5 Camera Bags That Every Travel Photographer Needs At Some Point

One of the great things about being a travel photographer is that you are almost always working outside. Sometimes this might be in a city and sometimes in the wilderness. Either way, one of the main attributes you will need is to be organized. This involves everything from research and planning, to your shot list and efficiency. It also includes being organized with your equipment and what you will need on a day to day basis.

There is a fine balance between carrying too much unnecessary equipment and what you actually will need. A vital part of carrying your equipment is choosing the right bag for the scenario you are going to be photographing. Not only are camera bags important in keeping your equipment safe and dry, but a good bag will also make it easier to carry equipment.

Especially when you will potentially be walking around all day. There are so many bags to choose from, so here are the five types of bags that you may need at some point.

#1 – Day Bag

A day bag is usually the first bag that most people would purchase. It will also be the bag that gets the most usage. So it’s vital that you take into account the different options available to fit your needs. Before you rush out and buy one, consider the following factors:

• Size – What will you generally be carrying day to day? Most travel photographers will carry a telephoto lens and possibly a couple of smaller lenses. You may also carry a flash as well as memory cards, batteries and possibly a second camera.
• Tripod – The first day bag that I ever purchased, didn’t have a way to attach and carry my tripod. I quickly realized how frustrating and tiring that was. Carrying a tripod means you are constantly having to put it down every time you want to take a photo. So when fleeting moments arrive you are not ready to snap away.
• Non-photography space – Another big consideration when purchasing a day bag is how much additional space you will have to carry non-photographic items. For example, can you carry a bottle of water? Or a rain jacket? Is there somewhere safe and hidden away that you can keep your keys, mobile phone or even cash?
• Accessibility – Would you really want to take everything out of your bag to get to those plasters right at the bottom? How quickly and easily you can access the various compartments of your bag is very important. For example, some bags will allow you to get your camera out from a side zipper without having to open the whole thing up.
• Comfort – As a travel photographer you will often be out walking for hours. Being able to carry your equipment comfortably can mean the difference between going back to the hotel because you’re uncomfortable and in pain or carrying on.
• Airline carry-on – Another consideration is whether your bag complies with the carry-on regulations of airlines. I always carry my camera equipment on the plane (I put my tripod in my suitcase) rather than check it in so have to make sure that my bag isn’t too big.

All of these are factors that need to be considered before purchasing a day bag. It’s taken me a few attempts to find the perfect day bag but my choice is the Lowepro ProTactic 450 camera bag.

It has plenty of storage for two cameras as well as a couple of other lenses and things like memory cards and batteries. It has a top zip, as shown below, that makes it easy to access my camera without needing to open the whole bag. I can also carry a large tripod attached to the bag as well.

#2 – Hiking Bag

While a day bag is great for everyday use, sometimes it’s simply not big enough. For those photographers who like to hike or camp overnight, then a day bag won’t be able to hold all of your camera equipment and additional things needed like a tent, food, and water.

So the next bag up from a day bag is a hiking bag. But again it’s important to consider the factors below before purchasing your hiking bag.

• Size – The first criteria for your hiking bag is the size that you will need. This will come down to what you are planning to photograph and the duration of your hike/trek. For example, if you are planning to camp overnight you will need space for a tent and sleeping bag. But if your hikes are one day ones then you could get away with something smaller. Factor in all the items you will need such as spare clothes, a first aid kit and even cooking utensils as well as your camera gear. Then find a bag to fit what you will be carrying.
• Water reservoir – This might seem like a trivial point when considering a bag, but being able to have a drink without having to take your bag off is incredibly useful. So one thing that I would always recommend is buying a bag that either comes with a water reservoir or one that you can fit one into. You don’t want to have to constantly stop and take your bag off every time you want to have a drink.
• Waterproof – Most outdoor bags these days will be somewhat shower proof, but some bags also come with a rain cover that you can place over the bag. These sometimes sit under the bag and can easily be accessed when you need them.
• Adjustable – On any long walk or hike, comfort is vital. So look for a bag that allows you to be able to adjust the straps to fit your posture. The best thing to do is to try out your given bag for a few hours with your equipment locally before setting out on your trip.

My personal choice for a hiking bag is the Lowepro Pro Trekker 650 AW camera backpack. As I rarely camp overnight, this bag is big enough to carry my camera equipment and any additional daily items. There is also a side pocket for a water reservoir (not included) and you can strap a large tripod to it as well.

