SHOOTER ON TOUR
Have you ever forgotten anything vital and if so,
how did you manage?
With dive equipment, I can always find a solution
especially with good resorts and dive vessels. Do I
miss my own dive equipment that I am so familiar
with? Of course, but I can adapt. When it comes to
camera equipment, using my lists is the key to not
forgetting an essential piece. In the past I have had
to make choices whether or not to bring a particular
lens, but now I just pack them all. If I don’t use it, so
be it, but if I need it at least it’s in the bag.
What packing tips can you give other underwater
photographers?
I tend not to use check-in luggage that screams ‘this
is expensive camera and dive equipment’. I use a
basic duffle bag for tripods, dive gear and the few
clothes I take and a solid coolbox reconfigured with
handles that can be secured with tie wraps for the
underwater housing, strobes and accessories. I have
been doing this for some 20 years have only ever
been asked if I have fish in the cooler! My cooler is
pre-inspected by airport security so I know it is all
repacked properly. It is those glass dome ports that I
worry most about.
In Lowepro bags I carry two camera bodies, six
different lenses from macro to fisheye including two
SDOP
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for topside, two topside flash units, two backup
hard drives and a laptop together with a myriad of
accessories. These all travel with me.
Has your luggage ever not arrived?
Don’t jinx me now! Only once did my cooler not
arrive and thankfully it was on my return home. It
was safely delivered the following day. I usually try
to arrive at my destination a day or so early and find
flights that have daily schedules, especially to PNG.
It is too risky if there are flights only a few times a
week into a particular location.
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