
Picture this: You're about to go on the destination footage trip of a lifetime, but you can't bring all of your favorite equipment with you we've all been there. Which camera should I bring? Will I need this lens or that one? Next thing you know, you're sitting on your luggage, using all your strength to fit the zipper around your folded up tripod. Traveling can be stressful especially if you're a videographer or photographer. Not only do you want to make sure you have the right gear, but you also want to make sure it stays safe.
Lucky for you, we gathered advice from a few of our top-selling contributors who are always on the road and in the air with their gear. VideoBlocks contributors Gavin Hellier and Daniel Hurst and our founder, Joel Holland share their travel tips and favorite gear for on-the-go videography and photography. Take the guess work out of your planning and see what these pros have up their sleeves.
Tip #1: Take What You Need Before traveling anywhere there is one question you should ask yourself: What am I going to shoot? Whether it's video, photo, aerial, or time lapse, the camera and lenses you bring should reflect your shooting needs. So before you hit the road, it's important to know your subjects and the gear that's best-suited to capture them.
Gavin Hellier shoots time lapses and video, so he brings a trio of Canon 5D Mark III's to keep his options open on the photo side. I usually work with three cameras. Hellier says. Two are set up to shoot time lapse and one to shoot stills. For video, Hellier uses the Sony Alpha a7s II to capture the views in stunning 4K.
Check out this video from Gavin Hellier.
Daniel Hurst's weapon of choice is the RED Weapon. This workhorse of a camera shoots cinematic 8K with a dynamic range as large as the Pacific. Weighing in at only 3.3 lbs, it doesn't get much better than this. Purchasing the camera will burn a hole in your bank account, but renting it for bigger projects would be worth every penny.
Watch this video from Daniel Hurst.
In addition to well-suited gear, versatility is key when traveling. You need equipment that can do it all while maintaining a light footprint. A perfect versatile setup is the Canon 5D Mark IV paired with the Canon 24-105mm f/4 zoom lens. A favorite combo of Joel Holland, the 5D Mark IV takes amazing stills and packs 4K capabilities for video. The 24-105mm focal length is perfect for wide landscape shots and provides a good zoom length to get more reach. If I had to travel with only one lens, this would be the one, Holland notes.
Watch this video from Joel Holland.
Tip #2: Get a Quality Backpack Your equipment is as precious as a baby, and it should be treated as such. A quality backpack will keep your cargo safe and make traveling a whole lot easier. Both Holland and Hellier use Lowepro backpacks. They're comfortable, well-padded, and have plenty of storage for all of your gear. The Lowepro Photo Sport BP 300 AW II also has a built-in camelback for easy hydration.
Check out this video from Gavin Hellier.
Tip #3: Use the Light Around You All three of our featured contributors use natural lighting for most of their shoots with the help of a reflector. Depends on the situation, Hurst says, many times a pop-up diffuser/reflector is all I will need. Again, pack what you need. It's just not practical to carry studio lights that require power when you're hiking in the mountains. And it's impossible to light an entire landscape with a light that fits in your backpack. The solution: follow the pros. Both Hellier and Hurst use pop up reflectors to bounce or diffuse light with ease. Hellier uses handheld reflectors by Lastolite. For bouncing light on a budget, check out Neewer's 5-in-1 reflector.
Check out this video from Daniel Hurst.
But what good are reflectors if you plan to shoot long exposures at night? This type of shooting requires another tool an intervalometer. Holland uses an intervalometer to reduce any shake that comes from pressing the shutter button on the camera resulting in clean and crisp long exposures.
Watch this video from Joel Holland.
If artificial lighting is a must, then LEDs are the way to go. Small and portable LED lights are hot right now, and you can find them just about anywhere at an affordable price. The Aputure H198 Amaran packs a punch for its size and is perfect for getting extra light while on-the-go.
Tip #4: Bring Extra Batteries and Memory Traveling usually consists of over-shooting and long days away from plugs, so power and memory are of the utmost importance. Fortunately, batteries and storage have become extremely affordable. There is nothing worse than missing the perfect shot because you didn't spring for an extra battery or memory card. Joel says.
Watch this video from Joel Holland.
While grabbing extra batteries is a must for traveling, this also means more things to charge. Hellier provides great insight into solving this problem: Most of my work is based out of hotels, so I carry a bag of plugs, extension cables, etc, enabling me to charge multiple devices at the same time.
Check out this video from Gavin Hellier.
Storage wise, a few terabytes of memory cards and extra hard drives will serve you well. That way, you can backup your content and clear the cards for your next adventure.
Tip #5: Carry-on the Goods Like most valuables, you probably don't want to check your bag filled with expensive lenses and cameras only for it to get tossed around on a conveyor belt. Hurst, Hellier, and Holland agree that you should carry on any fragile equipment. Check ahead with the airlines and know the restrictions for checked and carry-on gear, Hurst notes. You may have to make room for any batteries or electronics that are carry-on only.
Watch this video from Daniel Hurst.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
30/04/2026
The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) concluded its third regular season on Saturday, reporting growth across attendance, viewership, digital engage...
30/04/2026
NBC Sports will air national MLB coverage on Sundays beginning May 3, with MLB Sunday Leadoff on Peacock and NBCSN at 12:30 p.m. ET, followed by the debut of th...
