Travel Photography Essentials: Cemhan Biricik's Packing List

Pack Light, Shoot Heavy

I have made every packing mistake possible. I have carried 30 pounds of gear through the streets of Tokyo only to use one lens the entire day. I have forgotten batteries in hotel rooms and memory cards in taxi cabs. After 40+ countries and countless flights, I have distilled my kit down to the essentials.

The best camera is the one you actually carry. And the best photos come when your hands are free and your mind is open. This is the core of my photography philosophy.

My Exact Packing List

Camera Body

One full-frame mirrorless. Dual card slots are essential for travel — I shoot raw to one card and JPEG to the other. If one fails, I still have the trip. Weight matters: I want a body under 700 grams.

Lenses

• 35mm f/1.4 — my default lens. Wide enough for architecture and landscapes, intimate enough for street portraits. This lens lives on my camera 80% of the time.
• 85mm f/1.4 — for compressing scenes, isolating subjects, and shooting candid moments from a respectful distance. Essential for city photography.
• 14mm f/2.8 (optional) — only when I know I will be shooting architecture or vast landscapes like Cappadocia's valleys.

Accessories

• 5 batteries — I burn through 2-3 per day of heavy shooting
• 128GB memory cards x3 — fast write speed for bursts
• Compact carbon fiber tripod — under 1kg, for night shots and long exposures
• Circular polarizer — cuts reflections, deepens skies
• Microfiber cloths — humidity, dust, and fingerprints are constant
• Waterproof camera bag — I use a sling bag that holds everything and swings to the front for quick access

Shooting Strategy on the Road

Day One: Scout

I never shoot seriously on day one. I walk, observe, eat local food, and let the city reveal itself. I note light directions, interesting streets, and times when crowds thin out. This scout day pays dividends for the rest of the trip.

Golden Hour Priority

I schedule everything around golden hour. That means early mornings and late afternoons at my priority locations. Midday is for exploration, meals, and naps — the light is unflattering anyway.

Backs Up Every Night

Every evening, I transfer photos to a portable SSD and upload selects to cloud storage. Redundancy is non-negotiable when your work is irreplaceable.

My Favorite Travel Photography Destinations

Every photographer has a list. Here is mine:

1. Tokyo — neon, order, chaos, and silence all in one block
2. Cappadocia — my homeland, surreal landscapes, hot air balloons at dawn
3. Paris — timeless, photogenic from every angle
4. Miami — Art Deco, ocean light, Latin energy
5. London — old and new architecture side by side