Lowepro Pro Trekker 650 AW camera backpack

#3 – Sling Bag

There are times that even a day bag is too big and cumbersome to carry around. Sometimes all you need is a small bag to carry your camera and a few additional accessories. Sling bags are useful for this purpose and also because you can get things in and out without having to take your bag off.

There may also be occasions (i.e. in busy events) where you can keep your bag in front of you thus making it less inviting to pickpockets and thieves. You won’t be able to carry a lot of equipment or strap your tripod to it, but a good sling bag should still have plenty of room for what you need.

I pack my sling bag into my suitcase (it folds flat) and will use it on occasions when I don’t need to take a lot of equipment. For example, some museums or viewing platforms don’t allow backpacks whereas you’ll be okay with a sling bag.

My sling bag of choice is an older version of the Lowepro Passport Sling III camera bag. It’s surprisingly spacious for its size and I can fit my DSLR as well as a wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens inside. It also has space for memory cards and batteries as well as outside pockets which are useful for things like a water bottle.

#4 – Toploader

These small camera bags are only big enough for one camera and one lens (if you want it for a telephoto lens make sure you purchase the bigger size). The real benefit of these bags are that you can keep your camera on your hip for easy access. So rather than having to take your bag off to pack or unpack your camera you can simply place in this bag as and when you need to.

I find that this is especially beneficial on long hikes or treks when I sometimes may not take a photo for long periods of time but I still have it on hand when a moment presents itself.

The less obvious benefit of these bags, which I realized recently, is when traveling by air. Airlines can be very picky about the weight of your checked-in luggage. So if you find that you are over the limit you can place some items from your luggage into this bag and take it onboard. For example, on a recent trip I was able to place the head from my tripod and few other small but heavy items into this bag and avoid paying the excess weight charge.

I take my Lowepro Toploader Pro 70 AW II camera case with me on every trip. If I can, I pack it in my suitcase and use it where necessary. If my suitcase is full, I put my camera in it and carry it onto the plane in addition to my day bag.

#5 – Hard Case

Another option to consider for traveling are hard cases. These are suitcases which are made of a tough material which is waterproof and dustproof. They are especially designed for transporting camera equipment.

The benefit of these cases is that your equipment will be safe inside from damage. But they are generally only useful for transportation rather than day to day use. Some of the latest models are designed with a camera backpack inside which allows you to wear it like a traditional day bag. But having tested one a while ago, they are not as comfortable as the traditional day bags.

Personally I have never found a need for one to date as I carry all my equipment in my backpack. But if you are going to be traveling to harsh conditions or face the likelihood of your equipment getting wet than it would be worth investing in a hard case.

Summary

Camera bags might not be the first accessory that comes to mind when building your photography equipment inventory, but they are incredibly important. Not only will they keep your equipment safe, but they might stop you from being uncomfortable or even in pain because of the weight you are carrying.

The important thing is to not rush out and buy all of the above at once. Over the years as the need arises, you can invest in a new bag. So, think carefully about what you need and do some research into the different types of bags available.

What camera bags do you have or find useful? Please share your recommendations below.

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Some Cool Tools For Editing Your Photos Inside ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2018

In this third installment of articles on ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2018, we look at some of the Cool Tools – either new features or ones that are particularly useful. Read my first two articles here:

• ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2018 Guide for Beginners
• How to do Creative Editing with Layers in ACDSee Ultimate Photo Studio 2018

New Features

1. ACTIONS

Newly implemented in the latest release of the software, Actions are a range of predefined edits that you can apply to your image to achieve a specific look or effect. To assist you with this, there is an Actions Browser that lets you see the effect applied in advance, which is extremely useful.

Image with the Actions Browser open.

There are 16 different categories covering color, black and white, workflow, editing, special effects, portrait and landscape options, and more. Once you decide on the desired Action, click PLAY and it is applied.

Example of a Split-tone Action.

A black and white conversion Action applied.

To apply an Action, you need to open your image in Edit mode. On the top menu bar, look for Tools > Browse Actions.

2. LIQUIFY

Liquify is often used in fashion and portrait editing to change the shape of people or parts of their bodies. It is a new feature in this release of ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2018. This tool needs to be applied with a large soft brush and a delicate touch or it can look overly obvious.

I found the Liquify tool very easy to use. It worked quickly (i.e. there was no lag on processing the change) and had a gentler effect than I was expecting.

This is the before image for comparison.

Showing where the effect had been applied.

