Photography Travel Preparation Tips

Travel preparation for your photo shoot is a very important aspect to help assure a carefree and successful trip. This article isn’t about what to pack, but rather a few tips of what you should do leading up to the trip. The tips could apply to any trip, photography related or otherwise.

Educating yourself about the location you are going is a vital preparation to make the experience as hassle free as possible. The internet is an excellent source of information for articles on your selected location. Many sites will permit you to request informational brochures, tourist guides, and maps. You’ll need to request these well in advance of your trip so they arrive in time for you to review them.

Good sites can be found by searching under travel and tourist bureaus and Chambers of Commerce for the specific geographic location or checking travel related sites like GORP, Lonely Planet, or Fodor’s.

The local library often has travel brochures in their vertical files that you can checkout and of course books on your chosen destination. If I have sufficient time I like to hit the bookstore for books on anything related to my trip and maps. I find the cost is well worth what I save in time and frustration by becoming knowledgeable about my location before I go.

I prefer the local bookstore for books rather than ordering through the internet since I like to peruse the contents before buying. Often the bookstore will order a book for you and if you don’t like it you have no obligation to buy.

I like to research for my trip in advance because it can save me valuable time on the road and therefore doesn’t cut into my trip time. I like to mark my personal map on where specific sites or subjects are by using markers of different colors to represent different subjects.

For instance, if I am on a trip to photograph waterfalls in a particular state or area I’ll mark their location on the map using one color and then use another color to mark wildlife refuges or such. I know at a glance where each is located and which is which. Personally the trip preparation is part of the fun of the trip for me due to the anticipation.

The U. S. Department of State is another good source for trip preparation for things like travel warnings, Visa requirements, and necessary vaccinations or prophylactic measures warranted for a specific country or area especially if destined for a foreign country. Check their web site at U.S. Department of State

There may be requirements or recommendations for things like malaria, yellow fever, or cholera that you will need to prepare for in advance. Be sure your passport is up to date as well.

You might also avoid a local revolution or coup d’etat by checking the travel warnings. You wouldn’t want to find yourself in a riot and wind up as a substitute for a burning effigy if the local mob should run out of papier-mache and straw.

What about your transportation needs? Will the ferries be running or have a reduced schedule for that time of year if you are headed for a particular location that may require such travel? Will roads be closed due to snow, if so, is there an alternative route? Do you need advanced airline reservations? Think through your transportation options. Perhaps you need to change plans and travel a different time of year.

Will that waterfall you have been wanting to capture in all its glory be in full display? Falls are usually best in spring after the winter snow melts if they are fed by mountain streams. Check their source and the conditions for the season you will be there.

Will lodging reservations be paramount due to a crowded travel season, holiday, or convention being held at your destination? For instance, places in New England like Vermont and New Hampshire during the peak of the fall foliage season can be a nightmare if you do not have a lodging reservation on the weekend or Columbus Day holiday weekend. Weekdays like Monday through Thursday are easier to deal with if you don’t have a reservation, but you still may have to work at finding a vacancy. Make preparations in advance according to your travel destination and time.

Do you have the proper clothing, gear, and supplies for your destination to make it a comfortable trip? For instance, will you need thermal underwear, sunglasses, mosquito repellant, etc. for the location and activity you have chosen? You may need to order something, so plan ahead.

Be sure to checkout any new photo gear or equipment you have acquired before you leave for your trip. Don’t wait till you get in the field to test your new lens or gizmo. First you want to make sure it is working properly and you also want to be proficient with it. You would hate to miss that once in a lifetime shot of the Loch Ness monster or Bigfoot just because you failed to become familiar with your gear in advance. Your own backyard can be sufficient for testing equipment in many cases.

Finally, there is the Pre-trip “To Do List”. Whether you keep an actual written one or just a list in your head, you will have some “to do’s” and this list will vary according to individual personal needs. I have a few suggestions here that may apply to some or all, but hopefully it will get you to think of your own as well.

Hold the mail and have the papers stopped or get a neighbor to do this for you. Arrange for lawn mowing as the season dictates. How about the three P’s, pets, pipes, and plants? Have you arranged for the care and feeding of Zeke and Natasha? Will indoor or outdoor plants need watering while you are gone? In the south they lay water pipes in the attic, so when I travel in the winter I turn my water off before leaving to prevent a calamity in the event the pipes should freeze and burst. Make these preparations as they apply to you.

Are all necessary reservations made, ie. car rental, airline, lodging, and parking? Many airport parking facilities now provide reservations for parking if you will be leaving your car in one of their lots. I have found these a life saver when traveling during a holiday like Thanksgiving.

Consider a taxi if you can’t find someone to drive you to the airport and the cost of leaving your car in a lot will prove more expensive based on the length of your trip. Weigh the pros and cons of each.

Pay all your bills that may be due while you are gone and order any medications and supplies so you have adequate amounts for the time you will be gone.

Check home security devices or deterrents like lights, radio, etc. to make sure they are up to snuff. If you need corrective lenses make sure you have a spare set of glasses or contact lenses and supplies. How about important documents like insurance, copies of prescriptions, and special products for babies, the elderly and medically fragile family members if they will be traveling with you? Gather these or get the necessary items as the case may be.

Be sure to gather contact information and phone numbers of the airline, car rental agency, motels, etc. as the case may be for your trip. Also gather the telephone numbers and/or e-mail addresses of any relatives, neighbors, or other parties you may need to contact while on the road.

These tips won’t be comprehensive for all individuals, but hopefully they will prevent some traveling headaches and even spark some ideas unique to your own lifestyle or situation. The three most important things for a carefree and successful trip are preparation, preparation, and preparation!

Bon Voyage!

authored by Lon Britton