My youngest daughter Samantha decided on a destination wedding. A group of 50 of us descended upon Secrets Akumal Mayan Riviera for 8 days of sun, fun, snorkeling and cold beverages! And a wedding, of course.
Sam had given me a short list of images she wanted. The resort includes a photographer in the wedding package (only an hour for “first look” photos) so Sam wanted me to capture the rest of the day (as I have with all my kids). She knew I would bring my gear and get better images than the staff photographer anyways and I’m more than happy to oblige.
My camera gear always comes in the cabin with me. Lithium batteries must be in the cabin – NEVER check your Li-ion or Li-Po batteries. This also meant I had to find bags that would fit the strict airline requirements for cabin baggage. I turned to ThinkTank Photo for my camera bags – a MindShift Photocross 15 backpack and Airport Advantage Roller. The backpack is my personal item, plus I could pack camera gear for any outings. The Roller fits perfectly in the overhead bin and keeps all my important gear for the day of the wedding (I don’t use the backpack on the wedding – everything I need for that day fits in the roller).
Here’s what I packed in each bag:
- Passport! (also my wallet, not shown)
- Tamron 70-200 G2
- Nikon Z6 with FTZ and Laowa 12mm Zero-D
- GoPro Hero 9 Black (for snorkeling and adventures)
- Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones for the flight (there were babies on the plane – these are perfect!!)
- Hahnel HLX-EL15 battery
- USB A to C charging cable
- USB battery bank
- iPad 4 with case and pen (for editing GoPro footage)
- Memory card wallet and LOTS of memory cards
- UniPal Plus universal battery charger
- GoPro Accessory case with various attachments, underwater housing, remote control and 6 batteries (1 in camera)
- TetherBlock Arca
- Kenko and H&Y Filters (just in case)
- Tamron 85mm f/1.8
- Tamron 35mm f/1.4
- Tamron 90mm Macro R2
- Nikon D810 with grip, 2 batteries and Tamron 24-70 G2
- USB wall adapter and charging cables
- USB/HDMI adapter to Lightning for iPad
- Two spare HL-EL15 batteries
- Charger for Modus flash batteries
- Two Hahnel MODUS 600 speedlights
- Spare AA and AAA batteries
- Aurora Lite Bank flash card
- Hahnel ProCube 2
- GoPro battery charger
- GoPro strap mount
- 2x Hahnel Creative Lantern and Module 600 Clamp
- Hahnel Viper TTL transmitter
- Hahnel 280 Pro cable remote
- Hahnel Captur transmitter/receiver kit
I did pack a couple of things in my suitcase – my Vanguard VEO 3 GO 204 AB aluminum travel tripod and Black Rapids Dual strap.
For the ceremony, my gear setup was my D810 with 24-70 G2 on my right side and Z6 with 70-200 on my left. Each camera had a MODUS 600 speedlight attached. I could fit both cameras under my blazer so I was a little more stealthy. The rest of my lenses, spare batteries and memory cards were in my Airport Advantage. Having gear in my roller meant I could avoid a sweaty backpack. It was 32° on the day of the wedding and I was on the run from 11:00am until well past midnight.
I wound up using all but the 12mm lens. For the group photo, I found a vantage point on the second floor and stuck with my 24-70. I had the Captur receiver attached to my camera and ran down the stairs to join the group. I held my Captur transmitter in my left hand and fired away.
It was a spectacular day and the best wedding yet! Sam and Bryce are so sweet together – you can feel the love, respect and adoration these two have for each other. ThinkTank Photo made it easier for me to get my important gear to this destination safely, securely and in the cabin of the plane.
Author: Will Prentice
A portrait, fine art and commercial photographer for 30 plus years, Will Prentice is not just a contributor to PHOTONews magazine, but also host of PHOTONewsTV, owner of Captura Photography+Imaging and Technical Support/Brand Manager for Amplis Foto, Canada’s largest distributor of photographic equipment.
Will teaches photographers of all skill levels how to improve their craft – from creative photo projects to picking the right gear for their needs to flattering lighting to getting the best expressions to creating final images for screen and print. His unique style of highly detailed images with perfect tonality, wide dynamic range and stunning colour is instantly recognizable. Commercial clients rely on Will’s creative eye and mastery of lighting.
When he’s not behind the camera or in front of a class, you’ll find Will outdoors in any weather – usually on one of his bikes or enjoying time with his grandchildren.
