When we travel to a new location, our camera is constantly used. It is in and out of our camera bag and can sometimes be used in hazardous conditions. Because of this, protecting it while capturing your precious memories is essential. Some cameras are excellent in weight and feel and have a good grip built into the body’s construction. Others can be a little challenging to hold securely. Being comfortable with your camera's operation is critical to your enjoyment, but ensuring that the camera doesn’t drop to the ground or into water is equally important.

It’s sometimes difficult to anticipate what types of environments and weather you will face during a trip. Regardless, your camera will be in action continuously during your travels. As a result, it’s essential to take the necessary steps to protect your investment and your experiences so that they do not get broken, stolen, or lost. When travelling, here are a few of my camera and file habits.

Using a Camera Strap

Most cameras come packaged with some version of a strap. Some are neck straps, others are wrist straps, and some come with both. I’ve never been a fan of neckstraps. When I have one attached to my camera, I wrap it around my wrist instead. When a camera hangs from a bulky strap around your neck, the camera is apparent, frequently in the way and tends to swing easily. That swinging can easily smash into things and damage gear, especially if I need to bend over. There is nothing that advertises your camera to those around you more than a neck strap. Just look at the bright text and logo on the strap, indicating exactly the model you have.

I have preferred wrist straps, as they are small, light, have no (or minimal) logos, and serve their purpose: keeping the camera from slipping out of hand and hitting the ground. One obvious limitation is not having both hands free.

The first thing I do whenever I pick up my camera is to put the strap around my wrist. This is before I even power the camera on. I even do this at home if I’m going through the menu and settings. It’s become a habit for me, and in my opinion, a good one.

A wrist strap keeps it from falling and adds a bit of security, as it’s somewhat attached to my wrist. A wrist strap also doesn’t get in the way of anything else. It’s an extension of my hand. The advantage of a neck strap is having your camera ready to go while freeing both hands. However, I found that the disadvantages outweigh this convenience. If I require both hands, the camera goes in my camera bag.

But if you must use a neck strap, get a good-quality one that is comfortable around the back of your neck, durable, and without logos.

Keep it Close

Understanding that many people can be around you while travelling, exploring, and shooting is essential. They walk anywhere they can, so in larger crowds, you may find yourself zig-zagging around them. If it’s necessary to hold my camera instead of being in a camera bag, I suggest holding it close to your body. I tend to keep it near my chest not to have my camera hit by passing people. The simple reason is that having the camera in front of me will keep it visible and minimize my footprint.

Create Backups

The best way to protect images while travelling is to create copies as soon as possible. Cameras with dual media allow you to do this in camera, or if that's not an option, back them up later that day when you are back at your hotel or Airbnb.

When I travel, I do so with an external 1TB drive and with the aid of my laptop, I back up my images every night, simply creating a folder with the date and copying all files to the external drive. Most of the time, I do not take the time to review; there is no culling; it is simply to have another copy of my images somewhere other than my flash media—a secondary storage until I return home from my travels. Having multiple copies of your files is important; no matter how reliable your media is, there is always a chance that something will happen and you will lose that data. Therefore, redundancy is vital to keeping those memories you worked hard to capture.

Regarding media, purchase media from a reputable brand and hopefully one you have prior experience with. In a previous post, I wrote about when you may want to consider paying a premium on gear, and flash media is one of those purchases. You will pay more for well-regarded brands in this space, and there is usually good reason. Many manufacturers are selling cheap media with large capacities at enticing prices. Do yourself a favour and research from various sources to make an informed decision before purchasing.

Conclusion

When travelling, taking the necessary steps to protect your gear and images is essential. Everything can be exciting in a new location, and you will want to photograph everything. However, being mindful about your gear and backing up your images will help ensure you return home with your gear and memories.