How to pack your camera bag for a shoot

The last thing you want to happen in the middle of taking pictures away from home is realize that you have misplaced or forgotten equipment necessary to make your shoot a success. Using a gear bag and keeping it stocked with camera essentials will help you avoid situations like this during shoots. Included here is a list of fundamental items every photographer should have in their bag aside from extra lenses, filters, and other accessories.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Camera bag
• Batteries
• Extra rolls of film
• Spare memory cards (If using digital camera)
• Lens cloth

1. 

   Start by choosing a camera bag that will be able to protect your camera and the items mentioned above. A good camera bag needs to be sturdy, easy to open and close, and have plenty of room for your accessories.

2. 

   You'll need pack some spare batteries in your bag. Even a fully manual SLR camera still needs fresh batteries if it has an internal light meter. More importantly, digital cameras run solely on battery power and most of these cameras have a battery life of 2 hours before needing to be replaced or recharged.

3. 

   Extra rolls of film in your bag are also essential. You don't want to miss a great shot because you only brought one roll to an entire day's worth of shooting. If you are using a digital camera then you will need to keep extra memory cards in your bag as well for this same reason.

4. 

   A lens cloth or lens wipes can mean the difference between a lens with sharp clarity or a smudged up lens that robs you of a clear and defined photograph. Use this cloth to wipe off fingerprints and dust from your camera's lenses or LCD screen before and during picture taking.

Tips & Warnings

• If you digital camera comes with a charger be sure to include this in your bag as well. Being able to recharge batteries while away from home will allow you to take more pictures than just changing out the battery with the one or 2 extras that you brought.

• You never know when rain or a wet situation could arise. Keep plastic bags and rubber bands in your bag if you live in or are going to an area with a lot of moisture.