Good morning MM,

I am a new photographer, and I haven't yet traveled anywhere with my camera.  I'm used to going overseas with a light little point and click Olympus, and now I am planning a trip to Italy in January.  I want to bring my camera (Nikon D70), but want to minimize hassle, fuss, pickpocketing, damage, etc.

I was wondering if any of you travel-savvy folks might suggest handy tips for doing the tourist thing while keeping my camera safe and not encouraging sticky fingers, damaged lenses, neck problems from having it hanging there all day, etcetera etcetera.

Thank you very much!

Before you leave your country, make sure you have some identification of articles exported so that you avoid possible problems (duty charges) when returning home.

Mark

Take all your gear as carry-on.

Once on the ground, if I'm working a large city alone where tourists are regularly targeted, I usually avoid camera bags (Lowe-Pro, Tamrac) in favor of a daypack in order to avoid advertising that I have a bunch of expensive gear. Padded lens cases help and usually a sweater or light fleece to wrap around the body. When walking around, I keep my camera slung over the neck with one arm through the strap tucked under my arm so it is less conspicuous.

Avoiding looking like a tourist also helps.

Eric Foltz

If you carry the D70 with a couple of lenses (one on the body) and flash (plus extra batteries and memory cards), you will not have neck, shoulder, or back pain.  The little puppy's light compared to the D2x and "Dx" lenses complement it.

I haven't done the airline thing but in thinking it over would probably put the little sharp stuff in a small bag in check-in luggage.

I would think you would want a "digital wallet" or other portable HD and power conversion items, about which I know nothing!, to download a day's worth of RAW files (you do shoot in RAW?).  You'll certainly need a way of recharging the D70's battery.

Security.  I've been wondering lately if it's an issue, especially when the gear's on your shoulder.  (And "yes" to the inventory/packing list).  Travel photography great Bob Krist has noted that he carries a lot of gear but leaves most of it in his hotel rooms, carrying only what he wants while he's out shooting.  That's risky (unattended equipment; equipment left in cars; etc.), imho, but if he's comfortable, perhaps the rest of us should be as well.  Depending on your shooting, street, or tourist style, a "loose day bag" may suit better than a camera box, but even there I wonder how much the paranoia's worth.  (Personally, I've been drooling for a couple of years over the Billingham 335 but can't make sense of the purchase when the gear's in a perfectly suitable Tamrac).

remember a plug adaptor for the battery charger. make sure your battery charger is voltage convertable. it most likely is.

Pretty good advice above... I'll emphasize, research the power where you're going in case you need an adapter to recharge your batteries.

Travel light... ask yourself if you really need each item before it goes in the bag.  Shooting is more fun if your shoulder doesn't hurt.

Security:  rarely a problem.  Don't act paranoid and don't pack anything that even remotely looks dangerous... for example I've stopped carrying carabiners because while they're great for clipping extras on a bag, if they go through the x-rays turned on their side, they look like a pocket knife and initiate a bag check.  The routine varies in other countries though, so you'll need to wing it and use common sense on the return trip.  For example some countries are big on no food in the luggage (quarantine issues).

Here's my security routine (50-60,000 air miles per year):

* Find a chair as soon as boarding passes are in hand, empty keys etc. into whatever bag they will live in for the duration (don't need my car or house keys wherever I'm going);  all metal including cell phone, belt buckle, etc. off of self now.  No loose stuff to slow things down later.

* With drivers license or passport already in hand, head for the security line.

* while in line, untie shoe laces.

* at table, shoes/coat go in the first bin so I can be putting them back on while waiting for everything else; anything valuable like cameras/laptop goes through second so I can keep an eye on it; general carry-on stuff goes last.  Do not take your eyes off that camera bag unless you have someone with you, in which case you can spot for each other.

* if you do forget something metal and get pulled out to get the wand, they will let you stand where you can see your stuff (at least in the U.S.).

