Last updated: June 2026. This article was originally written by adventure travel photographer Andrew Peacock in 2015, documenting the gear he took on an 18-day rafting trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. While some of the specific camera models mentioned have since been discontinued, the principles and approach to packing for adventure photography remain as relevant as ever. For a current take on what belongs in a photographer's bag, read our updated guide: What's in a Photographer's Camera Bag in 2026.
As an adventure travel photographer I'm always looking to balance the need for enough camera kit to shoot creatively with the practicalities of transporting that gear and having easy access to it.
Travelling as light as possible is often the best approach, but for a recent 18-day trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon I had the luxury of a raft to carry my equipment — so I was free to pack pretty much anything I wanted! Reliable cameras and lenses are important, but so is redundancy when photographing in a remote environment, so two camera bodies are essential.
For this trip, these are the items I couldn't have gone without:
I like using the Clik Elite range of camera bags, but for my Colorado River trip I relied on a Pelican case to keep my gear safe on the raft through the big-volume rapids. I also brought a Gitzo tripod for landscape photography.
Two camera bodies
Having two bodies is essential when shooting in a remote environment — redundancy matters when you're days from the nearest camera store. For this trip I used a full-frame body as my primary camera and a crop-sensor body as a second, which also gave me extra reach at the long end of my zoom lenses. The excellent autofocus on the second body made shooting action on the river a breeze, and switching between the two was almost seamless thanks to their similar controls.
A versatile travel zoom lens
A mid-range zoom (something in the 24–105mm range) is my go-to travel lens. The zoom range is incredibly useful, and image stabilisation allows handheld shooting in low light without having to push the ISO too high. On a trip like this, I could jump off the raft and head out for a hike with just this one lens and know I had everything I needed to capture great images.
Aquatech water housing
I love the creative possibilities that shooting from the water allows. Swimming through rapids with a water housing makes for hit-and-miss frames, but in the end I grabbed some genuinely fun and interesting images that simply wouldn't have been possible any other way.
Wireless timer remote
Essential for time-lapse video. I could set up the camera on a tripod, dial in the settings remotely, and then walk away for a few hours — free to shoot with my other camera in the meantime. A simple but invaluable piece of kit for any landscape or long-exposure work.
What would I pack today?
Camera technology has moved on significantly since this trip. If you're putting together your own adventure photography kit in 2026, read our updated guide to what's in a photographer's camera bag in 2026 for current gear recommendations across cameras, lenses, bags, and accessories. You can also browse our full range of cameras and camera bags online, or visit a Ted's Cameras store for personalised advice.