Packing List for Photographers and Travel Preparation with ChatGPT

Do photographers travel differently? Depends. At the moment, I am tired of constantly traveling with a lot of luggage. Because of my photo gear, I am always on the road with two pieces of luggage, which can be quite annoying. I am currently working with a Fujifilm X-T5 and a Sony α 7R V camera. Both cameras are great, but also heavy. So I thought about buying a lighter camera for my next longer trip and then traveling with very light photo gear.

But my photographer’s concern got in the way: What if I find a spot on the road that would be perfect for one of my free projects??? And then there’s this: it turns out that I will actually be able to photograph one(!) photo spot for my long-term free project while traveling.

At a trade show, I looked at two small, lightweight and also very stylish cameras. Long story short: whether I want to admit it or not, it still would have been a certain investment. Costs between 1500 and 2000 Euros would have been involved at the very least. Even if I don’t want to carry so much (… I can already see myself standing at the airport again with 12 kg of gear), I can easily imagine how I could invest this money much better in adventurous activities during the trip.

Do photographers actually go on vacation?

To take vacation photos, you don’t need a camera anymore these days – a regular mobile phone with a good built-in camera is more than enough. However, as a photographer, I don’t just take vacation photos. For me, work and free time constantly blur. I love my profession and I decided to take a few photos for my projects while traveling.

I have been using ChatGPT regularly for a year now (what would I do without Chatty) – not everything is perfect, but in the end it helps me a lot to also discuss decision-making questions with AI. ChatGPT knows my niches, my projects, my equipment and my desire for concise, technical answers. So I poured my photographer’s heart out to ChatGPT.

Tip for you: 

When asking ChatGPT such questions, give as much information as possible. List countries, buildings, subjects, lens wishes, etc. directly – only then can the AI weigh things properly.

Share month(s) and time of day, include in the prompt that ChatGPT can ask follow-up questions. Enter everything as precisely as possible. The decision (discussed with ChatGPT) was made in favour of my Fujifilm X-T5 with the 24–55 mm lens.

ChatGPT as a travel assistant and location scout

I want to mention an example of how you can work with ChatGPT and how the app prepares you for surprises. I am going to see the Taj Mahal in India – for the first time in my life. Of course, as an architecture photographer, I want to take many photos. Normally, I would use the Sony camera with a wide angle for that, but I’m not taking it with me. ChatGPT gave me detailed information about what is possible with my Fuji (and especially from where) and then named certain angles/spots from which I can get the building nicely into the frame. Among other things, there was the hint to photograph the Taj Mahal from the other side of the river or directly from the river. I would not have come up with this perspective by myself during classic travel planning – and that is exactly why this type of preparation is so valuable.

Here is my packing list and packing recommendation:

• Fuji X-T5 (with 24–55 mm lens)

• 2–3 batteries

• Battery charger (I still need to find it, it disappeared somewhere in my chaos)

• Waterproof SD case with 4 SD cards

• Cleaning cloth x 2 and cleaning brush, air blower (for the cloth I recommend the microfiber cleaning cloth from Apollo, it costs 3 euros but it’s great!)

• Power bank

• Camera strap / wrist strap (comfortable

  for on the go)

• Camera pouch (to protect the camera when it is transported in the backpack)

• Daypack or small backpack

• Filters: polarizing filter, 6-stop filter, graduated ND filter

• Cable organizer with USB-C to USB-C charging cable

• Backup system (I use Samsung SSD T7 Shield, 1 TB) – daily!

• If necessary, adapter for power outlet (depending on which country you travel to)

• Rain cover just for the camera, can also be helpful in a sandstorm

• Make a shot list! (not for every little thing, only for what is important, like for example if you visit the Taj Mahal)

• I recommend a small notebook with a pen, in case you want to write something down for specific things

You can see that I have two items with me

for ICM (Intentional Camera Movement), the 6-stop filter and the black gloves. I can hold the corresponding exposure times for ICM by hand. I will not do any long exposures because I would need a tripod and also more filters since I cannot hold the camera still for several minutes (despite steady nerves).

I am actually taking the rain cover in case I get caught in a (small) sandstorm, as I find sand in the “gears” worse than water.

My workflow recommendation

• Do a daily backup! Losing data while traveling would be painful.

• I shoot exclusively RAW, no JPEG. Those who post regularly on social media should activate JPEG additionally.

  
  

Safety recommendation

Write down the serial number of your camera and your lens. Always leave a contact of yours in your bag and also in other containers. There are super safe countries and cities, like Hong Kong, but if you lose something, at least there is a contact option. I, for example, always have a business card in my SD case. You can also add a piece of paper in the local language stating that there is a reward for returning the lost SD cards.

My personal tip: 

Definitely have your camera cleaned BEFORE the trip. You can also do it afterwards, but doing it before prevents image errors and protects the camera from damage.

This article is not sponsored and is also not a cooperation with any brand. My packing list recommendations are based on my own experience and what has proven to be reliable and practical for me.

Do you have questions? Feel free to write to me. Safe travels!