Hey ya’ll!!  As photographers, we have our camera bag essentials. We know not to leave the house or studio with out our camera, our lenses, memory cards, and extra batteries. Well, hopefully we remember to pack all of the essentials but things happen from time to time! Those items are extremely important for obvious reasons but did you pack the extras? Once you step foot on set or arrive to the wedding anything can happen. I’m here to share with you a few camera bag extras to make your shoot a little more convenient!

Sunscreen

If we’re heading to the beach, we remember to pack sunscreen. Heading to a photo shoot it may not even cross your mind!  Whether you’re shooting a wedding or the next big ad campaign, you may find yourself outside for extended hours. It’s important to protect your skin so you don’t come out looking like a lobster! (Don’t forget to drink your water either! Drinking water and applying sunscreen will help keep your skin moisturized!)  Taking care of my skin is super important to me so this is one thing I ALWAYS have on hand!!

Snack Bar

Snack bars are nice to keep stashed away in your camera bag because you never know when you’ll have a moment to sit down and eat a full meal. Yes, we try to schedule that break but sometimes that turns into 5 minutes and you may be able to barely scarf down a few pieces of crackers and cheese. That’s probably not going to keep you going all day long! Snack bars are great to eat while you’re on the go. And hey, you never know when the bride or your assistant may be suffering from a hunger meltdown and needs a little pick me up!

Gum & Breath Mints

Having a pack of gum in your bag instantly makes you everyone’s best friend! It’s always nice to have a little minty freshness if you’ve been running around shooting all day and know you wont be able to brush your teeth for a few more hours.

Cosmetics

A few items I love to have ready are lipstick, hair ties, bobby pins, and hand sanitizer. This one isn’t only for lady photographers, guys it’s good for you to have these things as well! Hair ties snap and bobby pins go missing as quickly as socks in the dryer. It’s great to have these things for back up! Ladies, when you set out for the wedding chances are your makeup probably needs touch up by the middle of the day. Lipstick is a quick fix to add that confidence boost to finish out the day!

Tissues

Wedding photographers… you know why these are important! A brides wedding day is one of the most important days to her and I’ll be there to swoop in with a tissue so her makeup doesn’t run when emotions start running high!   Between words of wisdom for her parents, stories of college being shared by her Maid of Honor, and sheer love for the man she just said “I do” too; there will be waterworks and you’ll be prepared so her makeup doesn’t!

Adding these few items to your bag can make a world of difference and have saved my behind a time or two!   Whether you’re shooting a wedding or working with a client, being prepared will help those little bumps in the day. If you’re new to shooting weddings I share 5 tips while shooting a wedding here to prepare you even more! There are so many things that can happen during a shoot, what are some of your go to essentials?