Traveling With Your Camera

Traveling with your camera can be a nerve wracking experience for those not familiar with camera-laden travel. Fears of damage and theft weigh heavily on the minds of traveling photographers. There are some ways to make your next trip with your camera more of a joy and less of a stressed situation.

Regardless of how you travel, there are some basic guidelines you should always follow to help avoid theft.

• Keep a description list of your equipment with serial numbers
  Police cannot identify your camera based on description alone, serial numbers are very important.


• Permanently label each piece of equipment
  Most thieves will dump a piece of equipment as soon as they realize it is marked. Write your name (and phone number if there is room) on each piece of your equipment. You can use a permanent ink marker (photo pens really soak into plastic) or have a professional jeweler engrave the information.


• Carry your equipment in low-key bags
  Bags emblazoned with Canon or Nikon are like neon signs to thieves. Use a bag with no camera logo to avoid calling undue attention to your gear.


• Carry only the equipment you will need
  Carrying a lot of extra equipment means more bags and more attention drawn to your equipment. It also makes it more difficult to keep track of as you travel.


• Get rid of logos
  Just like your camera bag, that bright white "Canon DSLR" emblazoned on your neck strap is a tempting marker for thieves. While it is always obvious what camera you are using to a professional thief, the stock logo neckband can indicate a "newbie" camera owner and easy target.


• Be confident
  One of the best things you can do when traveling with your camera is to be confident. Thieves want an easy target. They will almost always pick the nervous and disoriented person over the one who strides through an area like they own the place.

There are also some situation specific tips that can help you protect your camera from thieves and damage.

• Pack your gear in padded bags designed for photography equipment
  There are numerous bags on the market designed specifically for photography equipment. These bags are expensive but are designed to fit specific types of cameras and are well-padded against shock. Lowepro is one of the premier bag brands that is well-known for quality.


• Use your carry-on allowance
  When flying, plan to use your camera gear as part of your carry-on allowance. This will help protect your gear from possible damage in the cargo hold.


• Lock your gear/bag
  When traveling in a crowd (like on an airline), consider a small lock for your camera bag. This can help prevent professional thieves from "picking your pocket" while leaving the bag on your shoulder. Also, locking your gear if left in a hotel room is a good idea. You can use a laptop lock cable through the zipper pulls to fasten the bag to a sturdy piece of furniture. It is often safer to leave your gear in the trunk of your car than unsecured in a hotel room or in the front of the car.


• Keep your gear with you
  Avoid letting your gear out of your sight if possible. If you have packed light this should not create a problem. I have eaten in many restaurants with my camera bag on the seat beside me (next to a wall).


• Know the bag policy
  Be sure to check ahead of time with your destination for bag policies. If you arrive at a tourist attraction with a camera bag and are told that no bags are allowed you are faced with the choice of leaving your expensive gear in a public locker or leaving without seeing the attraction.

Finally, remember to insure your equipment before traveling. That way you will have the assurance of getting replacement gear should something happen to your current equipment.