There are so many bags for every occasion available now from the likes of Lowepro, Kata and Tamrac. The ubiquitous Mini-Trekker from Lowepro has long been a perennial favourite due to its  versatility and convenient size for flying and most uses. For the Philippines I'll be using its successor; a Pro Runner 350AW. It's compact enough for the economy cabin on the long flight and has a slot for the laptop. I find this compartment handy not just for the computer when travelling but also when out in the field shooting; it's perfect for slipping an extra layer or waterproof into. But choice of camera bag aside what is really useful for extended photographic trips is to have a partner who is willing to forego all hold or carry on baggage allowances for the Greater Good of the Photographic Mission. I'll admit finding one is a lot more difficult then ordering a camera bag, they're not yet available from the likes of Calumet or Warehouse Express. Somehow I got lucky with a nurse from Devon in the mid Eighties, so now with two carry on photographic backpacks we can take virtually all the gear I need as carry on. That seems like a perfectly reasonable expectation to me, but I have heard of some partners who don't quite see it that way. With Wendy boarding with a second Mini-Trekker I can include more lenses and a spare 5D mkII body. I always travel with a backup body; I've not yet needed it but I'm sure as soon as I omit one I'll need it.

There are times when it pays to be working as light as possible. I saw recently a collection of images by a photographer who had travelled through India with just one lens; a 50mm f1.4; the pictures were brilliant. There's something to be said for such simplicity. Certainly in crowded streets and alleyways a big backpack and long lens is both obtrusive and cumbersome. In these environments too much equipment becomes an encumbrance that can actually hinder good photography. In between the stalls of brightly coloured vegetables, lemon grass and buckets of live fish in the markets of the Mekong Delta I'll often work with just a body over the shoulder and one lens, typically the 85mm f1.2. I may take a tiny micro-trekker with a wide angle zoom, but changing lenses in these cramped places isn't easy.

Canon 1Ds mkIII, 16-35mm lens. A big heavy bag in the crowded markets of Vietnam is an encumbrance.

Apart from portability protection is the key. Cameras and lenses should have a hard life, it's what they're for. Along the road no matter how much tender care you lavish on your equipment it is going to take some knocks. I know of one fellow professional photographer who actually drove over his own camera bag. I have to admit I laughed when I heard, but somewhat guiltily; I've come perilously close to doing the same. Clearly the more padding for protection in a camera bag the better. It's not going to help under the wheels of a 4x4 but travelling down the dusty trail of life it's surprising how much rough treatment a good bag can absorb whilst keeping the contents pristine. But if you really do want to drive over your gear and require bomb proof protection then hard Pelicases are the way to go. With their padded interiors and indestructible shells they give ultimate protection and peace of mind. I have occasionally flown with one padlocked and checked in as hold luggage; no burly baggage handler was a threat then. But inevitably they're weighty and likely to incur the dreaded excess baggage fees, and once on location they've all the convenience and portability of a coffin. They're great as a case for back up gear in the back of the car or hotel room, but hopeless for Pacific Island hopping.

The road to Ojo de Perdiz, high on the altiplano, Bolivia. Canon 1Ds mkIII, 70-200mm lens.

Camera bags are not the most exciting of purchases; we'd all probably rather contemplate our next lens acquisition. Choosing a bag is an important decision though, with all the  compromises and dilemmas we're so used to when choosing photographic gear. If you are an active photographer shooting in a variety of different situations no one bag is likely to suffice for all environments. You may not need five though. And I'd just like to stress before signing off that I have nothing against Ukrainian weight lifters or baggage handlers. I'm sure when we're at Heathrow next week they'll handle our bags with tender care. Won't they?

Biography

http://www.davidnoton.com

Born in England in 1957, David spent much of his youth travelling with his family between the UK, California and Canada. After leaving school David joined the Navy in search of further travels and adventures – and it was while sailing the seven seas that his interest in photography grew. After several years at sea he decided to pursue his passion for photography and returned to study in Gloucester, England.  After leaving college in 1985 he began work as a freelance photographer specialising in landscape and other travel subjects, which over the last 25 years, have taken him to almost every corner of the globe.

David is now established and recognised as one of the UK's leading landscape and travel photographers. His images sell all over the world – both as fine art photography and commercially in advertising and publishing. He has won international awards for: British Gas/ BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards in 1985,1989 & 1990 and also writes regularly about landscape and travel photography for a number of national and international magazines. David has worked for numerous clients including British Airways, Sainsbury's, Geo, Toyota, Qantas, Sunday Times and the Telegraph.  During the last twenty years he has also worked extensively for the National Trust covering much of the UK's landscape and coastline, which has featured in many high profile publications and several highly acclaimed photographic exhibitions. Most notably:

'New Vision' Contemporary Art Photography – AOP Gallery
'The Coast Exposed' – Maritime Museum Greenwich and the Lowry
'Climate Change – in Britain's Back Yard!' – London, Nottingham, Wales, Belfast, Bristol

“l'm still passionate about photography. All aspects fascinate me; from capturing the first light of day on a frosty landscape or making the most of a bustling market in Vietnam to portraying the dignity of a wrinkled face in China.”

David spends much of the year travelling with his wife Wendy. When not travelling they live in England, near Sherborne in Dorset.

All images in this article © David Noton

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