30/04/2026
Clear-Com has appointed Brian Grahn as Market Outreach Manager of the Americas and Ben Turnwell as Business Development Manager for EMEA live.
Grahn joined Cle...
30/04/2026
ARRI has introduced the cforce MAX, a new lens motor for the Hi-5 lens control system. The cforce MAX is twice as fast as the cforce plus motor it replaces whil...
30/04/2026
Knuerr, Voxtronic, and IHSE will jointly present an integrated control room solu...
30/04/2026
The CW Network and ESPN have announced an agreement to make the ESPN App the exclusive streaming home for all CW Sports live events. CW Sports will continue to ...
30/04/2026
Ed Sheeran's The Loop' tour launched in Auckland in January 2026 before moving on to Australia, with South America and the United States to follow late...
30/04/2026
Audinate has announced Dante Preset Creator, a free online tool for configuring Dante network settings before hardware is available on site. Presets created in ...
30/04/2026
Yahoo Sports has announced the appointment of Jarrod Schwarz as General Manager of Yahoo Sports. Schwarz will oversee product, design, and technology; revenue a...
30/04/2026
Nielsen has released a new report, Get Ready with Media Intelligence: 2026 FIFA World Cup Edition, examining U.S. soccer viewership trends, fan engagement, and ...
30/04/2026
USA Lacrosse and SportsEngine have announced an expanded partnership, naming Spo...
30/04/2026
Telos Alliance will participate in the 2026 Media Production and Technology Show (MPTS), taking place May 13-14 at Olympia London. Rather than exhibiting from a...
30/04/2026
The global streamer buys the U.S. DTC platform solutions provider for a reported...
30/04/2026
Tigo Sports, Paraguay's leading sports broadcaster, has upgraded its video infrastructure with Ateme solutions for live encoding, multiplexing, and signal c...
30/04/2026
World Rugby and IMG have announced a long-term media rights partnership focused on growing rugby in the United States ahead of the Men's and Women's Rug...
30/04/2026
For the second year in a row, Overtime and the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) are teaming up through a renewed content partnership to bring fans even...
30/04/2026
The 22-year ESPN vet's responsibilities will reportedly be taken over by SVP Mike Foss...
30/04/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
30/04/2026
Amazon and Duke University have announced a multiyear agreement for Prime Video to present exclusive coverage of three Duke Blue Devils men's basketball neu...
30/04/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...
30/04/2026
Music is evolving, and so are the ways you discover and connect with artists. In...
30/04/2026
Between April 22-29, the first inaugural Stockholm Music Week brought together thought leaders and partners across industries including music, tech, government,...
30/04/2026
Iconic large-format console upgraded
API's iconic Vision console has just been treated to an overhaul that aims to meet the demands of today's profe...
30/04/2026
Comes complete with miking accessories
The LCT 440 Pure has proven to be a popular member of Lewitt's mic line-up, offering impressive technical perform...
30/04/2026
24 October 2026 at The Octagon, Sheffield
Now in its eighth year, SynthFest UK is the largest event of its kind in the UK, bringing together the top keyboar...
30/04/2026
SBS & NITV LEAD NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK 2026 WITH LANDMARK GULPILIL DOCUMEN...
30/04/2026
Rohde & Schwarz equips new Terminal 3 at Frankfurt Airport with security scanner...
30/04/2026
Rohde & Schwarz expands broadband amplifier portfolio with new power classes up ...
30/04/2026
Jennifer Ehle (Contagion, Zero Dark Thirty) and Alex Hassell (Rivals, Wasteman, ...
30/04/2026
MELBOURNE, Fla., April 29, 2026 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) today announ...
30/04/2026
MELBOURNE, Fla., April 30, 2026 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) reports first quarter 2026 results.
Highlights
Orders of $7.8 billion; book-to-bill of 1....
30/04/2026
Behind the Broadcast: The Sound of Elite Golf Golf is gaining popularity; the 2025 Ryder Cup achieved record-breaking viewing figures in the UK specifically, wi...
30/04/2026
STA VENERA, MALTA, APRIL 29, 2026 CPI Media, a voluntary organization within the Missionary Society of St Paul (MSSP) and a leading media house dedicated to p...
30/04/2026
New software platform delivers comprehensive timing measurement across production workflows...
30/04/2026
Once again, the UK Pavilion in Hall 5 of BroadcastAsia 2026 will feature the latest and best in technology specifically developed and tailored for modern media ...
30/04/2026
Avid powers faster workflows and next-generation immersive audio with latest Pro...
30/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/04/2026
Scalable broadcast-grade production over public internet, replacing traditional OB workflows...
30/04/2026
Live demonstrations highlight LCEVC ecosystem momentum, AI-powered video pipelines, and expansion across broadcast, streaming, and social media.
DTV (TV 3.0) ...
30/04/2026
Student Spotlight: Matthew Leon The dual major shares his path from community college to Berklee, and how his heritage influences his work.
April 29, 2026
B...
30/04/2026
Berklee Artists to Perform at Major Global Music Festivals As part of the Berklee Popular Music Institute, students will perform at Lollapalooza, Governors Ba...
30/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...