Photography in this day and age has totally shifted. Thanks to the numerous smaller but powerful cameras, innovations have significantly taken the bulk out of photography gear and made them much more compact and portable. 

And portability means having the ability to take a shot wherever you are in the world. There are various pieces of essential travel photography gear that professional or hobby photographers both need. But figuring out how to carry it all without breaking one’s back is another skill. 

At Tenikle, we’re all about making it easier for you to be on-the-go. We’ll guide you through how to pack lightly when it comes to travel photography gear and some great gear to add to one’s collection.  

Check out more of our Tenikle products to take photos while traveling light.

Why packing light helps with photography.

Set up and tear down is easier

It’s faster to set up and tear down gear when you don’t have too much of it. This is especially crucial if you have a great shot that must be captured within a certain time frame. Some examples of this are a beautiful sunset or an animal in motion, or even a very important person making a brief public appearance.

It’s discrete

Minimal gear is discrete, allowing the photographer to capture people or images without drawing attention to themselves. In some cases, this is crucial. If you’re capturing an intimate moment between people or a political event, you want to appear respectful and draw as little attention to yourself as possible.

It’s safer

With minimal gear, it’s harder to draw attention to yourself since your backpack looks just like any other. Carrying around heavy photography equipment is physically dangerous and draws attention to the photographer, indicating that they are in possession of expensive gear. People might try to steal your equipment, and people might simply be angry that you are taking photographs. A photographer with more gear might be seen as obnoxious, whereas having fewer gear indicates a degree of politeness.

Allow solo ventures

With minimal equipment, you don’t need an assistant. That means solo ventures are easier to achieve. Hiring an assistant is expensive and sometimes time-consuming, especially if you have to direct them. But as a lone traveler, you can decide where to go at your own whim and carry the least number of equipment for the day comfortably.

Going for a solo photo trip? With the Tenikle Octopus Tripod, you can take great shots without your assistant.

Factors to consider when packing light for photography

For most photographers when packing their gear to go for a shoot, or to explore the outdoors, there can be an endless list of things to pack depending on the kind of shoot and location. To achieve the feat of packing light, especially for a shoot which is gear intensive, consider the following factors:

Portability of the equipment

It’s crucial to have gear that is highly portable because you have to haul it all over the place. Opt for the lightweight versions of tripods and cameras to lighten the load. Sometimes the weight isn’t even from the main equipment but from the accessories that accompany it. For example, a camera isn’t heavy on its own but accessories like the tripod, lenses, lights and others add significantly to your load.

Using lightweight gear

Make sure the gear is constructed from very light material. Some equipment like tripods are a fixture in every photographer’s travel kit. Investing in a lightweight tripod makes it easy to pack it because it can be put on the outside of your backpack. Also, it’s easy to move around with as you go for different shoots.

The Tenikle, for example, is an easy tripod to carry because it’s made from a bendy, stretchy mold. It can be rolled into a ball, so you won’t have to worry about fitting bulky pieces in your backpack or the danger of parts breaking. When rolled up, it can fit in your purse, jeans pocket, or the side pocket of your camera bag. As a result,  you can travel lighter when going for a hike without having to miss out on epic shots. During the shoot, you can also wrap your Tenikle Octopus Tripod around your wrist for long periods, leaving you free to enjoy the outdoors and without fatigue.

Limiting the number of accessories

An intensive photoshoot requires professional gear.  But that doesn't mean that you have to pack all of your accessories for it. For example, a photographer should invest in a couple of lenses with at least one that can be used for several shots. This is one that will make your packing lighter as you can take it only and lessen the load by not carrying others.  At the very most, take two for versatility in your shots. Limiting the number of accessories you take with you means excluding as much as you can without compromising the overall shoot.  

Choosing a roomy backpack

You should be able to pack all your gear in one backpack so choose one with a lot of room, compartments and pockets. Not only will it conveniently swallow all your gear, you’ll also have all your essentials in one place. It will become your one stop photography center for the duration of the shoot. Plus, you can keep it with you all the time to ensure your gear is safe. However, make sure your backpack is not too big. Again, it’s not a good idea to draw too much attention to yourself.

The best lightweight gear for photography in 2019

Let’s go over some key lightweight travel photography gear that are a must buy:

A head strap 

A head strap for your camera is an excellent way to keep photographing action shots like those captured during extreme sports and it leaves your hands free to do other things. This is a lightweight piece of equipment that you can fit into your bag without taking up much room. 

