Traveling Safely With Camera Gear

How do I travel safely with my camera gear? How do I avoid getting robbed? I cover all that in today's vlog from Brazil.
My Camera Gear: bit.ly/BvSGear
My Instagram: bit.ly/BvSInsta
We're in Olinda, Brazil for a couple days and I thought I'd talk about camera safety. Brazil has a bit of a bad reputation. People think it's pretty unsafe. And, yes, crime and theft do happen here. Thankfully, if you're a smart traveller and photographer it shouldn't happen to you. You can follow these safety tips while travelling to keep you and your camera gear safe.
Twitter: / brendanvanson
Facebook: www. thet...

[@TomCooper]

More tips: Be in a group. It is easier to rob one than eight. Don't clean your gear (lens elements excepted). Spotless gear is perceived as being new. Also, use an old strap. New strap = new camera. Keep gear out of sight when not needed. Not seen = not wanted. Use an ordinary-looking backpack. Someone wanting to steal camera gear isn't interested in a pack that looks like it's full of dirty socks. And I totally agree with not living or working worried about something that _might_ happen. Life is too short.

[@patricksmith2553]

Also I love my ThinkTank Airport series bags, both the Commuter and Airport Advantage have locks and lockable zippers, which you can attach to something that's not going anywhere like a pole or whatever you can find. When traveling with my gear in my vehicle I have both my bag and Nikon 400mm trunk cases locked, with steel wire type locks that attach to metal hook anchors in my trunk. Sure somebody could eventually defeat these locks with some bolt cutters or tools, but it would slow them down and or possibly draw the attention of witnesses and always lock your vehicle so the window breaking draws attention. The best solution is good insurance called "personals" or "portables," which can usually be bought through your home or auto insurance. I have my policy through Farmer's insurance and although it might be more expensive than other insurance, it's the best you can buy in my opinion. I pay around $200 per year for $18,000 worth of gear and it covers any type of loss, theft or accidental losses. It seems like a lot of money at the time, but it's worth it, usually all you need is a Police report or proof of the accidental drop/whatever and send them that, it takes a couple weeks but they will replace the items.

[@daveovington-brown4122]

I had a weird experience like that here in the U.K. Iwas waiting for a sun set at a nice beachy type place with about 30 other people with phones out. Here's me with DSLR and tripod etc. sat on one of the benches. A real sketchy looking guy staggers around and starts being a bit of an ass to everyone in general then he spots me. He lumbers up to within about 4 feet of me and stares for a minute or so. " Aren't you worried about being robbed?" I stare him deadpan expression in the eye and say " Aren't you worried about me putting the hammer in my bag through your skull when you try?" He obviously took me seriously as it was like Wylie coyote leaving a dust cloud :):)

[@bikecommuter24]

That wouldn't be Margate? similar thing happened to me, only I replied something about my tripod and a certain part of his anatomy. I like to keep my comments clean online.

[@daveovington-brown4122]

no..Portishead near Bristol

[@rodrigo4379]

omg kkkkkk god

[@tb8651]

I almost got jacked in Naples Italy doing some night shooting alone. I was by the Spanish Quarter. One of the worst parts of Naples. What saved me was being aware of my surroundings, the people, keeping a cool head and having a safe exit strategy for retreat. Besides that, everything he is saying...

[@lucasmp86]

Nice day we spent here at home!! I love to see how people react to a place that we’re so used to see everyday!! Ps: you definitely need to be confident and aware wherever you go. I spotted a couple of suspicious guys during our afternoon there, luckily nothing happened! And I was threatened in Paris couple months ago... so opportunistic robbers will always be around!!

[@jamesscarborough9545]

And for these reason is why I like traveling to Nordic, Scandinavian country's. When I was in Iceland for the first time I forgot to lock my car doors at 2 different sights, with gear still in the car I returned and everything was still there. If anything came up missing I would have blamed another tourist for taking. The Icelandic and Fareo Island people are fantastic. Oh BTW ....The photography there is some of the best in the world!

[@sassytbc7923]

James Scarborough that’s good to know. Heading to Scandinavia for the first time next summer.

[@MrPhilbautista]

Expect the same in Japan. I left a bag (1 of 4) of groceries in the bagging area of the grocery, only realizing it an hour later when I was already in my apartment. Went back for it and it was still there, waiting for me.

[@tamasnemeth2161]

Well, once I forgot to put my tripod in the trunk next to Route 1. I noticed that it is missing when I stopped next time. So I drove back, and it was still there, after an hour... :)

[@PeterLariviere1]

These were really good tips, and with my increased foreign travel I forget some of the basics....one added tip I use is to be situationally aware, look around, look at people and smile be friendly, say hello in the language of the place you visit, people know you've seen them but you are still being friendly....and Jody bursting your bubble with the apartment theft while you are out was priceless.

[@MattSchulze]

When I was traveling in India 40 years ago, the worry was always that the hotel manager would go through your stuff while you were out. So we always took everything of value like money, passport, camera with us. Never left anything other than clothes in the hotel.