Image after Liquify applied to the arch and bowl of the spoon, and the dark side of the main blueberry.

Using the Liquify Tool

Liquify is a function in Edit mode, so you need to open your image up in there. On the top menu bar, select Filter > Geometry > Liquify.

There are four different Liquify modes:

1. Shift – This moves pixels from one area to another in the direction you move the brush.
2. Pinch – This moves the pixels towards the center of the brush (making things smaller).
3. Brush – This moves pixels away from the center of the brush (making things bigger).
4. Restore – Undo mode for any of the three options above.

Once Liquify mode is active, check that your brush is the correct size and softness (a larger and softer brush is recommended) and very gently click and nudge the area you want to adjust a tiny amount. It is much easier to do lots of little adjustments as you can undo one if you go too far.

Also be mindful that when you use Liquify it moves all the pixels within the brush, so if you have any lines or other elements, they can be affected too. This can make it obvious that you have used Liquify, so be careful about the backgrounds and surrounding elements in the area you’re using it.

3. FREQUENCY SEPARATION

This is a function used a lot in portrait and fashion photography – anywhere there is a lot of skin visible, especially faces and close-ups. Frequency separation allows you to smooth out blemishes and imperfections, to even out the skin tones, and provide a polished outcome in the image.

While it can be done manually, it is time-consuming to set up. Now with a few clicks, the software does all the layers for you, making it easy to apply the effect where necessary. I don’t photograph people or close up portraits so have never had the need to use this functionality, but for those who want to access this advanced technique, ACDSee has included it.

Using the Tool

Open your image in Edit mode and in the Layers pane, duplicate the layer. Frequency Separation is a destructive edit, so it is recommended that you work on a duplicated layer to maintain image integrity.

Select the top layer (the duplicate), then right-click and select Frequency Separation from the drop-down box. It will then create two layers – one will be grey and have (HF) in the layer description. The other one will be in color, but will be all blurry and have (LF) in the layer description.

On the LF layer, use a brush to work on any skin imperfections. On the HF layer, use the Repair tool to clone clear skin over top of the blemish areas.

4. PIXEL TARGETING

The Pixel Targeting tool allows you to select specific areas in your image based on a combination of tone and color selection. It works in conjunction with an adjustment layer.

In Edit mode, open up your image and select an adjustment layer (any of them seem to be fine). Here I am using a shot of some bright red raspberries and a Vibrance adjustment layer.

Right-click on the top layer and select Pixel Targeting and a panel will open up. The top sliders allow you to select the tones and the bottom sliders allow you to select the colors.

Adjust the tone and the color sliders to suit. It creates a mask of the subject that you want to adjust.

Save a preset for future use (use the Save option at the top of the screen) and click OK.  The mask you have just created in the Pixel Targeting window is now applied to your adjustment layer, and it will only apply the adjustment to the light areas of the mask.

Here I have turned the raspberries blue simply by adjusting the Hue sliders in the Vibrance layer.

Useful Features

While learning how to use ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2018, there were several things about it that I found particularly useful. These are either the small things that don’t get used a lot but work really well when you do need to use them, or something that makes it much easier to do a really common task.

These are things I appreciate, especially when something you do a lot is made easier, or offers a clever alternative.

1 – Add a File as a Layer

At the bottom of the Layers pane are a whole lot of quick access icons for different layer features. The one circled here is the “Add a File as a Layer” option.

I do a couple of specific tasks that require the addition of outside images as extra layers, such as adding texture overlays and compositing.

There are lots of other instances when this could be useful – focus stacking, blending panorama or astrophotography images, time-lapse stacking, and so on.

This is a particularly common function and the way Photoshop does it is really NOT user-friendly. I have always gotten around it by using a second monitor and dragging my image in that way.

But if you are working on a laptop or only have one layer, that isn’t an option, so this feature becomes worth knowing about.

It’s really simple. Click on the Add a File as a Layer icon and a dialog box opens up asking you to select the location of the image you want to add. Even better, you can switch your view to Thumbnail and see examples of the images so you can select the right one.

Click on the desired file and select Open. The file will then open up as a new layer. It will probably need to be resized and the program has that mode already activated for you as well. Drag the yellow handles to the right size, select Commit, and you are done!

2. Heal Tool

Sometimes you might have a mark, a blemish, or a stray hair or twig in the way on your shot, and you don’t notice until you see it on the big screen when you are editing. Technology has improved so much these days that software can often take care of those issues for you, but it can still be a less than polished outcome.

