I’ve been asked frequently what I would pack for an overseas shoot. Of course a lot depends on the shoot itself ie, duration, location, complexity, client, etc. However, since I’m now overseas for a wedding shoot and had to go through some packing last night, I’ve listed these few items:

1. Cameras – Duh! Well, I make it a point to have a backup for any shoot whether local or overseas. You never know what will happen to your main camera or you might decide to shoot with two cameras, avoiding lenses changes. I’ve had my shutter collapse on me during a wedding shoot some years. Yes, it was a pretty harrowing experience but I calmly setup the backup camera without anyone realizing what had happened. Part of the professionalism is having to anticipate as much as possible …and leave the rest to God.

So into the bag went my Canon 5D Mk II and 1D Mk II.

2. Lenses – For weddings, I like to go close to the action as possible and so if you noticed my style, it makes the viewer feel he’s into the thick of the action. And I like to use a wide aperture to isolate the subject.  So in this trip, I brought along the following lenses:

16-35mm F2.8L, 24-105mm F4L, 35mm F1.4, 50mm F1.4

I’ve decided not to bring along my 70-200mm F2.8L. Besides, this lens sees little action even in my local actual day wedding shoot.

3. Flash – Definitely have a backup.

2 X 580EX Flash

4. CF Cards. I prefer to have a few smaller cards…kinda spreading the eggs in a few baskets, so I have an assortments of 2Gb and 4Gb cards.

5. Macbook. I opted for the souped-up smaller 13″ Macbook instead of the Macbook Pros which has the 15″ as the smallest size. I just prefer to bring along a smaller notebook.

6. Other Accessories

- CF card reader. 

- Stofen Omnibounce – the white plastic box thingy that diffuses light from the flash.

- Batteries – A4s for flash and spare batteries for cameras

- Cleaning cloth

- USB cable – in case anything goes wrong with my card reader, I can download pics from the camera directly.

- CP-E4 Battery Pack – to ensure quick recycling for the flash. Don’t wanna get caught missing moments, while waiting for the flash to recharge. I use flash sparingly but in a totally dark environment, this is going to be useful.

- LowePro belt – that stores almost all the stuff I need during a shoot. This is one of the best belts I’ve had. Stiff enough to not pull down my pants yet flexible enough to not eat into my flesh. I’ve all sorts of pouches attached to it.

- LowePro Mini Trekker AW Bag – to house all the above items. Now you know why I carry a 13″ notebook. Anything bigger than that won’t fit in. I usually chuck my bag in one corner during a shoot and carry all the things with me. I have to be very careful of theft, especially overseas. I’ve heard enough horror stories to avoid packing everything I have and having to leave things in a bag hidden somewhere.

I think the important thing is carrying just enough equipment for the shoot. Of course I would like to pack everything I have for a shoot but I would sacrifice mobility and security. Experience tells me what I need to pack although I may not be prepared for something unexpected. But that’s the balance one has to strike.