In this blog post I am sharing with you a list of some of the things I take with me when travelling as a content creator. I am not going to mention in this blog post my full packing list, just the things that help me with work. Some of the things may not apply to you but hopefully it will give you some ideas.
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1. Portable charger
With constantly using my phone, from taking photos and videos to managing my social media as well as using Google Maps, the battery drains really fast. One of the most important items that I always make sure to take with me is a portable charger.
This one is a small portable charger that you can use for your phone and camera.
I absolutely love working from coffee shops and beach bars but unfortunately there isn’t always a power socket nearby to charge my laptop. However, I recently got a portable charger that can charge bigger devices such as my laptop and it has been a game changer. Now I can work from anywhere without having to make sure I sit near a power socket. Here is the one I have:
2. Travel adaptor
If you are travelling to many different countries with different power sockets, you will need a travel adaptor. I knew I wanted to go to some European countries but also visit the US and Southeast Asia. So I needed quite a few adapters, especially as I have multiple devices to charge, such as my phone, camera, gopro, portable charger, laptop, etc.
If you have a MacBook like me, the Plug Bug by Apple is a great option. It has two USB sockets and one for a Macbook or an Iphone/Ipad, so I can charge my camera and another device as well as my laptop at the same time. It has 5 snap-on plugs that you can use in most countries such as the US, Canada, Japan, UK, Singapore, Europe, New Zealand, and China.
Another option, can be this all-in-one worldwide travel adaptor, which has 4 USB sockets and 4 international plugs for the US, UK, Europe, and Australia.
3. External Drive
4. Travel towel
I alway carry one with me one of my ?? towels as it can be used for different purposes. I can use it as a photo prop when taking photos at the beach/pool/lake (and of course dry myself) but I also use it to wrap around me for something different if I've been taking loads of photos wearing the same swimsuit.
This is my favourite travel towel. It’s super thin and light and dries really fast which is perfect for travelling and you can get it in different sizes and colours.
5. Phone camera adaptor
On my long term travels I always take my laptop with me, but if I’m just doing a short weekend trip or a day trip, I don’t usually take it with me. However, on my way back from a trip, if I want to start editing some photos from my camera, I can transfer them to my phone with an SD card reader. I already had one for my macbook but this one allows me to transfer them directly to my Iphone so I can edit them on the Lightroom app. This is very useful, especially when I am travelling on a long bus journey and helps to save time when I get back.
This one is the one I have for my Iphone 11:
6. Tripod
As I travel a lot on my own, I take all my photos and videos of myself with a tripod. This has been a huge game changer for me as I used to ask strangers to take photos of me but unfortunately they didn’t always come out as I wanted. With a tripod, I can take my time, choose the position of the photo and retake it as many times as I want. I put a timer on my camera or phone and shoot.
I also use the tripod to film myself for my youtube videos and to film steady shots when I am creating freelance content for clients.
I have two tripods which I use all the time at home and during my travels. One small one that bends and then my big one that extends.
You can also get this tripod phone mount to be able to use your phone on the tripod too:
7. Camera
I get a lot of questions on Instagram about which camera I use for my content so I thought I'd share it here. I have the Sony Alpha a5100 which is a compact mirrorless camera 24.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor and a 3" touchscreen LCD which can flip upward 180 degrees for easy self portraits and vlogging. The video quality is amazing and I love how the photos come out. I’ve had it for about 4 years now and I am very happy with it. It’s perfect for travelling and it is super light.
And here is the SD card to go with it:
8. Action Camera
Here is the action camera I have and I am super happy with. It works great for under water photos and videos and comes with all its accessories and extra batteries too. However, if you would like something with a bit better quality you can check out the GoPro.
9. Lip balm
One of the most annoying things with creating content in cold destinations is getting dry lips. No one wants dry lips in their photos/videos or when they are in a video conference call. I tend to get really dried lips and I have tried many different brands over the years but one of my favourite lip balms that actually works, is the Body Shop Hemp Heavy Duty Lip Care.
10. Headphones
Whether I’m on a bus listening to a podcast or at a cafe editing a video or in a business call, having headphones is a must for when I am travelling. I have used both, headphones and earphones, and don’t really have a preference so I’ll list them both down below
11. Laptop
I got my Macbook Pro about 3 years ago and I absolutely love it. It’s great for editing and it also makes it a lot easier for me to sync everything with my Iphone.
Macbook Pro:
Another great option is the HP Envy:
12. Cable case organiser
Having multiple chargers and cables for different things can get quite messy and tangled up when travelling. This cable organiser bag is a great way to keep all their cables and electronics’ accessories organised in one place.
13. Water Spray for hot destinations
I love taking summer photos but taking photos in the sun in a hot destination isn't always the most comfortable, especially if I want a non-sweaty one! I like to take a small bottle with me on photoshoots.
Setting spray for makeup:
14. Bow/hair tie
When travelling, my hair tends to get very messy from the heat, rain and wind, so I pack a pack of hair ties.
I also take 2-3 bow scrunchies with me as I like to put them on while taking photos for my Instagram or my blog and I love to add a pop of colour in my photos. And of course to manage my messy hair.
15. Editing software
This is not a physical item but an essential for me as a content creator.
Lightroom has been a game changer for me and I edit all my photos with it. I made my own presets which makes it a lot easier and faster to edit with just one click. You can make your presets or buy them online from many creators.
For video editing I use Premiere Pro which is also part of Adobe. You can either get it on it’s own for £19 per month or part of Adobe Creative Cloud.
Adobe Creative Cloud has more than 20 apps for photography, video editing, web design, social media, etc, including, Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, After effects
Get my presets here:
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