When editing my blueberry shots, I was dismayed to find that I hadn’t noticed my main berry had a scratch down the front of it. Great chance to give the Heal tool inside ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate a go.

I was quite impressed with how well it works. Just right-click on a good area and then paint over the blemish area. I find doing lots of small selections gives a more natural effect usually, but ACDSee did a really good job.

After the Heal tool was applied.

Before Heal tool applied – you can clearly see the big scratch on the front of the berry.

Conclusion

Before writing these articles, I had never used ACDSee software at all. My background was with PaintShop Pro, Photoshop, and Lightroom. Learning about the full range and capabilities of this ACDSee program has been interesting. There are some really exciting new features and useful tools included, particularly in Edit mode.

Overall I have been impressed at the depth and capability of ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate. For a beginner wanting a one-stop-shop program at a cost-effective price (and no subscription model), it has a lot of benefits.

For anyone looking to get started in managing their photo files, processing RAW images, and more in-depth editing, this is a good place to start. If you’re looking for a non-subscription option, it is worth considering as well.

Disclaimer: ACDSee is a dPS advertising partner.

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Tips on How to Capture Affection in Your Photographs

All you need is love – and the know-how to capture affection in your photos.

One of the big challenges in portrait photography is capturing the elusive aspects of life: feelings, smells, and experiences. It’s difficult because a photograph is limited to two dimensions and a single point in time. It only captures what we can see, but we often want it to do more than that.

To make a good photograph, we want to be able to share a sensation or an experience. Fortunately for us, it’s not completely impossible.

One of the great things about humans is that we have a pretty amazing imagination. We can feel the texture of fur just by seeing a photo of it, we can almost smell the sea when we see an evocative picture of it. The challenge is to take a photograph that’s good enough to make the viewer feel what you want them to.

In this article, I want to share some tips that can help you capture one of those elusive things – affection. I hope you enjoy the ride!

What is affection?

If done right, affection is easier to explain with a picture than in writing – a picture is worth a thousand words and all that. Let me give it a try, though.

Affection is an expression of love and trust, a kind of comfortable tenderness, a warm and confident gaze that doesn’t need to be returned. It’s strength in selflessness and is a very private experience.

Like most other feelings, but perhaps even more so, affection is really hard to fake. It’s often found in the small gestures and mannerisms that have been built over time.

And that’s why it’s so challenging to capture, especially in people you don’t know well.

Why try to capture affection?

So you may be thinking, if it’s so difficult, why bother? What’s the point of struggling to capture something that exists in so many more dimensions than a photograph and that is such an intimate feeling?

First of all, the challenge is a good way to develop as a photographer and a human. It gives you the chance to try to capture something essential, positive, that which will one day be the greatest of memories.

Knowing how to photograph affection is a great way to offer family and friends, as well as customers, amazing images that show something real and beautiful.

How to capture affection

Capturing affection may be a bit difficult, but it’s definitely not impossible. If you’re a professional photographer, one of the challenges is that your models may not know you well enough to be comfortable around you.

Nervousness and discomfort don’t go well with displaying affection. Since you won’t have the time to get to know everyone you’re hired to photograph, you need to find other ways to inspire confidence in your models.

Even knowing someone well doesn’t mean that it’s easy to capture affection. Shyness or awkwardness may sometimes make it even harder to photograph the affection among your friends and family.

One way to get what you want is to catch a special moment without being noticed. This works well at a wedding shoot, a family gathering, or even when doing street photography. The important thing to think about here is consent and whether it’s a situation where it’s okay to take such a photograph.

Proper preparation

If you’ve been asked to photograph a couple, or a parent and a child, preparation is important. With just a little bit of effort put into creating a connection and making your models feel comfortable you can go a long way.

Sometimes moving to a place with fewer distractions might help. Other times being surrounded by others is the right thing. You have to read the situation and make the best of it.

Part of preparation is building trust. You can start way before the shoot by getting in touch with your customers and making them confident that you know what you’re doing.

Show them that you can be trusted to capture beautiful memories for them and that you’re there to support them in the quite unusual situation that a photo shoot presents.

And as always, practice makes perfect. You can learn to find and capture special moments by looking in places where you wouldn’t expect to find them. Photography is so much more than just pushing a button. It’s learning to see the world in a different way, learning to understand what you see, and learning to capture it.

