Leatherman / Multitool
Lens Cloths / Microfibre Towel
Lens cleaning wipes
Camera Cover / Shower cap
Spare Memory Cards
Spare Camera Batteries
Headlamp / Flashlight
Apple Air Tag
Mini First Aid Kit
Electrical Tape
Mobile Phone
Waterbottle
Rocket Blower
Wet wipes
Carabiners
Tie Straps / Velcro Straps
Utility Cord
Silica Gel
Lens Pen
Camera Bag Rain Cover
Leatherman / Multitool - A multitool is probably the number one thing that I make sure I ALWAYS carry with me when I am out shooting. A multitool has so many uses and is invaluable, whether it’s to tighten screws or to repair something that has broken in the field, this is a must-have. I have always used the Leatherman tool, I currently use the Skeletool, which is a compact, ultra-light multi-tool with a combo knife, bit driver, pliers, and more.
Lens Cloths / Microfibre Towel - I usually carry a couple of these on any trip, I use the Sigma lens cloths which are fairly large (30cm x 30cm), meaning they can absorb more water before getting soaked. When its raining or when shooting waterfalls, I always carry two of these in my jacket pocket for quick access.
Lens cleaning wipes - These are great for cleaning the front element of lenses and filters from grime and fingerprints. They come in individual sachets, each sachet contains a pre-moistened cloth that lifts dust and marks straight off your lens and then the moisture evaporates completely with air. Clean glass is important for keeping your images looking great!
Camera Cover / Showercap - I no longer use bulky camera covers, instead I always carry a couple of transparent shower caps which I will use in snow/rain or when working near waterfalls. Shower caps are great because they don’t take up much space, they’re easy to get a hold of (Most hotels provide them for free) and they do the job perfectly!
Spare Memory Cards - There are two main reasons for this, the first is to ensure that I have enough space to comfortably capture all the images from a trip without having to delete or overwrite any images. The second is redundancy, although I usually back up my images daily, I also swap cards each day so that if I were to lose a camera, I would only lose the shots from that particular day.
Spare Camera Batteries - Having spare camera batteries is one of the most simple, yet vital ways to ensure you capture as many great images per trip as possible. I always carry 4 spare batteries in my camera bag. With landscape Photography, you never know how many images you will capture in a day, it could be a handful of images, or if the light and conditions are good, it could easily be several thousand images. Having those spare batteries puts your mind at ease and helps ensure you don’t miss the shot!
Headlamp / Flashlight - When heading out into the great outdoors, you always need to be prepared for any eventuality. Even though most of the time I plan to be back at my car or indoors before it gets dark, there are times when I am out all night, whether it’s hiking to a location for Astrophotography or hiking out to a sunrise location, a good headlamp is a priority. I solely use Nitecore headlamps, they are reliable, lightweight, and provide great functionality.
Apple Air Tag - I always carry an Apple Airtag in my camera bag (Indeed I have Apple Airtags in all of my bags, including my laptop bag and my suitcases when traveling). This is an incredibly useful tool to have in case the worst were to happen and you were to leave your camera bag behind or it got stolen.
Mini First Aid Kit - A small first Aid kit should be in everyone's bag. They take up very little space, weigh nearly nothing, and can help you out in a bad situation. I have a more robust kit which I carry when running workshops, and a smaller basic kit for when I head out alone to shoot. A bandage, plasters, disinfectant spray, an emergency blanket, antiseptic wipes, pain relievers, and self-adhesive wrap.
Electrical Tape - This is an essential part of any photographer’s kit! Whether it’s repairing a tripod leg in the field, covering a blinking light on your camera, or taping the focus ring down so that it doesn’t accidentally get bumped, electrical tape is one of the most important things to carry in your camera bag.
Mobile Phone - Having a charged mobile phone is crucial, whether its to check where the Sun will set or the Moon will rise on the Photopills app, or to contact the emergency services in case of an accident, ensure you have sufficient battery on your phone, if you don’t, bring a small powerbank.
Water bottle - A good quality, BPA-free bottle is a must-have, especially when out on location for several hours and when hiking. I found the Life Straw bottle to be my favorite, it allows you to filter water as you drink, enabling you to fill the bottle from lakes, streams, or ponds and not have to use water purification tablets.
Rocket Blower - A rocket blower is a dust-removal tool. It is used to safely blow clean air to eliminate dust from sensitive or hard-to-reach surfaces, such as those on lenses, cameras, and filters. A rocket blower is an indispensable tool for any photographer, there are different sizes of rocket blowers, depending on your needs, I use the small one and it is ideal for a landscape photographer / traveling photographer.
Wet wipes - If you spend a lot of time shooting by the sea and salt water, I recommend carrying a packet of wet wipes in your camera bag. These can be used to clean a camera or lens in the field if it has been exposed to highly corrosive sea salt/spray. When choosing wet wipes, ensure they do not contain bleach or other corrosive chemicals as these may damage your camera or lens.
Carabiners - I use several different sizes and types of carabiners with my camera bag, whether it’s to hang my water bottle, my Garmin InReach Satellite communicator, or a sleeping bag. A good aluminum carabiner weighs nothing but makes it quick and easy to attach stuff to your camera bag.
Tie Straps / Velcro Straps - I carry a short length of velcro strap and a few tie straps with me at all times, these have proven to be very handy over the years, whether they were used to strap the cable of my remote camera release to my tripod leg on windy days or to attach hand warmers to my camera to prevent dew buildup when shooting at night.
Utility Cord - This is another one of those must-haves for any outdoor photographer. Whether you need to tether your tripod to the ground on a windy day or make a quick repair in the field, a good quality utility cord (Ideally from a climbing shop) can help get you out of a messy situation.
Silica Gel - I leave a couple of silica gel packets in my camera bag to help deal with humidity. Silica gel is a desiccant, which means that it's used to keep things dry. Keeping Silica Gel packets in my camera bag is particularly helpful when shooting on those very rainy days when everything is soaked.
Lens Pen - A lens pen is a must-have to keep your glass nice and clean! Lens pens usually include a soft brush which is perfect for removing any loose dust or debris, but the magic happens when using the carbon cleaning element of the lens pen. This cleaning element is made of a special carbon compound that removes the fingerprint oils from glass (In the same way our grandparents used newspapers to clean windows and mirrors back in the day).
Camera Bag Rain Cover - When spending time outdoors, you will inevitably be caught out in a storm or rain shower, having a waterproof cover for your camera bag is vital to protect your expensive camera gear, but also ensure your bag doesn’t get covered in mud! Most camera bag manufacturers include camera bag covers or offer them for sale separately. A cheap alternative to a camera bag cover is a large bin bag.