10 Essential Tools for Your Camera Bag

Whether you’re going on a short photo walk around Bateman Island or a longer hike in the Cascades, these tools should always be in your camera/hiking bag.

1. Lens wipe and air blower – Conditions change frequently. If the wind picks up and you happen to get dust and dirt particles on your lens, use the air blower first. Only use the wipe for smudges.

 

1. Flashlight/headlamp – Do you like to photograph sunrises or sunsets? This is vital to safely get yourself to and from your destination. My preference is the headlamp for hands-free illumination.

 

1. Swiss Army knife or Leatherman tool – Stuff comes loose or breaks. Be prepared for the unexpected.

 

1. First Aid kit – Even the cautious ones slip and scrape a knee or fingers. Pack the basics – band-aids, alcohol wipes, antibiotic ointment or spray, first aid tape, feminine pads (sterile press for bigger cuts/scrapes), Motrin, a small sewing kit (sewing needles are great for splinters).  I carry mine on the outside of my bag for easy access.

 

1.  Water and snacks – “Hydrate or die” is Camelback’s mantra and great words of wisdom. Take along compact, nutrient dense, easy-to-pack snacks – seed/nut butters, granola bars, apple, trail mix, oatmeal or applesauce squeeze tubes. And don’t forget a baggie to pack out your trash. 

 

1. Eyeglass strap – Easy off when you want to take your photo and no worries about scratching or losing your glasses. Take it from a gal whose prescription glasses are likely improving the vision of an angler fish at the bottom of Monterey Bay Canyon.

 

1. Pepper spray and whistle – I’ve only ever met nice people on the trails, but I still carry these on a carabiner on my backpack shoulder strap for quick and easy access. Also, if you get injured, the whistle will help someone find you.

 

1. Portable chargers – Using apps drains your phone’s battery. Carry some backup power. If you’re going to an area that has no cell service (i.e. the mountains), make sure someone knows where you’re going and your return ETA. Also, a USB camera battery charger (which I actually keep in the car but it plugs into the portable charger, too). Recharge your camera battery in between shoot locations.

 

1. Rain covers – Don’t let the weather keep you from going out but be prepared. Take a rain jacket for yourself, a trash bag to cover your gear bag, large zipper bags or even a dry bag for your camera, and a compact umbrella. I photographed a burrowing owl during an uncommon rain in Arizona by keeping my umbrella over me and my camera. Had I left because of the weather, I would never have gotten the images of him bathing in the rain.

 

1. Paracord bracelet – Wear it on your wrist or click to your bag/backpack. You’ll have a 7’-9’ piece of rope that can easily and quickly be undone and used for an emergency situation as a sling, a tourniquet, or securing a splint. Clipped on your backpack, carry an extra water bottle, a reusable coffee mug, or a lunch bag. If you don’t have one, check out this video for how to make a paracord bracelet tutorial - https://youtu.be/UKSGg2IuCLI

 
I hope you find these tools helpful for your camera bag. Do you have any additional items you take with you? Please share.