Whenever we’re traveling, especially by car, I often look for photographic opportunities on the way.  Sometimes I’ve pre-identified a place like a train station, other times I’m looking for something serendipitous along the side of the road.  If my camera is buried in the bag somewhere in the back of the car I have a hard time stopping.  But if the camera is out and ready, I’m a lot more likely to find a place to pull off or turn around in order to get that first shot.  I find that once I have stopped and taken a few photographs, it is easy to stop the next time something comes up.

For me, putting the camera bag on the back seat or on the floor behind my seat is a start.  That makes it easy to get to when I need it.  But the best approach has been to actually get the camera out and hang it over the headrest of the back seat.  I’ve driven hundreds and perhaps thousands of miles that way, and it works.  We had a 2-door car for a while and that made my method a bit more challenging, but we’ve gone back to 4 doors now and probably won’t change back.

If we’re staying in a town and walking around, I’ll carry my camera with me, lens cap off, ready to shoot.  I’m kind of a one lens guy anyway, so I have the camera around my neck or on my shoulder and a spare battery in my pocket.  I learned quickly with the EVF cameras to always have a spare!  I often chuckle at the people walking around with their brand new CaNikonUjiOny camera bag on their shoulder, securely zippered shut with the camera inside, probably with the lens off the camera.  Hardly a way to get a photograph! 😉