Traveling Light: Minimalist Photography Gear for London & Paris
On this trip, I opted for the least amount of camera gear I've ever traveled with. Yes, you heard that right! My aim was to keep it as simple as possible, ensuring I was present in the moments, especially with my family. You can see a handful of pictures at the end of this blog post.
Why Minimal Gear?
Primarily, my destinations were urban – London and Paris. I knew I wasn't going to be zooming into distant landmarks. My focus? Capturing memories of my wife, and son, a bit of the picturesque cities, and indulging in some street photography.
The Gear Breakdown
Bags: The nifty Tom Tuck five-liter bag was my main companion in London, accommodating my essential gear and even my wallet. Meanwhile, in Paris, where the concern of pickpockets looms, my three-liter bag from PGY tech came in handy.
Cameras: Breaking tradition, I left my Sony cameras and drones at home, relying instead on my iPhone 14 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. These phones were a game-changer, with the iPhone's Portrait mode bringing out the best in family snaps, and the Samsung phone excelling in zoom shots.
However, the real star was the Ricoh GR iiix. This lightweight camera was a gem for street photography. Holding it made me blend seamlessly into the crowd, unnoticed, and let me capture candid moments. The only slight drawback? It sometimes felt too close for the streets. This made me wish I had my Fujifilm camera or perhaps a regular GR iii for a wider shot.
Other Devices: My Samsung Tab S8 was an unexpected hero. Transferring photos was a breeze, and with dex mode, it pretty much turned into a Chromebook! Although I carried my MacBook Air, it never saw the light of day – a testament to how efficient the Samsung tab was.
Apps & Editing
While the stock camera apps on both phones served me well for captures, most of my editing was done on Lightroom. Occasionally, I also used Google Photos, especially marveling at its Magic erase tool. The latter would conveniently suggest unnecessary elements that could be removed with a simple click!
Traveling Light: The Key Takeaway
This trip reinforced a valuable lesson: Sometimes, less is more. As we grow, the desire for our tools to just work becomes paramount. For family vacations, a minimal setup like the Ricoh GR iiix is perfect, even though I adore my professional cameras. The crucial aspect is the memory itself, rather than the specific device used to record it.
Looking ahead, I'm eager to share more insights, especially on how Lightroom seamlessly tied all my devices together. But that's a story for another day.
If you are traveling with your family, especially with kids, and want to capture high-quality photos while keeping your gear to a minimum, remember to strike the right balance and use the appropriate tools. And as we cherish these memories years down the line, it won't matter if they were shot using an expensive camera or a smartphone. The emotion and the story behind each picture are what truly counts.
Until next time, keep traveling, keep capturing, and keep sharing those heartwarming stories! Safe travels!
