In planning for any trip, backup is a necessity for everything from clothes to medication to glasses. The same goes for photo equipment. While most of us don't have (and don't want to carry) more than one camera, we do need to back up our camera kit. I never travel with less than a half-dozen chips, three sets of re-chargeable batteries, two chargers (remember the voltage difference), and a way to back up my photos.

The chips, batteries and power converter can be purchased at home and carried in your suitcase. If you forget to bring them, most big cities carry similar brands. But sometimes backup for the photos you take can be an issue. As I mentioned in my last article, I acquired a portable backup system that, by the way, worked great backing up my 2,700 photos. I noticed the availability of backup services during the trip though. It seemed that most of the hotels that we stayed in (or establishments located near the hotels) had services to back up photos to disk. I suggested to others that they have an extra copy made just in case, and store them in different suitcases. Of course, you can always bring a laptop computer, but sometimes the extra luggage isn’t practical.

With more people traveling internationally, keeping a camera backup kit up to date and ready to use is just another chore to add to our long list of “don’t forgets.”

If you want to take a class on digital photos call CCSN 651-4040 and sign up for one of the classes that I teach there. www.applebyarts.com