We can’t quite believe it too, but it looks like we might be packing our bags and setting foot on an airplane this summer. We don’t want to jinx it, but things are looking good! For the travel photographer, this can bring another dimension of stress to your holiday. We know your camera is your pride and joy, your life source and even your income, and must be protected at all costs. Here are some of our handy tips and tricks when travelling with your camera gear. 

Firstly, don’t even turn up at the airport if you haven’t got insurance. Not only is this incredibly risky as you really do never know what will happen abroad, but the constant stress of knowing that if it gets stolen or broken you have nothing to fall back on will eat you alive - trust me that this is 110% worth the investment. When you have the security of getting a new piece of kit if the worst happens, you can relax and enjoy yourself as you deserve to. 

Next up, and in the same vein, is ensuring that you back your photos up from your camera to your laptop as often as you can. This keeps your mind at ease knowing that if you lose your camera, all of your precious work so far is safe. Along with that, make sure your laptop has a good backup system with plenty of storage space! These days, with travel and expensive technology becoming more and more common, you really cannot be too careful. 

You’ve invested in a good camera, lens and tripod. Now, make sure you invest in a quality camera bag that will keep your precious kit safe and well protected. There's a whole host of brands dedicated to this task alone, but we have a good suggestion for you. Our personal favourite is WANDRD, a brand from over the pond who hold functionality and looks to be equal in importance - something we at Gearing strongly agree with. Another part of their appeal is that they don’t look like your typical camera bag, meaning that they are a lot less obvious to thieves and thus your gear is safer. 

Wherever you're travelling, you are at risk of your gear becoming wet from rain, sea or humidity. There are a couple of obvious ways to keep your things dry such as waterproof bags, extra internal sealing if you could find yourself in tropical rain, and a rain cover on top of your bag. But another little trick that I have found works super well, is to put silica gel into each compartment of your bag. Remember those tiny little sachets that your mum told you not to eat when you were little? They are super absorbent and will keep your gear nice and dry. 

I am guessing if you’re off on holiday this summer you’ll be heading somewhere warm, but later in the year, if you find yourself in colder climes we have some travel hacks for looking after your gear. Camera lenses are sensitive to very cold weather, and can crack, ruining your photos for the trip. Wrap your lenses in a thick pair of woolly socks to keep them warm and safe. 

Batteries are super sensitive to the cold - we all know how badly our iPhones work in the winter - and camera batteries are no different. Put a hand warmer in the compartment that you keep them in and this will do wonders for saving them. They won’t get too hot either, so you don't need to worry about damaging the battery. 

And finally, for both hot and cold weather, as soon as you are back from your day out shooting, take your camera out of your bag and allow it to dry out entirely. Any condensation left inside will damage the camera and lens, so it is crucial to take them out of your bag and away from trapped moist air. 

We hope you find these tips useful, let us know if you have any other ideas on how to keep your gear safe while abroad!