When you've planned your trip and travelled halfway across the world in the hope of capturing some once in a lifetime shots, the last thing you want is to find your camera and photography equipment, lost, broken or even stolen. It's enough to ruin your entire trip!
You may be intending to take all your camera equipment with you on your travels or perhaps you’re only planning on bringing along your favourite camera and a couple of lenses - discover high end camera lenses here – either way, the safety of your expensive equipment is paramount.
Unfortunately, having a camera can make you a target for thieves and pickpockets and carrying all those extra bags with you as you’re travelling means that in all the stress and hassle, one of them may get left behind...
Wondering how to keep your camera equipment safe when travelling? Read on for some helpful tips.
Keep tabs of all your equipment
As someone with a real passion for photography, you may have accumulated quite a lot of equipment over the years, so when you decide to take certain pieces of your collection with you on your travels, you must keep an accurate record of what you have with you. Write down a list of everything you're taking and then if anything appears to have gone missing you'll know which lens or piece of equipment is unaccounted for. The last thing you want is to believe that one of your lenses has been stolen, for you to file a police report and then realise you actually never brought it with you. It's also a good idea to write down all the serial numbers of your equipment, just in case!
Out in public
A keen photographer prefers to have their camera out in the open so they can grab it within seconds and start snapping. No one wants to faff around with bags and clips and fumble around in a bag only to find that they’ve missed their photo opportunity. Unfortunately, having your camera out all the time can make you a bit of a target, so it’s important to keep some basic safety tips in mind. If you're in a place that is renown for theft, only carry your camera around in public places and put it away when you're moving to somewhere new. Always be vigilant and have your camera on your front, rather than resting on your back.
Downsize
Do you really need to take all that gear with you? If you’re planning on enjoying a city break then you can probably leave all your excessive equipment at home. Switch to a smaller, yet equally powerful camera and you can still get the shots you want, but not draw unwanted attention to yourself.
Ditch the logos
Oversized camera bags with famous logos and even branded camera straps. Opt for something plain and easy to miss in a crowd. You don’t need to flash your wealth.
Always keep your camera close
Don’t store your camera in the overhead compartments on the plane. On public transport, keep your equipment on your knee, not on the floor or on the seat next to you. Keep your camera close at all times.
