Packing for International Travel

Since I live out of a suitcase for much of the year for international documentary and travel photo assignments—107 countries and counting—I’ve had to refine the art of packing. To survive and prosper as a self-proclaimed road warrior, every inch and every ounce counts. This goes beyond deciding what photo gear to put in my bag. Clothing and other personal items also are part of the equation. Here are suggestions to make life on the road more comfortable and productive. 

World Standards

Every international trip starts with a visit to the World Standards website’s Plug, Socket & Voltage by Country page. I then reach into my box of adapters and pull out what is required for my specific destination. I stopped carrying converters years ago and only carry electrical items that have variable currents from 100 volts to 240 volts. I pack surge protectors if I go somewhere with questionable power or if I must work off a generator in a remote area. Surge protectors help to avoid frying a piece of equipment due to a spike in power. 

Luggage

The cobblestone streets of Europe might be beautiful in photographs, but they are unforgiving to rolling bags, so never underestimate the importance of quality wheels when you buy luggage. The Think Tank Venturing Observer L2 is my go-to bag because of its dependable 80mm wheels with sealed ABEC-5 bearings in protective housings, optimized interior space, high-quality material, and YKK zippers. The Observer also has an interior zippered pocket and includes a coiled security cable with TSA lock and a rain cover. For packing organization, I use Think Tank’s Stash Master, clothing cube, and shoe cube. 

Camera Bag

My camera equipment needs to fly with me in the cabin and fit in the overhead bin. For city destinations, I turn to the Think Tank Airport International V3.0 Rolling Camera Bag, designed to meet most international and U.S. airline carry-on requirements. It has padded laptop and tablet compartments in a lockable pocket, TSA-accepted zipper locks for the main compartment, and a high-strength coated cable and combination lock for the laptop compartment and to secure the bag. It has a quick and solid retractable handle, high-performance 80mm wheels, and extra tall wheel housings, which protect the bag from scrapes and reduce vibration and impact issues. Its internal dimensions are 13x18.5x6.5-7.5 inches. If I need to go larger, I turn to the Airport Security V3.0. For off-road projects, I use the BackLight 26L or 36L back-panel-loading backpacks. 

Tripod

Carbon fiber tripods that are compact enough to fit into a camera bag or small suitcase are ideal on the road, especially for photographers working on their own. The Benro Rhino Carbon Fiber Three Series tripod is light (4.54 pounds), small (reverse folds down to 19.44 inches), and sturdy. It extends to 68.77 inches and can lower to 19.33 inches by pushing a button to change the angles of the carbon fiber twist-locking legs. The Rhino converts to a full-size monopod when a designated leg and center column are combined. I add the Benro GX35 Two Series Arca-type low-profile aluminum ballhead with pull and twist functionality for its quick-release plate. Dedicated quick-release plates or L-brackets on all your camera bodies, and quick-release plates on your longer lenses, speed up in-the-field workflow.

Media Cards

Professional photographers need the most dependable equipment and digital memory cards available. I trust the Delkin Black CFexpress Type B cards to faithfully and securely record the scenes in front of my lenses on assignments from photographing the Olympics to exploring the polar regions. Delkin’s 1.3TB card can record more than 92,500 48-megapixel resolution files. Since I work with two camera bodies, that means there is no need to carry more than a couple of cards at a time. At the end of each day, I back up my files on portable external hard drives but never erase cards until I’m home and have backed up my files in three locations. 

Flash

A small powerful flash expands photography opportunities around the globe. For creative purposes, I seldom use it in the hot shoe, finding beauty in the shadows created by angled lighting. The Profoto A10 is powerful yet compact enough to include in a carry-on camera bag along with my other gear. The A10’s round head gives a natural light spread with smooth fall-off and its magnetic mount enables the use of Profoto Clic light shaping tools. The built-in LED modeling light lets you preview the results. The built-in Air remote enables connectivity and full functionality to other AirX-compatible Profoto flashes. The Li-Ion high-capacity exchangeable battery lasts up to four times longer than AA batteries with no performance fade and recycles in one second at full power. When you’re packing for a flight, remember that devices containing lithium-metal or lithium-ion batteries must be secured in carry-on baggage. 

Clothing

While we’re focusing our cameras, in many areas of the world, especially those with high tourist traffic, it’s possible that pickpockets are focusing on us. Clothing Arts manufacturers its trademarked Pick-Pocket Proof designs, including men’s and women’s travel pants made from what the company calls its “nature-like nylon.” This trademarked material features the breathability and comfort of cotton and the lightness and durability of nylon. These pants have 11 multi-secure pockets and are wrinkle-resistant and quick-drying. For more style, Clothing Arts has the Pick-Pocket Proof Explorer Travel Chino, with four hidden zipper-secure pockets. clothingarts.com

Compression Socks

Vim & Vigr creates socks and legwear with fashionable designs that maintain compression levels throughout the day. I use them mainly for long-haul flights where lack of movement can cause deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Compression socks are made in a variety of support levels expressed in millimeters of mercury (mmHg). The higher the mmHg, the stronger the compression. For everyday compression and travel, 15-20 mmHg is recommended, and for medical grade compression, 20-30 mmHg. Pressure starts at the ankle and gradually eases as it continues up the leg. vimvigr.com

Mark Edward Harris is an award-winning photographer based in Los Angeles.