Conclusion

How do you make sure you capture genuine feelings in your photos? Do you have any tips on how to capture affection or a photo that you’d like to share?

I’d love to get your suggestions and see your photos in the comments below!

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5 Tips for Doing Lifestyle Photo Sessions with Families

Even though I focus on weddings, I still do family sessions. Most of these are clients from when I started as a family photographer and I have built a relationship with over the years as well friends that they send my way. I find it a great privilege to see their children grow up and capture moments with them year after year.

But let’s face it, this doesn’t happen every month or every six months even. I am not there often enough to capture milestones or fleeting moments. Most of these are annual sessions where the family wants to document a point in their lives once a year. For this reason, I love and encourage lifestyle photo sessions so it feels like a series of snapshots of their daily lives are captured in a relaxed vibe.

What is a lifestyle photo session?

When I first mentioned this to my husband, he said he didn’t have a clue about what that even meant. A lifestyle photo session is one that is relaxed and focused on capturing moments and expressions, day-to-day activities and normal life scenarios, and nothing is too posed. Relaxed, candid shots, fun shots. Think less looking (at the camera) and more doing (action).

However, it is done with a lot of planning and intentionality for it to look as such. In this article, I will share with you five tips in my process of photographing family lifestyle photo sessions.

I am very much a planner and I like lists. I generally visualize things in my head first, go through it stage by stage, put this plan and an equipment list on paper and then I feel I’m nearly done. Then it’s just the shoot to get through but half the battle is already won.

#1 Plan in advance

Communicate your plan with the parents and instruct them on specific preparations in advance of the shoot. Agree on the most suitable time for them especially if the kids are really young. Advise them of outfits. Give them an indication of timings. For example, “We’ll spend an hour in your home and afterward go to a park or a nearby outdoor area for some fun action shots for half an hour”.

Ask them to prepare props that might be needed, snacks, and an activity. For example, if you are coming around at breakfast time, for them to get breakfast organized. This could also work for lunchtime (pizza-making, baking), bath times, play time (kite-flying in the park), etc.

#2 Have a formula

When you arrive, you should already have an idea of what to expect. Set up your equipment, line up your lenses where they are safe and have a mental (or physical) list of the following:

• Wide location shots
• Close-up detail shots of special things in the house
• Candid images
• Action shots
• Creative/artistic photos
• Portraits

#3 Get to know the family

Spend the first few minutes getting to know the entire family just as they are, not just the children. Join in whatever they’re doing upon your arrival and don’t change the setup straight away.

The children will feel comfortable and safe if they see you interacting with their parents and that they trust you. The kids will warm up to you faster that way than if you would just go straight up to them.

If you feel the kids need a break from you so that it stays all laid back and relaxed, ask to shoot the details in the house first.

You may need to move things around to style items or the parents may already have prepared these beforehand. Or if there are views outside the house, then take wide photos of them as well as a view into the house. These are part of their day-to-day story.

#4 Focus on natural moments

This is easier said than done because when there is a stranger in the house, it’s very difficult to be completely natural like nobody else is there.

My best tip is to do this using an activity. When the family is focused on what they are doing, try to be invisible and hide behind posts, kitchen cabinets, doors, etc., and capture the moment like you are not there.

You need to instruct the parents to initiate the activity, for example, reading books to the kids, playing with their favorite toys, watching their favorite program, etc. If you don’t get the shot you want the first time, you can always ask the parents to repeat the activity and have another go. Tell them not to look at the camera at all unless you ask them to!

This is also a great time to be intentionally creative with your compositions. You can put silhouettes, negative space and layering to great use and enhance your images.

#5 Don’t forget to capture portraits looking at the camera as well

This is really important not to overlook because grandparents always like shots of the kids looking at the camera! Try not to spend much time doing this, though.

Often I have to stage this, but try to do it really quickly. You can vary your angles too like asking the little kids to look up at you as shown below.

Lastly, always remember to take a photo of just the parents without the kids! They always consider it a treat and will treasure their portrait together.

Conclusion

Within that five-step plan, I can usually capture a great variety of shots from one or two planned activities. Although they are planned, they look natural and have a fleeting-moment-feel to them. This laid-back process works really well with really young children.

The older the kids get, the more amenable to instructions they become. Older kids may also have their own ideas of how they want you to capture them, and which props or toys they want to be incorporated into their images. So be open to their ideas too.

I hope you find these tips helpful. Do you have tips to add? Do share them in the comments area below.

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