Travel photography buying guide

Summer is Here!
A Travel Photography Buying Guide

So you’ve decided you’re going on a trip.

You’ve got an idea of where you’re going and you know what you might do there, now all you need is some help finding the right equipment to maximise your outdoor photography abroad.

Portable Accessories to Enhance Your City Snaps

We all enjoy taking a break in a different city - exploring the new environment, seeing the sights, and soaking up the culture. As soon as you get there, you’re instantly surrounded by all these photo opportunities. You take a few snaps of the landmarks and check them out, but they just don’t look quite “professional”. It’s often not down to your skills, or even your camera though, it’s the lack of proper equipment.

For stable shots of landmarks and daily life in new towns and cities, your tripod is your best friend. If you don’t yet have one for traveling with, you can’t go wrong with the Element range. The easy to use big model has ball head and independently-adjustable legs to set up on any surface, which are also removable for when you want to turn the tripod into a monopod. For those who need something for their CSCs, the small model is perfect for taking around with you wherever you go.

Another big hit with travellers is the Compact collection of tripods. The Compact Light is a great choice if you want to stabilise your Compact System Camera on the go. It’s portable enough to take with you anywhere - folding down to just 800gr and 39cm. With effortless camera connection via the wheel attachment, it’s easy to set up in seconds.

Now everyone knows how big of a difference the lighting in a photo can make, but not everyone decides to do something about it. To brighten up your shots for a professional and high-quality feel, the LED Lumimuse selection of lights are a stellar choice. We recommend them for your shots of adventurous new food dishes especially.

Travel Photography Packing Tips for Your Next Journey

Once you’ve chosen the accessories you want to take with you, you’ll want to plan out what else you’re going to pack. There are probably dozens of things you’d like to take, but there’s only so many items a bag can fit.

  • When it comes to packing for travel, being a minimalist is the way forward. Only take your favourite camera(s) and the most portable gear you have.

  • Always make a list of what you want to take before the day of travel. Work out your top picks before going, and then narrow it down as much as you can.

  • Don’t forget to keep your important items with you when flying. Your expensive camera gear is safer with you than it is in the maze of airport conveyor belts. Once you get it all to the other side, you’re all ready to go!

For those who need a bag specially to take your drone with you on your travels, give our Aerial Photography Buying Guide a read. Or if you’re on the hunt for exotic plants and animals abroad, we have a whole section of accessories perfect for wildlife photography

Travel gear for exploring

Taking your camera gear around with you can be a bit of a chore if you don’t have the right bag. That’s why finding a camera backpack to carry everything in is vital. You need something that can safely carry your equipment in, while being lightweight enough to take anywhere.

The NX bag collection is made up of bags of all different sizes with something for every situation. They offer superior protection with thanks to the Manfrotto Protection System, and are versatile enough to use for other everyday items too. There are five bags perfect for keeping your CSC and lenses in: a backpack, messenger, shoulder bag, holster, or a pouch.

To transport your DSLR in, we recommend the NX Medium Camera backpack for DSLR/CSC. It has enough space to fit a DSLR and lens, plus 2 spare lenses and accessories. The external tripod connection will even let you take your Compact Light or Element tripod with you. It’s our go-to choice for a travel camera backpack.

For all the adventurers among us, there’s the National Geographic bags to carry your camera for travel photography along to different environments. From the Mediterranean range inspired by travel and the sea, we recommend the mid-size backpack. Featuring a deep blue and white striped theme, it can hold either a DSLR or DJI Mavic Pro kit on those trips out on the ocean. When you need an all-in-one waterproof camera backpack, this range is made of water-repellent material to protect your gear from sea spray.

If you’re not a fan of the bags here, don’t worry. You can always check out our Camera Bag Buying Guide for more options.