The AmazonBasics head strap mount is an excellent option that is GoPro compatible. It’s perfect for recording action during sports like surfing and skiing among others. The quality is top-notch and it's easy to wear on the head. 

A hard drive 

This is a piece of very light equipment, but essential to keeping your photos safely stored. It's always a good idea to have a backup for your work and in this case, an external hard drive works very well. It’s a nightmare when your camera is stolen, but imagine it being stolen with all your work on it without any back up. An external hard drive doesn’t take up much room and is barely there in terms of weight.

The best external hard drive that comes highly recommended is the SanDisk Extreme external hard drive. Not only is this a very travel-friendly unit, it’s an SSD drive meaning it has no moving parts which make it compact and less likely to suffer damage during constant travel. It’s also dust-resistant, waterproof, shock resistant and consume low power as well.

One camera

Opt for one camera that you can use for various shoots. Of course, the chances of it malfunctioning are there,but the odds of that happening are low. In that case, you can simply buy a disposable camera to take some unique film shots. DSLRs have become quite lightweight and they guarantee you the chances of the best shots compared to mirrorless cameras.

The Nikon D850 has stood the test of time and still remains one of the favorites when it comes to a travel camera choice. The image equality is always excellent and it has a rugged exterior that can withstand all types of weather. It comes with a 45 MP sensor, which is among the highest in a DSLR camera. There is also the mirrorless version of the Nikon D850 for those who are not fans of DSLR cameras. But the best part is that it’s easy to pack and carry around.

Necessary tool kit

In the photography travel tool kit, essentials like batteries and SD cards that take up very little room are a must. Also consider carrying a filter and a battery charger. This makes up the small tool kit you need to keep the shoot going for a day or two.

For the SD card consider the SanDisk extreme pro SD UHS-1 which has a storage capacity of 512GB. It is suitable for both photography and video recording. The best polaroid filter that’s both lightweight and efficient is the Hoya Alpha Circular polarizer filter which is made of optical glass and features aluminum frames. It provides up to four times the filter factor of other filters and guarantees excellent outdoor results. It’s the perfect option for outdoor photography. 

A lightweight tripod

If you have to use a tripod or mount but can afford not to carry a conventional tripod, that would really lighten your load. The Tenikle tripod is not just effective, but it also is very easy to carry around. The Tenikle features three tentacles each fitted with suction cups. Each of the Tenikle suction cups can hold eight pounds. 

For photography you can wrap the tentacles around your camera and use that as a mount. You can also attach it to a surface like a board or frame while recording yourself.

Tenikle is a multipurpose tripod that you can use in your car as a car mount for phones and tablets just as easily as you can use it as a camera mount. And that’s easy to do because you simply take it, ball it up and store it in your blazer or trousers until you have a need for it. Such convenience and versatility can’t be said for any other tripod on the face of the earth.  How’s that for packing light?            

Conclusion

Photography has become an integral part of our daily lives. We live in an era that believes in making and holding on to all memories. Packing light when it comes to photography equipment ensures that you can pick up and travel with the assurance of capturing out memories. And the best part is that you don’t have to break your back carrying your gear around. If you’re getting ready for your next photo shoot and need to pack light, don’t forget to check out our Shutterbug Kit for must-have travel gear.

The use of suction cup gadgets is on the rise as more people begin to discover their secure gripping capabilities. From shower caddies and gadget mounts to do-it-all suction tools like the Tenikle Octopus Tripod Mount, it’s safe to say that suction cups are making life easier with minimalist technology. Here’s our guide at Tenikle to use your gadgets at peak performance and make the suctions really stick.

Find out why we’ve tapped into suction cup technology to create the Tenikle Octopus Tripod Mount.

How do you make a suction cup stick?

People who have tried a suction cup gadget will have two things to say: it either stuck like glue or it was useless. The result you get is dependent on three factors. First, the quality of your gadget; second, whether or not you’ve installed it right; and third, where you’ve installed the gadget. 

As for the first component, our suction cup tool is waterproof and virtually impossible to destroy. If your product is well-made, cleaning shouldn’t be hard at all! As for the third, make sure to stick a suction cup gadget to smooth, non porous surfaces. If you’ve got that part down, suction cups can be installed almost anywhere in both indoor and outdoor environments. 

Think about a household that uses coat hooks with suction cups. These hooks are preferred because they save you the inconvenience and poor aesthetics of having to screw a hole into concrete or a tile wall. They work great in both dry and wet environments, including the kitchen and the bathroom where hanging kitchen towels or a shower cap is easy.

