Female photographer - Antarctica packing list

If you are planning a trip to Antarctica and wondering what to pack, your tour/cruise to Antarctica will probably give you a list of what you need and often supply your summit jackets and muck boots when you board along with basic toiletries but thought I would share what I personally packed as when I first booked, I searched the net trying to find a female photographer packing list and didn’t find any at all it was just gear..

So yes, I over packed but being so isolated I would rather have been prepared. I took three bags as luggage -duffle/wheelie bag for checking in, my camera backpack and my laptop brief as carry on.

I haven’t named any brands apart from my camera bodies but if you wish to know just send me a message or if you are needing more information, I will happily help you out.

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PACKING LIST -

• 1 - Back Pack

  • Photography back pack & Carry on luggage

  • 2x camera bodies I shoot Nikon Z7 and Z7ii

  • My trilogy of my personal favourite Nikon lenses:
    • 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 S lens
    • 24-200mm F4-6.3 lens
    • 20mm F1.8 Prime my favourite astro lens (used the least but I carry it everywhere I travel to for astro and nightscapes)

  • Filters

  • Spare batteries I took 4 in total

  • SD cards x 4 spare and holder and portable hard drive

  • Battery Chargers and leads

  • Cleaning cloths and lens and sensor cleaner

  • My lightning trigger (hey, you never know when a storm will arrive. I didn’t use it through this trip, maybe next time).

  • Winter photography gloves x 2 (and I hated both pairs which were very expensive, so I went without gloves and was fine for hours on end out on deck. I have bought cheap fingerless gloves, and these are working much better for my little hands.)

  • Hoodie plus waterproof jacket, spare set of underwear, base layers and shirt (in case checked baggage goes missing)
    

• 2 - Duffle/wheelie - Checked baggage

  • Photography Items:
    • Tripod
    • Camera tool kit (Guess who got busted with a screwdriver in her camera backpack in Santiago Airport? They were great about it but just a little bit embarrassing.)
    • Double camera brace didn’t use at all found it too annoying
    • Dry bag for landings

  • Personal Items:
    • Snow boots for on deck
    • Spare glasses sunnies and reading
    • Ski goggles (I would’ve used if I got to do the zodiacs)
    • First aid medicine kit
    • Underwear for everyday and then base layers (I took three sets but two would’ve been fine)
    • Two sets ski/ snowboarding pants
    • One pair of hiking pants
    • 9 socks-hiking and thermal (out on my balcony for hours in covid iso I needed 4 sets of socks at a time to keep feet warm whilst doing squats and the photographer dance to keep the rest of me warm)
    • 3 x pairs of leggings
    • 4 x t-shirts long sleeve and two short (and dressed 90s style with one over the other)
    • 3 x singlets
    • 2 pairs of jeans for before and after boarding and my converse shoes
    • 2 x beanies
    • Gaiter
    • Reusable water bottle
    • Two fleeces
    • Power board, notebooks and pens
    • Basic beauty products and toiletries, personal hygiene products.
    • Hair straightener, one hoodie.
    • One bikini which I didn’t get to use for polar plunge or jacuzzi

• 3 - Laptop brief bag

  Laptop, makeup bag, book to read on planes, headphones, phone chargers and power bank, glasses, insurance and travel documents and passport, purse.

Obviously, Wi-Fi is limited in Antarctica so download any music and podcasts you wish to listen to beforehand and don’t forget to pack your sense of adventure, humour and fun and willingness to handle the unexpected.

Toni xx

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