Being a full-time mom and photographer can make some things a little more complicated. When I was single, traveling was easy. I only had to pack and worry about myself. My own clothes, my own ticket and my own agenda. I could take my time walking to my gate and I could go to the bathroom or get food. I could read on the plane…or sleep…or do nothing. I barely remember those days now. I know that one day traveling will get easier again when the kids are older, but until then I’ve learned a few tricks.
Most of the time when I travel it’s just me and the kids…and all our luggage. It’s not easy, but here are my 4 tricks to survive:
1. Patience
The first ingredient for traveling with kids and gear is PATIENCE. Haha..It’s exhausting. Keeping kids quiet on the plane, all the walking, the lines, hauling all the luggage and children, the crazy rules, etc. I pray my little heart out and take lots of deep breaths to survive. Sometimes I lose it ;).
2. A good camera bag
The most important thing is to choose a camera bag that you LOVE. If you plan on traveling a lot, or shooting weddings it’s best to not skimp out on the camera bag. I’ve gone through 10+ camera bags, including a cheap rolling suitcases, backpacks and purses. Though some were very cute, it’s best to be practical. I’ve wasted more money trying to be cheap then buying one that’s what I need. My checklist for a GOOD camera bag is…
1. Comfort – It HAS to be comfortable. I don’t want to be in pain at the end of the day. That means purses and backpacks are out. I prefer wheels.
2. Space – I don’t want to lug around multiple bags. Therefore, it has to have enough space for ALL of my gear…including my laptop and camera/flash equipment.
3. Padding – It needs to keep my gear safe AND keep it in place. I have had bags with plenty of padding, but it fell out of place easily. I’ve also had bags with not enough padding. It has to have both.
4. Pockets – I’m a nerd. I love to be organized. I love a pocket for everything.
5. Quality – Like I said, it’s not worth it to skimp out on quality!!
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Manfrotto MP-RL-70BB Pro Roller Bag 70 [MY CHOICE]
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Pelican 1510-000-110 Carry On Case
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Lowepro Pro Runner x350 AW DSLR Backpack
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3. The snap on chair
Guys, this is seriously genius. One of my friends saw this “Ride On Carry On Travel Child Seat Luggage Attachment” the SharkTank and told me to try it out. So of course I added it to my Amazon shopping cart and fell in love. It snaps right on to your carry on. It’s portable, convenient and soo fun for the kids.
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4. Diaper bag full of snacks
Fill your diaper bag with all your normal equipment, but then add x10 amount of snacks. Snacks save our life. Food is everything ;)
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Kylee started Kylee Ann Photography 9 years ago, and has since grown from a one woman amateur show to a full associate team. We shoot 50-75 weddings a year, and thrive on kindness and service. After a year of teaching Intro to Photography at the local technical college, she discovered that helping other entrepreneurs create thriving businesses is what fires her up! She hosts semi-annual Kylee Ann Sleepovers all over the US, speak at conferences and teach online courses about running a small business and marketing.
January 27, 2016
Kylee Maughan
