Galapagos Packing List (for photographers)
I am currently getting ready for my trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. There are so many things that I have to pack with me- spoiler alert it is mostly photography related. I promise to leave some room in my baggage for clothes…
Dry Bag (!)
I cannot stress this on enough. I will be jumping in and out of boats to get to the shore and I need a secure bag to keep my equipment safe. I am not going to submerge it or even try to put it in the water but to have a dry bag in case anything happens I think is of utmost importance!
2. DSLR Camera
My weapon of choice for this is my new Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR Body with Canon Log! I just bought it from Adorama in NYC but you can find pretty much any of the canon DSLRs on Amazon.
I love the Mark IV because it gives you stunning photo & video quality. With this camera in my photo bag I will leave my Black Magic Pocket Cinema 4k at home!
If photography is more of like a hobby for you I still would suggest taking some sort of DSLR with you. A cheaper option would be the Canon T6 camera.
3. Telephoto Lens
Even though you can get pretty close to wildlife around the Galapagos Islands, I think it is really important to have a telephoto lens. My go-to telephoto is the Canon 70-200 f/2.8.
4. Underwater Camera
Most people own a GoPro nowadays. You would be mad if you left this baby home while you visit the Galapagos!! I own the Hero 6 and I travel everywhere with it. The fact that you can shoot photos and video in a compact size is truly amazing. Image stabilization is also a huge aspect of it!
Get the new Hero 7 HERE.
5. Hard drive
Would you risk your whole image gallery from your really expensive/once in a lifetime trip? I don’t think so. Dump your pics every night! This way if anything happens to your media you will only risk a day’s worth of memories. Which brings me to the next thing on my list…
I chose the G-Technology 1TB G-DRIVE mobile SSD Durable Portable External Storage - USB-C
It is a fast and durable drive. This will actually be my first trip with it as it is a pretty new product.
6. Lots of Media!!
I always travel with at least 10 CF and SD cards. I normally go for faster cards with less storage than larger storage cards. I feel like if I am shooting on a 128GB I can get carried away by my laziness and not download my photos at the end of each day.
7. Snorkel
All cruises and day trips provide you with a snorkel and fins. I am extremely picky with my snorkels so I opted to bring my own rather than use one of theirs. I chose the Cressi Panoramic Wide View Mask Dry Snorkel Set.
Photo of my actual snorkel that just got delivered by amazon.
As a side note, I really wish I could bring my drone with me but there are really strict rules in place as many tourists were crashing their crafts in the natural habitats of the wildlife. Even though I am a bit bummed because I love my drone, I am 100% supportive to having strict rules in order to protect this beautiful nature.