAK Guide to Shooting Great Travel Pictures.