From lens cleaning cloths to a first aid kit: Must-have non-photography gear for your photo kit

 

 

Fstoppers Alex Cooke has written a very helpful article about "15 Little Things You Should Carry in Your Camera Bag." We certainly think about the photography gear we should be carrying, cameras, lenses, filters, tripods, etc. But we don't often think about the non-photography gear that can prove to be the difference between making a great shot or not, or gear that can save your bacon in the field.

Suppose you're a portrait photographer. You've remembered to bring your camera, perhaps even a back up, extra batteries, reflector, your fast prime lenses and all of that necessary photo gear. Your model has a runaway hair or two, what are you going to do? You can't fix that with a lens and retouching it later takes an eternity. Cooke recommends having hair spray in your photo bag for this very situation. What about a dirty lens? Lens cloths! Easy to forget but invaluable when you need them. Same goes for a Rocket Blaster blower. I can't tell you the number of times I've had to clean gear in the field and been saved by those two items. They are simply must-haves.

 

Zeiss lens cloth (left) and Giottos Rocket Blaster (right)

Depending on your climate and what you're up to, bug spray and a flashlight could be critical small items to stow away in your photo bag. I personally opt for a headlamp instead of a flashlight when I am working in the dark, I can keep my hands free. You never know what could happen in the field, so a first aid kit is always a good idea. Minor incidents can happen anywhere, it's always best to be prepared for them.

There are plenty of other useful items Cooke mentions in his list, so be sure to check it out. Readers, what are some must-have items for your photography kit? Has any non-photo item saved you out in the field? Let us know in the comments below.

(Via Fstoppers)