The Corporate Photographer's Professional Travel Kit

As you're reading this, there’s a good chance I’m currently somewhere between 30,000 feet and a baggage carousel. Travel is a huge part of what we do at The Mamones LLC. Whether it’s flying out for a multi-day summit or driving across Texas for a high-stakes brand shoot, being "on the road" is a consistent, and for good reason. Sometimes, our clients work with us for the first time in the Texas but have photography and videography needs from Dallas to destinations around the world so they invite us to join them on the road. Other times they aren't local but are referred to us by clients, venues and production teams so our relationship starts on the road. Either way, we're headed for an airport, train station or packing up the ole' Pilot for a destination conference, event or commercial project.

But here’s the thing: travel photography isn't the same as a local project. When you’re hired to professionally document a live event or creative project, in a different state or even a foreign country, the stakes are higher. You can't just run back to the studio. Sometimes you can't take a trip to the store or place a next day order either.

To survive and thrive as a dallas event photographer on the go, you need more than the basics. It's going to take more than a nice camera and a plane ticket. You need a system that functions like a well-oiled machine, a backup plan that would make NASA jealous, and the "wow factor" that transforms you from a basic vendor into an extra Creative Extension of your client’s team.

Cameras, Cards, Batteries & Digital Checklists...oh my!

You want to look at a travel photography project a little like camping. If you need it there, you've got to bring it there. Then when you leave you need to make sure that if you packed it in, you gotta pack it out. You do not want to forget an essential part or accessory because you can not assume that you can get it there. We use exhaustive digital checklists for every specific type of job. A portrait session in a hotel requires a different kit than a three-day conference in a massive convention center. By using inventory management tools, we ensure that every piece of glass, every battery, and every tiny adapter is accounted for before the Thinktank is zipped up and ready to go.

"The mark of a true professional visual artist isn't the gear they own; it's the system they use to ensure that gear makes it to the gig and is ready to go when their client is."

There is no perfect or right way to do this, there is only to make sure it gets done. We use a digital checklists. We have a different list for the different markets, segments and project types we travel for to ensure we never miss a beat...or a click. Timing matters too. You do not want to run through your list and pack your bag the day before you travel. Leave yourself some time to replace a piece or part that is worn out or get some new cards, drives and batteries so you don't have to worry about running out of room or power on the road.

The Backup Bible: The 3-2-1 Rule on the Road

Redundancy is a love language in the world of high-end media. If you are a dallas event photographer traveling for work, your biggest nightmare isn't a delayed flight: it’s data loss.

When we’re on the road, we live by the 3-2-1 Backup Rule:

• 3 copies of the data.
• 2 different types of media.
• 1 off-site or separate copy

We refined our system over the last two decades to ensure we minimize the potential for data and therefore image loss to the lowest possible risk:

1. We only use cameras with dual card slots. Every shutter click writes to two separate cards simultaneously. That’s your first layer of defense. If one card fails (and they do, eventually), the other is right there waiting.
2. The moment we get back to the hotel (no matter how late it is and how much we want to hit the sack...or lobby bar), we create a redundant backup. We duplicate everything we captured to a primary SSD and we safely one of the two cards away without clearing or shooting on it again throughout the trip.
3. For the most critical "hero" shots of the day, we initiate a cloud upload via the hotel’s Wi-Fi (or a dedicated hotspot). This ensures that even if a bag is stolen or a drive is dropped, the client's most essential professional event photos is safe in their password protected gallery.

Protips:

• Keep the various copies of the image files separate from each other
• Make sure that at least one copy is not in your camera bag.
• Never, under any circumstances, put your drives or cards into luggage that gets checked or transported by someone else. That includes bellhops, bus transfer, luggage delivery or pickup.

It’s about peace of mind. When I finally slow down to join the client for dinner, meet the team for a beverage or rest my head on the pillow hoping for some well deserved rest, I want to know: with a maximum amount of certainty: that their day's assets are secure. That level of proactivity and dependability is part of our Signature Studio philosophy and something that our client expect, appreciate and are will to invest in.

Exceeding Expectations: The "Hearts & Flowers"

Systems and backups are the "nuts and bolts" that keep you in business, but the remarkable experiences you create are the "hearts and flowers" that have your clients falling in love with you. We don’t just show up to take photos; we show up to solve problems & create opportunities. We are a creative extension of their team which means we are in it to win it for whatever they need to ensure their event is wildly successful. And, I don't just mean photography or videography. Sure, that is our first priority but we routinely help with tasks that just need to be done and we are available and capable to do it. Stuff bags with the team, sure. Alphabetize name badges, you bet. Exceeding expectations means doing unexpected things. Sometimes that means with your camera and computer other times it means with your head, hands or heart.

We get to know our clients. They work really hard and, most of the time, they are looking out for everyone and everything else while nobody is looking out for them. Imagine how fortunate they feel when they realize we're looking out for them. We've had clients so grateful they cried when we showed up with something we just knew they needed because we cared enough to pay attention: their favorite specialty coffee, a tea when they started to lose their voice or a nutritious snack when they haven't had time to eat. When you show up like this on a project, you aren't just a photographer anymore. You’re their partner.

Packing the "Signature" Energy

Transitioning our business from long wedding weekends to the high-pressure fast paced environment of corporate and commercial work required a audit to review and refine how we handle logistics. We traded the ballroom for the boardroom, and our travel systems reflects that. Every piece of gear we pack, every backup drive we sync, and every "sneak peek" we deliver is designed to reinforce the idea that The Mamones are more than just a photographer. We are a strategic asset and a creative partner.