Prepairing for a Photography Trip

Summer is here and tomorrow is going to be my first distant trip for taking photos. I will be making that 1.5 hr drive to Yellowstone National Park for the first trip of the season. The day before the trip there is some important things to do to be sure everything is ready so you can have an enjoyable trip and come home with great pictures. Here is a list of things to do to be sure you are ready the day before.

1. Be sure batteries are charged (if using regular batteries make sure you have plenty on hand, trust me you don't want to buy these in national parks).
2. Be sure all pictures are transferred from the memory card to your computer and then back them up to another drive if possible then format the memory card. Place memory card in camera before going any further.
3. Clean all lens so you won't have dirt or finger prints to interrupt the beauty of the images
4. Be sure, if you are using one, the secondary camera has batteries and memory card and in camera bag.
5. Check bolts on tripod making sure all are tight, tighten if needed.
6. Be sure to pack small tool kit (precision screwdrivers, allen/star wrenches, small pliers)
7. Pack spare lens caps, these seem easy for me to loose.
8. Pack spare lens cleaning wipes.
9. Pack the battery charger. This may sound odd, but if your batter dies you may be able to find a place to relax in a public area that has an outlet and then you have a fully charged battery again. This can be really handy, so don't forget the charger.
10. This one most people may not think of for a camera bag but is important to carry for outdoor shoots. Pack the sun screen. I'm lucky enough to have enough room in my bag to hold it. If you don't, pack it with the other things you bring such as drinks and snacks. Coming home sun burned can ruin a great trip.

As long as you make a point to be sure you have everything, a trip to do photography that you have to travel to can be fun and not a lot of stress. You will find, getting to a spot with a bear in the perfect location with an opportunity for that perfect shot, to find out you forgot you camera card can ruin at least the first part of the trip. Then when you get to the park store and find out that the camera cards are 4x the price as outside the park you will really be kicking yourself. So just do yourself a favor, take a little time and follow the list and make sure you are ready.

So with that, there won't be a post on Sunday which would be the next scheduled post  since I will be going through all the pictures that I will have taken. On Monday and over the next week or so I will be sharing the photos that I have taken. Hopefully there will be some great animal and scenic photos that I will be sharing.

Have a great weekend, get out, have fun, and take some great pictures. Remember to always be safe in all you do.