The installation of any suction cup gadget is usually quite simple. When installed properly, a suction cup can serve you well for a decent duration of time. And if it pops off, just reinstall it again.

Here's a step by step guide on how to make them stick.

• Ensure that the surface on which the suction cup will be mounted is dry. 
• Make sure your Tenikle is dry and clear of debris. Usually, the oils on your hands are enough to get rid of dust with silicone duct like ours. But if you dropped the Tenikle in the sand or somewhere dusty, you can dab the suction cups with a little bit of olive oil and wipe. It’s more viscous than soapy water, so it will help create a strong suction vacuum.
• Take the suction cup and rinse in lukewarm water then shake to remove any excess water.
• If you intend to use a hook on the suction cup,then attaching the hook before pressing the suction cup in place on the wall is recommended. Ensure that there are no air bubbles between the suction cup and the mounting surface. This is an important step because bubbles will loosen the adherence of the suction cup eventually.

The evolution of suction cups

If you have ever been stopped by an officer because you were busy talking on your phone while driving without a hands free gadget, that experience should be more than enough to help you understand why the Tenikle Octopus Tripod Mount is useful. It sticks on the windshield as a phone holder and/or cup holder.

Suction cups as we know them have been around since the 1860s, but the quality has generally improved over the years. Most suction products tend to perform only a single function, such as holding your phone while driving or holding a hook in the closet, kitchen or bathroom. The Tenikle, however, is a flexible gadget that can adapt to your needs. 

Why the Tenikle?

The design of our Octopus Tripod is playful and easy-to-use, making it popular for both adults and kids. The product is sea inspired with tentacles like those of an octopus. However, the best part of this product is the amazing suction power in the suction cups which guarantee a firm grip on several surfaces. The Tenikle has numerous suction cups along three separate arms in one gadget, making its grip even stronger than other suction cup tools. 

The suction cups are of exceptional quality, adhering to pretty much anything outdoors and indoors. So if you are looking for a suction cup device that you can use for various purposes, as a windscreen phone holder to a coat hook or caddy in the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, or garage, this is the product to invest in. You can even convert it into a shower cup holder in the bathroom.

Interested? Check out our Tenikle products here.

How can you use the Tenikle

A huge advantage of the Tenikle suction cup tool is its versatility. Its possibilities are endless, but here are some to get you started.

In the car

The Tenikle was created to function as a tripod. For instance, it makes for an efficient windshield car mount with one tentacle while the others firmly hold your phone. And you don't have to worry that the phone will fall over when you hit a pothole or bump, since the grip on these suction cups is impressively strong. Each suction cup has the ability to hold 8 pounds and the Tenikle has 10 suction cups per piece. 

Use them with kids’ devices in the back seat as their iPads or phones are mounted on the back of the front seat head rest. This can be achieved with two tentacles each attached to the steel head rest support and the third tentacle firmly holding their iPads.

In photography

If you are into golfing and you would like to take a video of yourself taking a swing at a golf ball on the course, the Tenikle can be handy and a very portable addition to your equipment. By wrapping two tentacles on the steel handle of a golf club in your golf club bag situated several meters from your swing, then attaching your cell phone firmly to the third tentacle, press record on the cell and take a swing. This is a great way to get your Instagram game on as well as record yourself to see areas you need improvement. 

You can also use the Tenikle underwater. Mount a GoPro camera on top of the Tenikle and hold the Tenikle as a selfie stick or simply to gain better grip. You can also mount the Tenikle on a smooth surface inside or near a pool to watch yourself swim.

Is your next stop the gym for a morning workout? Yank the Tenikle from the windshield, roll it up into a small ball (yes! It rolls into a ball) dump it your track pockets or gym bag together with your car keys. Since you have been dying to show off your workout routines, why not use the Tenikle? Just mount it on the gym mirror or the equipment closest to you, mount you phone on one or two of the tentacles, press record, and start your routine. When you’re done at the gym, roll the tripod back into a ball and fit it right into your gym bag as you head for the car. Once in the car, mount it as a phone holder on your windshield. 

At home

Once you’re home and your cute pupper comes to say hello, you can throw the Tenikle ball in the yard for him to go fetch. After a bonding game of fetch with Fido you can take it into the shower with you where it can serve many functions. Use it as a shower cap holder, phone holder, and more. 

Conclusion

When you get to use your Tenikle, you will quickly realize how playful, practical, versatile and effective it truly is. Whether using the Tenikle indoors, outdoors and on different surfaces, such as steel, ceramic, concrete, and leather, the mounting process is the same. 

