Chapter1.Choosing the Right Gear

Chapter 1. Choosing the Right Gear

Right place, right time, right geara sunset along Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park. (Photo by Reed Hoffmann)

For every photographic trip there is the perfect balance of camera equipment. But most people find it impossible to know what gear to bring until they realize the item they desperately need is at home.

There are, however, a certain number of must-have accessories for the on-the-go photographer. Start with the basicsthe digital photography tools you can't do without. In this chapter I'll discuss cameras, lenses, and computers, and what to look for in each category.

Figure 1.1. It's possible to take too much gear on a trip, forcing you to spend all your time hauling equipment and deciding what to use. (Photo by Reed Hoffmann)

TIP

While digital technology revolutionized photography, if you're a film shooter you'll still be able to use most of these items. You can skip any item for reading digital media (compact flash card readers, for example) and you don't need to bring your laptop (unless you want to watch a movie on the plane), but just about everything else still applies.