With a routine like this they assume you're a frequent traveler and the hassles are minimal.

Oh, and dress conservatively, too.  Jeans are fine but ditch the tee-shirt with the nasty words on the front that you wear to the biker bar in favor of a dress shirt (duh... but you'd be amazed how many people don't get this).  The goth kid in front of me gets pulled out of line every time.  I probably think the same way he does, but I look like a businessman, so they leave me alone.

On the ground:  not much to say without knowing how you carry yourself.  Some people can walk around in bad neighborhoods for days without any issues.  Others are mugger magnets.  Just be aware, keep your peripheral vision turned on, keep camera bags, wallets etc. in safe places, not dangling behind you or in a back pocket.  Watch the kid distracting you with small talk while his buddy circles in from behind.

It helps to avoid the ugly american thing... learn a little about the culture first, soften your voice a little.  I'll never forget the big, loud, blustery guy from Texas who was in the customs line in front of me in Thailand... he tried to get pushy, and when last seen they were taking his luggage apart item by item.  He's probably still in that line.

1)  Take all of your gear and receipts to your local US Customs office.  Tell them what you're doing, and they'll issue an itemized and valued inventory for you that will be "in the system" no matter what port of entry/exit of the US you use.

2)  Take the Customs inventory to your insurance broker, tell them what you're doing, and have everything insured for REPLACEMENT VALUE for a defined time period (similar to term life insurance).  Thank bob I did this extra step - while shooting the Olympics in Greece, I had two bodies and four lenses permanently borrowed.

3)  Members of the APA, PPA and the media (are you one) are allowed one additional carry on item on flights.  That's a good thing, because my gear (now) never leaves my person.

4)  I would simply repeat the above remarks about carrying around, battery/storage/electricity items and etc.

I've carried various film cameras for something like 120,000 air miles this year.  Here's what I do:

Film always includes a large population of Ilford Delta 3200 so the TSA folks will hand inspect it all without an argument.  It's kept in original packaging in a mesh drawstring bag and handed to the TSA rep near the X-ray belt.  This year it's all been medium format and I nicely say that I'm a professional photographer and would like the film hand inspected.  This is not phrased as a request, but simply, "Fast professional film, please hand inspect."  Usually followed by "ASA3200."  The only problem I've ever had was in London Heathrow, where they insisted that the machine wouldn't hurt ASA3200 film.  I persisted and it did not go through. 

Foreign airport security is mostly smoother than TSA, without being less effective.

I use Domke bags for all my photo stuff.  They don't scream "camera" and are very protective of the stuff.  The larger one also carries my Powerbook 12", a couple of paperbacks and other travel gear.  The camera bag is my only carry-on.  All other luggage is always checked.

The equipment I always carry is a body or two, two or three lenses, a huge old light meter and a bunch of film.  Sometimes I add a small hotlight and Bogen superclamp mount for it, and maybe a monopod. 

Be aware of current in visited countries.  Most electronics can handle 220V, but hotlights can't, so I carry a spare 220V bulb if going to Europe.  Plug adapters are cheap and easy to find anywhere.

When doing walking around shooting (seldom) I run the camera strap across to the opposite shoulder.  Won't fall off and is less snatchable, though I've never had anyone try, either.  I carry film in a pocket and usually have only a normal lens mounted, with no others along.  You can do almost anything with a normal and some footwork.

Good luck, have fun, and don't worry so much.

-Don

Excellent advice all.  My pre-security screening routine is a bit different, but you develop one after traveling for a while.

I'd just like to add one thing...I always carry a camera bag, and not once has anyone ever recognized it as one.  I use crumpler bags, and they are great for low profile flying/touristing/walking around in places you don't want people to know you have a camera bag slung over your shoulder...(funny thing is I now know when people are carrying cameras in a non-camera bag because I know the logos of several companies that make these types of things)

http://www.crumplerbags.com

yes...it's a very odd website...what do you expect of a company that started in Oz though...lol