Suction cups were first patented in the mid 1800’s, though their use has been dated all the way back to the third century B.C., where it is believed the Greek “Father of Medicine” Hippocrates, first made use of the simple yet effective technology.

Combining age-old suction cup science with a contemporary concept, Tenikle has creatively revolutionized the tech accessory market. By fusing a tripod, mount, stand, and so much more, the Tenikle allows for endless opportunities, limited only by your imagination.

Check out Tenikle today!

Mounting a GoPro

Mounting a GoPro or action camera to a Tenikle is as easy as it gets. Simply use your cameras tripod mount to thread into the included ¼ inch female mount on the Tenikle. That’s it!

Check out our ¼ inch male to male adapters.

Secure Positioning for a GoPro

To ensure your GoPro or action camera is mounted securely, there are a few things to keep in mind.

The cups will only work on a clean smooth surface, as a full, airtight seal is required. Any air that may leak between the mounting surface and the cups will lead to an imperfect seal, and therefore may result in failure to securely mount. This means the suction cups will not work on any textured surface.

However, if your mounting surface is textured, we provide a solution to that. Our Dot Adapters allow you to securely mount your Tenikle to any surface you desire.

It is also important to clean the dust off of the suction cups. A quick wipe with some water is best, but a simple swipe of the finger is more than enough. The oils from you skin actually aid in providing a more complete seal!

The more the merrier; try to use as many suction cups as you can when mounting to a surface.

Creative Ways to Use Your GoPro With Your Tenikle

When you have a product such as Tenikle that integrates a multitude of different accessories into one compact device, the creative use possibilities are endless!

Here are just a few ways users like to use their Tenikle with their GoPro, but certainly you will be able to devise countless more creative ways to use your Tenikle.

Action Sports

If you have an action camera, chances are you are into action sports, and you definitely want to capture every moment.

With Tenikle, you can get much more creative with your shots than the traditional helmet or chest mount. The flexible nature of our Tenikle means it’s better able to capture unique angles and shots, and it won’t break if you accidentally drop it or a ball comes towards it.

Try sticking Tenikle to your surfboard, or wrapping it to the nose of your skateboard. You can achieve a much more dramatic shot with the camera so close to the action.

Vlogging Arm

There has been a recent explosion in vlogging online. If you are interested in finding a versatile vlogging rig, Tenikle has you covered.

Simply attach your camera to the threaded mount, then bend the arms toward yourself. This will afford you an extra foot of reach for that classic vlog style. 

Creative Time Lapse Mount

Time Lapses are a beautiful way to add another dimension to your cool videos. Traditionally, time lapses are done using a full sized tripod, which can be extremely restrictive.

To get creative, one of a kind time lapses, Tenikle is the best bet. Because Tenikle has such a unique form, you can put it almost anywhere.

For instance, instead of getting a standard sky timelapse, you can wrap your Tenikle around a branch and get the movement of clouds through the leaves of the trees. Another great example is wrapping the Tenikle around the railing on an overpass with your camera pointed down to get an incredible time lapse of cars speeding by.

With Tenikle, the time lapse possibilities are endless. Anywhere you can wrap your Tenikle around you are able to get beautiful, unique time lapses.

Drone-like Shots

Drone shots are a great way to give your video some flair. However, drones can be a huge expense.

While you won't be able to fly your Tenikle hundreds of feet into the air, there is one nice trick you can use to get a drone-like shot.

Simply wrap your Tenikle to the end of a long pole, pipe, or even a branch. From there you can raise the pole up or down to simulate a short drone or jib like shot that is sure to add a little something extra to your video. 

First Person POV Rig

The first person point of view is a great camera trick that looks impressive, but is usually hard to achieve.

Again, the ever so versatile Tenikle can help you get this creative POV shot. All you need is a jacket with a zipper. Splay out all of the arms of the Tenikle completely so that they are equally distant and flat. Then, put the Tenikle against your chest and zip the jacket up.

With the jacket closed and the Tenikle against your chest, the camera should be stable enough for you to get that awesome first person point of view that will make people wonder how in the world you were able to pull it off.

Conclusion

The Tenikle is an all-in-one device for your GoPro or other action camera. These are just a few of the countless uses for Tenikle. We trust you’ll be able to conjure up a multitude of even more creative ways to utilize this unique Iphone gadget in your home, on your next road trip, or on a last-minute photo excursion.

Give your videos some extra flair and check out Tenikle today!