Travel is in our blood. My husband, Chip, & I met & started dating as wee little babes (see below) while studying abroad in Sevilla, Spain, even though we grew up 20 minutes from each other and had countless mutual friends in college. Our love began roaming the streets of Southern Spain & has taken us to Paris, London, Italy, Germany, Austria, the California coast, & more. Ever since purchasing my little used Canon Rebel XS in 2011 and beginning to dabble in photography as a hobby, I’ve always made it a priority to tote my camera along for our adventures & some travel photography memories. After all, some of my favorite souvenirs of all time have been the photos & memories captured in some of the most amazing places.

Our entire relationship has either been in college, medical school, or residency, meaning that we must prioritize travel if we want it to happen. While I’d love a new dining room table, I’d love a trip to Europe more… and we always get asked just how we’re able to travel on a residency budget… and my must-haves for when we finally get to hop on a plane/ship to our next destination.

These three items are my travel must-haves for not only actually GOING on the trip, but how to capture it best while you’re there!

Flight Deals

Whenever we travel internationally or for big trips, we have a goal to spend less than $600 per flight round trip – and ideally nonstop! There was a time (a dark time) in which we weren’t aware of the beauty of online flight deals… and spent as much on flights as we sometimes can get away with for an entire trip these days. In enters: Scott’s Cheap Flights & Google Flight Tracker. We’ve used both of these to successfully book flights ranging from $333 to $560 per person round trip… meaning as a couple, we’re able to fly to amazing destinations for under $1,200 total. Paired with almost exclusively using Airbnb for our lodging, our travel/housing can stay pretty budget friendly!

I highly recommend the Premium version of SCF – at only $39 a year you get the added bonus of the best & greatest flight deals… first. Prior to subscribing for the Premium version I had the free version – and while it was still fun to see flight deals come through, it wasn’t until the Premium that I really felt like they were perfect for our needs. Fun random fact: we envision an old man named Scott sitting in his underwear on the couch scouring the web for the best flight deals. It’s not quite that… but the best flight deals are definitely scoured and sent to your e-mail inbox via a “listserv” throughout the day. Be ready to jump on the deals quickly, as they don’t last long… but old man Scott will let you know how long they anticipate them to stick around. Be flexible in your dates and cities (as most of the flights are out of major airports), but get ready for some winners!

For Google Flight Tracker, I recommend choosing a week you’d like to travel & picking a few destinations you’ve been dreaming of. You’ll get notifications as the flight cost lowers & climbs, so knowing your “budget” & ideal flight cost will help you determine when it’s time to bite the bullet & book! The thing we love about this is that we can monitor flights out of smaller airports, like Augusta, meaning we were able to book a deal for our must-fly days from Augusta’s tiny 4-gate airport to Munich, Germany for $560 per person! Unheard of!

Moral of the story, my must-travel must-have is definitely making it possible to travel… and Scott’s Cheap Flights & Google Flight Tracker make that possible, especially for bucket list destinations!

Travel Camera Backpack

When you’re walking 10+ miles a day through cities you’ve never been to with a camera attached to your person at all times, you want something comfortable to carry it all in. For me, that means padded straps (two… none of those messenger bags… may be cute, but your face won’t be when you’re crying in pain), a waist buckle to distribute the weight well, and an added bonus: a zipper that faces inward to protect you from potential pickpockets. For this, I absolutely love the Lowepro Flipside 300 Camera Backpack that my fellow travel photography lover Carrie Joy Photography introduced me to. It fits my 5D Mark iii camera body, a couple lenses, and essentials for exploring: water bottle, money, sunnies, etc. I always feel so safe knowing that it would be impossible for someone to quickly unzip the backpack while walking through crowded areas known for pickpockets. I also love that it has a mesh side pocket that can fit a water bottle or an umbrella for rainy days! This is the backpack I use exclusively while traveling internationally!

On the flipside (see what I did there), when I travel in the US or where I need to look more professional for traveling to shoots, I have found my love in the Kamrette Backpack – primarily because it fits under the seat on a plane, but can fit SO many things. From multiple camera bodies & lenses to a 15 inch MacBook Pro, this bag is my go-to when I’m aiming to bring a good bit of work gear, yet still consolidate everything into one bag. Not to mention it’s absolutely gorgeous, & I literally get compliments everywhere I go on it!

Wifi Enabled Memory Card

My final travel must-have for photographers or hobbyists with a penchant for great social media content: the EyeFi MobiPro. I have a pretty old iPhone… that doesn’t take the best of photos. And as a photographer & communications strategist, good social media content is key for my business. One day (hopefully sooner rather than later!) I intend to get a new phone with better camera capabilities, but until then – and even after then because I intend to still use mostly DSLR content on Instagram – I absolutely swear by my EyeFi card. It creates its own Wifi and syncs to an app on your phone, allowing you to blast images you select to your mobile device. A quick edit (I edit mostly in the IG app with the occasional Lightroom mobile visit or VSCO visit), and I’m ready to post DSLR quality images on social media without having to pack my laptop! I also intend to use this function for when baby arrives to snap some great “everyday” photos throughout childhood! Using the EyeFi card means I can still create real-time content while traveling without the extra hassle… and it also means I have high quality images in the end to print in albums & for around our house!

More than anything, with whatever camera you have or way you transport it, make it a priority to snap a few photos while traveling. Having pictures of those memories is one of the most amazing things… and always brings fond smiles when I look back at them or see them throughout our home!

This upcoming week we’ll be adventuring on our BABYMOON in Kauai, Hawaii, so follow along on Instagram to see the EyeFi MobiPro in action! And to see more of our adventures, pop over to the blog or my travel photography portfolio!

What is your travel (photography) must-have? Do you have any hacks or tips you can’t live without while on adventures? Comment below to share!