Photo credit: “Safe and Sound” by Edward M. Fielding – https://edward-fielding.pixels.com/featured/safe-and-sound-edward-fielding.html
Traveling around the world can present its own challenges of keep your gear and your person safe and sound.
Perils of falling off a cliff, having your gear stolen, being exposed to the elements, or even being detained by customs officials over suspicious activities or equipment are all a possibility when traveling.
Depends on the country and area you are traveling but dangers of getting hurt, mugged or having a car broken into exist all around the world, even seemingly safe areas of the Western world.
Parking a car full of expensive camera gear and then going off on a long hike is never a good idea in a remote area of the Utah or even on Maui, Hawaii or the streets of San Francisco.
Smash and grab crime is up around the world because it is so easy to sell used camera gear online. Ebay is full of stolen gear picked off of unsuspecting tourists who falsely believe that just because they are in a National Park parking lot or even in broad daylight on the street of a major city, that a few glass windows will protect their stuff.
by Edward Fielding
It even happened to Mads Peter Iversen, the Swedish landscape photographer who made an epic trip to the American West. He parked his rental car in a remote parking spot, went off to photograph and came back to find his window smashed an remaining gear gone.
In some places, pickpockets are prevalent. So you have be smart and carry a money belt and don’t flash money around or look like a tourist.
Even on a cruise, if you stop off at
One option
The other option is to only bring the gear that you intend to carry at all times. Put it all in a backpack, carry it all on the hike and leave the car empty. Make it very apparent to any would be thief looking in the car window, that there is nothing of value in the car.
If you’re in Yellowstone for example and are bringing a huge wildlife lens, don’t pack a plethora of other “nice to have” lenses. Just concentrate on the main task and bring it with you when you leave the car.
The other smart travel idea is to be sure to get a hotel or motel room with a safe. I did this in San Diego where the staff seemed to be in the room multiple times a day clean or dropping off water bottles and extra towels. I had any lenses that I wasn’t using in the safe as I was out exploring.
No Photograph is Worth a Life
Besides safeguarding your gear, keep yourself safe. No photograph is worth dying over or being gored by a buffalo. Bring a long telephoto lens for wildlife, no need to try to get up close to dangerous animals. Besides in most places its against the law to get within a certain distance to wild beasts.
by Edward Fielding
And no one cares or wants a photograph looking straight down an abyss. Don’t over barriers and shoot straight down some cliff. The resulting photograph is not going to look as impressive and scary as you think it is. I’ve seen this all over the place from Yellowstone to Bryce.
People hopping over safety railings on to slippery ledges thinking they were the first person in history to come up with the “amazing idea” of taking a selfie on the edge of a
It’s just dumb. Don’t do it. Think before you step in front of a bus or back into a cactus, step on to a rattlesnake, slip into a river, or even lean against a scalding hot car that is baking in the desert sun. Stay safe!
Professional Quality Small Travel Camera Suggestions
Fujifilm X-T30 Mirrorless Digital Camera w/XF18-55mm Kit – Charcoal Silver
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III Digital Camera – Wi-Fi Enabled
