How to Carry Photography Gear: Choosing Equipment for Long Trips

Core Principles: One Body, Two Lenses Camera Body: One. The weight and risk of carrying a backup camera on long trips outweigh the problems it solves (modern cameras have very low failure rates). Lenses: One wide-angle (14–35mm) covering architecture, canyons, and interiors; one mid-telephoto (70–200mm) covering compression, details, and portraits. If a third lens is needed: 35mm or 50mm prime. Light, high image quality, suitable for street and cultural photography. China offers a vast range of photographic subjects, but the opportunity cost of changing lenses is high (dust, stairs, crowds), making the two-lens combination the optimal solution in practice. Accessories Tripod: Carbon fiber travel tripod (1–1.5 kg). Essential for sunrise, sunset, and night scenes. Some scenic spots forbid tripods (Forbidden City, Mogao Caves, some temples), check before going. Filters: CPL (to remove reflections, essential for highland and water surfaces), ND1000 (long exposure during the day), GND (control dynamic range at sunrise and sunset). Square filter systems are more flexible than screw-in filters. Shutter release or intervalometer: For night photography and time-lapse. Cleaning: Air blower, cleaning pen, microfiber cloth. Essential in northwest China and desert areas. Memory Cards: At least two, to spread risk. Export one copy daily to an external hard drive or laptop. Batteries: 3–4 pieces. Power drains quickly in highlands and cold winter. Protection Camera Bag: Backpack style, with side access to the camera. Long trips with a shoulder bag will damage your shoulder. Rain Protection: Raincoat or rain cover. Needed in Jiangnan’s plum rain, Southwest monsoon, and mountain afternoon thunderstorms. Dust Protection: Use sealed bags or dust covers in northwest China and desert areas. Change lenses in sheltered areas (or inside the car). Frost Protection: In Northeast China during winter, keep spare batteries in inner pockets; put the camera in a sealed bag before entering indoor spaces to prevent condensation. Impact Protection: During trips by car, do not put the camera in the luggage compartment; keep it at your feet or on the seat (road conditions are poor in some areas of China).

Things Not to Bring

• The third of the “big three” (three f/2.8 zoom lenses).
• Heavy tripod (over 2 kg).
• Laptop (unless you need to export photos that day). A portable hard drive and a phone are sufficient.
• Flash (most situations either prohibit or do not require it).
• Drone (see "Drones and Photography Equipment" section; China has strict restrictions).

Shooting Environments Across Regions

• Plateaus (Qinghai-Tibet, Western Sichuan): Strong UV, images tend to be bluish, pay attention to white balance; air is clear but contrast is high.
• Northwest (Gansu, Xinjiang): Heavy sand and dust, large temperature differences between morning and evening; harsh midday light, so shoot only in morning and evening.
• Jiangnan: Plum rain and misty rain are characteristic, bring rain gear; water towns look better in the rain.
• Cities (Beijing, Shanghai): Glass curtain walls and night scenes, wide-angle lens and tripod are useful; note that some places prohibit photography.
• Caves and Temples: Most prohibit photography, or prohibit flashes.