#10 - The five things to take in your photo bag.

Your photo bag needs to go on a diet.

I can’t tell you how many times I hit the zoo with the kids and I see dad after dad, weighted down by a 40-pound backpack full of photo gear – just to get a snapshot of the little ones at the tiger cage. In fact, I used to be that guy (that's me four years ago up above -- note the superheavy sling bag over my shoulder).

When it comes to a good snapshot, you don’t need a monster sack full of stuff. To “catch the moment,” there’s only one important rule – catch the moment. If you’re bogged down by lenses and other photo gunk, you’re going to spend more time figuring out what you need than you are taking pictures.

And by then, your five year old will no longer be doing that cute thing he was just doing.

Yes, you want to travel with enough stuff to get the right shot – but when it comes to getting a good snapshot, you only need enough stuff to get you out of trouble. Here’s what to bring along:

A lightweight photo bag.

Bring something with two straps to share the load along both shoulders.

A mini tripod.

Very handy for low light photos and self-portraits. Go one better and invest in a bendy Gorillapod.

One extra memory card.
Because you forgot to empty the one in your camera.

A mini pack of Hnadiwipes.

For messy faces, sticky hands and touchups.

Your camera.

Make sure your camera strap is securely attached.

If you’re a little more advanced, you’re going to want an external flash, a small stack of index cards. We’ll cover off the whys and hows in another post.

Know what you don’t see on this list? An extra battery. Make sure your original battery is new(ish) and fully charged, and it’ll click along for a complete day.

And that’s it. If you know how to take a good photo with your little point and shoot, you won’t need to bring along everything you spotted in the camera store. Get out there, start shooting and have fun.