How plan you travel photography budget

Travel photography budget

Is important to learn how to plan a budget for any trip, including what to plan for in your travel photography budget. So we will looking to determine your daily budget, and how much money you should have available in case of emergencies.

How start with my travel photography budget

Usually budgets and number are boring, but necessary part of the travel photography planning process. You do not want to be in a foreign country and realize that you have no money left for transportation for the last days of your trip. So let’s doing well for don’t have any bad surprise. After many years of doing this, I tell you my own method. It is a simple list divided in four main categories:

• Preparation Expenses

• Photography Expenses

• Actual Trip Expenses

• Emergency found

Preparation Expenses

Preparation Expenses include all the money you must spend before you leave for your photography trip. Below are some aspect of what will be included in your preparation expenses:

Passport and Visa 

These costs will vary greatly, depending on where you live and where you are traveling. however there’s no way around them so be sure to do your research and make room for your passport and necessary visas in your budget.

Travel Insurance 

While travel insurance is not, strictly speaking or required. Anyway it is definitely a great idea. Especially if you will be traveling long-term, you should at least research your options. If you’re traveling for more than a week, I highly recommend at least purchasing health insurance. Also check the option for get one to your gear. In some kind of adventure and high risk expedition is almost an obligation to have it.

Vaccinations 

Vaccinations are usually relatively cheap, but they can save a whole lot of trouble later so go ahead, look up which ones are recommended for the areas you’ll be traveling, and add them to your to-do list and budget.

Luggage/Travel Gear 

This is a very broad category, but I tell everybody to have less then more. In any travel photography budget try to save money for unnecessary and heavy stuff. Also almost everywhere can find everything so don’t buy and bring too much travel gear. Check what you already have and what you personally deem necessary. I recommend start from the basic as a good quality backpacks, money belts, activity-specific gear. Basically whatever you need to make your life easier/more enjoyable while traveling goes in this category.

Transportation 

Here you will include the cost of planes, trains, and automobiles to get you where you want to go. Now can you check the rice well in some blog or official government website. In some country like Thailand the rice is right but in other variable like India. Include major travel routes, not innercity transportation here.

Photography Expenses

Repair or Buy new Gear

Even if you have already your photography kit , unfortunately can happen many unexpected things and you need to buy a new or repair your gear. There isn’t a budget for that, but save extra money for some negative circumstances. Also sometimes you will need some local map or application to your smartphone thats work better then another that you have it. In China for example.

Develop film

If you still shooting with film can you develop in some countries and don’t bring all the stuff with you. Even if many lab start to close in the last years a new generation bring new life to analog photography. For example in my last trip i develop well in some shop and with great price in Bangkok and different town in Vietnam.

Small Transportation

This category is important as a photographer, because you will need many local transportation for your trip. Usually is the best way for us to explore the location. So consider whether you’ll be walking or whether you’ll require a taxi or other means of transportation within your destination city and how much that will cost. Other options could include bicycle or motor scooter rentals.

Actual Trip Expenses

Accommodation

In my experience this will be one of your biggest expenses. When you planning travel photography budget, look up actual rates for your exact dates and destinations. Many times this can vary hugely depending on the time of year and other factors. Try to avoid national holiday and Merry Christmas time.

Food and Drink 

There is a lot of great information on how much you should budget for this, depending on your destination, on the internet. Consider whether and how much alcohol you plan to consume and whether your accommodations offer free breakfast when planning your meal budget.

Activities 

The best way to plan for this is to make a list of all the activities or tours that you would like to do while you’re vacationing and how much they cost.

Souvenirs

This will depend on how many souvenirs you plan to purchase and what types. Is not bad idea to know the Customs Duty regulations so there are no surprises upon reentry to your home country.

Emergency found

Finally, save some to the Emergency Funds. This is the money that you will have available but separate in case of emergency: stolen or lost credit cards, unforeseen but unavoidable expenses, etc… I recommend keeping emergency funds in cash and separated into two to three different stashes, kept in separate places during your trip. Sometimes also another credit or debit card is nice to have.