CAMERA CLINIC

Master the art of modern photography

- By Will Cheung

Travel and photography go hand in hand, and if you've invested a lot of effort and money in an adventure, you'll want to come home with memorable photos. That's always a challenge, though – while everything is new, novel and exciting, with so much to aim your lens at, a new destination can be overwhelming.

Of course, much depends on your trip and the reasons for making it. On a family holiday, your time for creative photography will probably be limited, so a simple camera outfit makes sense. If your trip is more photography-focused, the kit you need for a city shoot will be different from that needed for a landscape tour or a safari. So, to enjoy the experience and to make sure you don't miss out, you'll need to give the camera kit some serious thought.

Compromise is a major player when it comes to travel, whether that's with what clothing to pack or the camera equipment to take. The key thing is making sure you have everything you need to take the photos you want, but without having so much stuff that you end up bamboozling or overburdening yourself. Remember, you'll have to carry everything you take so, for example, if you're going to be walking lots in high temperatures, that dictates a different approach from a vehicle-based tour.

For a staycation, you might not bother with the laptop, but it's different with longer-haul travel, where it's a worthwhile, even essential, accessory. Taking a card reader and a portable, fast external hard drive means you can download, enjoy and back up your photos every day. If losing photos is your worst nightmare, take two external hard drives, preferably SSD-type, so you'll have three copies of your photos, including the original on the card. And finally, wherever your travels take you, stay safe.