Photography Tips: What should you have in your camera bag?

Don't let forgotten equipment make you miss the perfect photo opportunity

A few weeks ago, I headed out eagerly to the Maryland Faerie Festival to take some pictures of the sprites and elves and faeries that inhabit that locale every May. I was pretty excited, because kids in faerie outfits always make for adorable photography. After a 2-hour drive to get there, I pulled out my camera to snap a photo of the first little cutie who wandered by… And nothing happened. Frantic, I examined my camera, and only then did I realize that I'd left my memory card at home in my computer. It was a sad day in faerieland…

Okay, not really. I still had fun at the festival, of course. But boy, did I regret that little mistake! Here are some things you should always make sure you have in your camera bag, so you don't end up in a similar position. What you bring with you is obviously determined by what sort of photography you do; you'll need different equipment if you're shooting a wedding than if you're bringing your compact camera to a family day at the beach. But we'll focus here on things that are pretty useful for everyone.

Extra memory cards It's always a good idea to carry an extra memory card, even if the one you usually use has enough space to carry hundreds more pictures than you're likely to take. That way, if something happens to your regular card, you'll have a backup on hand. A case such as the Lowepro memory card walletwill keep your memory cards handy and safe, and it slips easily into a backpack or camera case.

Backup battery Almost as bad as forgetting your memory card is running out of battery power halfway through the day. Always make sure you've charged your camera's battery fully before you go, and make sure you have a good idea of how long that charge will last. If your camera takes standard batteries (like AAs), bring a set or two of extras. If it takes a proprietary battery, consider buying a spare — and don't forget to charge that, as well! You could also bring your battery's charger, though that will be less useful if you're somewhere without electricity.

Tripod Tripods have come a long way from the bulky, heavy devices of earlier decades. The tripods of today are amazingly light and quick to set up and well worth reserving a space for amongst the rest of your camera equipment. Even if you're traveling too light for a full-sized tripod, a Gorillapod or mini-tripod will prove invaluable. It's essential to have a way to stabilize your camera in low-light situations or if you want to take some timed exposures.

Miscellaneous stuff A microfiber lens cleaning cloth is an incredibly important thing to tuck into your camera case, to take care of those little smudges that inevitably crop up and can ruin otherwise beautiful pictures. The Dynex lens cleaning kit comes with a cleaning cloth, dust brush, and cleaning solution.

A small flashlight might seem silly until you're looking for the lens cap that just rolled under the car seat or into some other similarly dark corner. You might also want to toss in an energy bar if you're going to be spending a long day walking about somewhere, and don't forget essentials like sunscreen and a bottle of water if they're appropriate.

Specialty equipment While they might not be necessary for a family picnic, there are a few other things you might want to consider bringing with you. A bounce flash such as the Canon 270 EX Speedlite is excellent for providing indirect light for indoor shooting. Aim it at the ceiling or wall, and it will illuminate your subject without the harsh shadows created by the camera's built-in flash.

A collapsible reflector is another great tool for bringing light to your subjects without creating harsh shadows. Most reflector kits come with gold, silver, white, black, and diffusion panels to provide a wide range of lighting options.

If you're using a digital SLR camera, you'll probably want to bring a few different lenses and filters for different situations. A polarizer filter enhances color on bright, sunny days, for example. You might want to carry a telephoto lens for long-distance shots, as well as a wide-angle lens for panoramic views.

Don't bog yourself down!
It's easy to get caught up in trying to carry every piece of equipment you might possibly want with you at any given time. Be aware of how much weight and bulk you really want to carry around. If you're just going to the park with the kids, you probably don't want to lug around 30 pounds of gear. If you're photographing a birthday party in a dimly lit living room, you'll want to bring a tripod and maybe a bounce flash, but it's probably safe to leave the reflector and telephoto lens at home. Find a way to balance practicality with preparedness — but never leave home without the essentials!