Whether you're jetting off on an exotic adventure or simply enjoying a long weekend of hiking in the hills, your vacations are great opportunities for travel photography. And with incredible cameras found on phones including the iPhone 17 Pro, the Galaxy S26 Ultra or the wild Leica Leitzphone, along with a host of amazing mirrorless cameras from the likes of Canon, Sony and Fujifilm, capturing pro-level travel photography has never been easier.

I've been a professional photographer and photography YouTuber for well over a decade and have traveled the world taking photos in all conditions, so I've learned a thing or two about what you need for capturing images on location. Here, I'll take you through the essential gear you should consider for your trip, from the best travel camera to the bags and accessories you'll need. I'll also recommend some handy extras to consider if you want to return home with creative pieces of art, rather than just holiday snaps. 

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Choose the right camera

While you're unlikely going to buy an entirely new camera system just for an upcoming trip, if you're in the market already for a new camera then an imminent vacation is a great excuse to invest. Traveling with a camera used to mean hauling a big, heavy DSLR in your backpack everywhere you go, but mercifully modern mirrorless cameras are typically much smaller and lighter, making them superb for traveling. I took just my Canon R5 and a small, lightweight 50mm f1.8 lens on a three-week trip to Sicily and loved the shots I got from this compact setup.

The R5 doesn't come cheap, nor is it the smallest camera around, but it, and the more recent R5 II, offer stunning image quality from their full-frame sensors, amazing video skills and pro features like in-body image stabilization. Want something a bit smaller? Look towards a micro four thirds camera like the Fujifilm X-S10 or the superb fixed-lens X100VI. Check out my guide to the best cameras if you want inspiration on which model to go for. 

Keeping your lens choices to a minimum will help reduce the weight. A standard zoom lens like a 24-70mm gives a great range for capturing wide, sweeping vistas, while providing enough zoom to get closer up on your subjects. I'd also recommend packing a small prime lens (like the aforementioned 50mm f1.8) as these tend to be lightweight and compact enough to always have in your bag or slung around your shoulder, ready to go whenever inspiration strikes.

More recently I took my new Leica Q3 43 on a photo expedition to Sweden as part of a feature I was doing for CNET. With its fixed 43mm lens, the Q3 was small enough to always have around my neck, ready to capture images as I travelled around Sweden -- including into the Arctic. While just having one focal length may seem limiting, I actually found it to be a great creative challenge, forcing me to think more about my composition, rather than just standing still and zooming in and out.

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But maybe you don't need a camera at all -- today's top phones can take amazing images and can shoot in raw format allowing for the same sort of editing you'd typically do with images from regular cameras. The iPhone 17 Pro takes gorgeous images -- especially using Apple's ProRaw format -- and its multiple rear lenses give creative shooting options for whatever scene you find yourself in front of. Leica and Xiaomi's Leitzphone on the other hand allowed me to take some of the best images I've ever taken on a phone. You'll pay handsomely for it, though. 

The best travel tripod

A tripod certainly isn't essential for all travel photography, but when the light fades and you need to slow the shutter speed to several seconds to get a good exposure, you'll need one to secure your camera. You'll definitely need a tripod if you want to nail those nighttime shots overlooking a gorgeous bay, capture the stars above those snowcapped mountains, or pull off those artful long exposures of waterfalls.

Again, size matters and you should look for a compact, travel tripod that can easily fit in your backpack -- or attach to the outside of it. Modern materials like carbon fiber will keep the weight down, but they also tend to be more expensive, so you'll need to decide how much you're willing to shell out. 

As its name suggests, the Peak Design travel tripod is a great tripod for traveling, thanks to its small size when folded down and its light weight. I've done all-day hikes with this strapped to my back and barely noticed its presence -- something I can't say for most tripods. Make sure to check out my full roundup of the best tripods you can buy. Or, if weight is really an issue, you can even try using your own DIY tripod.

A proper adventure backpack

A dedicated photo bag should be high on your list. After all, you don't want your fancy new gear getting knocked around and breaking, do you? A good bag will have compartments to keep your camera safe and secure, but will also let you access it quickly. It's important, too, to find one that also has plenty of space to keep other items you'll need while out and about.

If you're going to be out with it all day, I recommend a backpack with two shoulder straps, rather than a single-strap messenger bag. It'll spread that weight over both your shoulders and keep you comfortable for longer. Look for things like side-access zips, so you can quickly get your camera out when inspiration strikes; plenty of additional pockets for batteries and snacks; weather-resistant materials; and mounting points to help carry your tripod. 

I've done a lot of the hard work for you in rounding up my top photography backpacks. There are options for all kinds of photography, from short city breaks to multiday hikes with lots of gear. Have a read through that list, and make sure that what you're taking is suitable for where you're going.

The important extras

The list above is really the essential stuff you'll need to take with you. How much more you bring will depend on how seriously you take your photography and the sort of images you hope to take. Those of you going on wildlife safaris, for example, will benefit from packing a big telephoto zoom lens. Always consider having multiple spare batteries and a charger, as even the best cameras will tend to give you only a day of photos -- or much less if you shoot a lot of video. There's nothing worse than getting to a beautiful afternoon destination only to find you exhausted your power in the morning. Keeping at least a couple of spares in your bag will let you swap it out and keep on shooting into the night.

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The same goes for storage. It's easy to take hundreds of raw images a day in a beautiful location and all those shots can quickly fill up your card. Thankfully, SD cards are pretty cheap these days, so it's worth buying a few 64GB or 128GB cards to keep with you. A good strap is crucial, too, especially if you like to wear your camera on your person throughout the day, as I do. I mostly use Peak Design's Slide straps which are both comfortable and strong -- peace of mind, especially if you're prone to dropping your camera or taking photos in an area where having your camera snatched is a concern.

Then there's the wide array of photographic filters that may help you get creative. A circular polarizer can be used to help make blue skies more vivid, or reduce the reflection on water, while a neutral density filter darkens the image, allowing you to use long exposures to blur the motion of water, cars or people. I love PolarPro's Everyday and Gold Mist 135 filters which add a haze to your images giving a softer, filmic vibe to shots. 

If you want to shoot video on your travels, you may need additional equipment, such as microphones, higher-capacity, faster storage cards and perhaps even video tripods or gimbals for smoother, professional-looking footage. Check out my guide to the best accessories for video production if you're keen to shoot pro-level videos on your travels.