[@RoughingItWithRuth]

Thanks for making this video! I agree with not living in fear. A few more tips from a South African perspective: don't drive around with your gear visibly on your lap or on the seat next to you. Smash and grab is a big problem in some places.

[@scottman895]

Thank you for the awesome tips! One thing I always do when I am taking pictures or filming is that I always keep an eye on my gear. When I sit down to eat somewhere and I have my backpack with my camera gear, I try to wrap my leg around my bag to prevent it from getting taken while I eat some delicious food!

[@TheGuitarsadist]

Never been robbed or even close, worse thing I had was when I returned to Iraq in 2007 from R&R and I had brought a new Canon 7D I had bought while home with me. Unfortunately our convoy had the second vehicle get IED' on the way to the site (it was the main vehicle carrying gear). Luckily no one got hurt but the truck was destroyed and had to be abandoned (with a couple of M14 Thermite Grenades) after getting essential gear out due to area of attack. My gear including new Canon was damaged bad and beyond fixing. Lucky for me I called American Express since I used such to buy it, and they covered the loss and I was able to replace the 7D and get a new one sent to me.

[@rodrigo4379]

are you a war reporter? Thats crazy

[@MidlifeRovers]

I've traveled to Brazil twice. I was sooo concerned about safety on my first visit, but I meet the most wonderful people. The locals we so hospitable , interested in sharing their culture, and caring. The only issue I had there at all was the weight I gained. MAN can they cook some meat! #meatsweats LOL

[@atkpjdv]

Good solid advice for no matter where you travel in the world. There are some no go areas and there are some nasty folks out there. But it is also important to remember 99.9% of people you see and meet are honest, kind and helpful. Let us not immediately assume the worst of people. I have been scared when people approach me, but so far it has only been folks interested in what I am doing or indeed locals who have pointed me to some sites worth photographing. I will always remain cautious but will also remain open to meeting people because of the hobby I enjoy so much.

[@philipsutton2316]

Great advice Brendon, as I head off for a month to Vietnam, China and Cambodia. A massive street adventure - this was very timely!!

[@bradzaruba9686]

Great to hear the excitement back in your voice! Looking forward to the next videos.

[@cindyrosen8170]

How do you store your gear in the hotel room since hotel safes are small?

[@steveglennan]

Good advice! Always be aware of your surroundings and pay attention to travel advisories!

[@Jonsie66]

I travel with a second 'holiday' wallet and in that I have only a Revolut debit card (which I only load with a daily amount) and any local currency I may have taken out off a ATM, so if I was to be pick pocketed or mugged they will only have whatever is in that wallet and I can transfer any monies on the debit card straight out off the account using the app.

[@AlterdA4]

lol, hey Brandon, spoken like a true Canuck! I've lived in Vancouver for many years (20+), and now in Ottawa for 12+, it's important to be aware of your surroundings ... Does someone seem to be following you, etc, just most importantly be aware, if people know you are aware of them, they will back off and move to an easier target if they are sizing you up. I've never been robbed, and I have I'm sure been sized up as a potential, with and without my camera gear. Also, ... congratulations on your engagement!! Wishing you and Jodie much happiness and great health!

[@ygtx44]

Really good tips man! Thank you you earned a sub! :)

[@cii1072]

Some places should just plain be avoided.

[@prburley]

Oh wow! I asked you specifically about the safety situation and Brazil a year or two ago. And I've never been robbed after six or so times. Olinda looks so magical but my research is in Salvador.

[@ceilihmcgrady4125]

Great advice! Do you have any recommendations for services that you can register your gear with in case it is stole so it can be traced?

[@tammymellertphoto]

My daughter lives in Rio de Janeiro and she tells just he same things happen there but on a much larger scale. Thanks for the information and stay safe out there.

[@proach3]

I put black electrical tape over all my Nikon indicators on my body and lenses. They can’t tell what brand and it is confusing for them- especially other photographers! I stump gear peepers all the time 😏

[@derbagger22]

Any recommendations on good insurance? I also find it funny I'm just watching this now as I spent much of the afternoon investigating the Galapagos Islands...

[@CultureAgent]

Best thing you can do is insure your camera gear with a specialist insurance company. I used to have all my gear insured and it cost around £11/month. Two months after the policy started up my camera bag rolled into a river, it wasn't a pretty sight. That brings me to the next bit of advice; only insure your cameras, skip the lenses unless you have a £17k 500mm prime or something, the excess they charge can make the loss of a lens an expensive cost that almost encompasses the entire value of the lens. I have a D500 and a D850 insured at the moment; the cost is less than £3/month. For peace of mind; it's a real no brainer.

[@TomCooper]

Membership in some pro photographer groups will automatically insure your camera gear.

[@CultureAgent]

@@TomCooper Thanks Tom wasn't aware of that. My main goal is wildlife photos, groups don't work out too well for that. I have to rely on camouflage, stealth and insurance.

[@chrisnunez4758]

What insurance company do you go to? I was looking at PPA, but could use some recommendations as well

[@roadshoulderphotography683]

so what happened to your backpack half way thru the video ? was it stolen ? lol

[@themickcollo]

This is the article from his website where he explains what happened www.brendansadventures.com/i-was-robbed-im-going-to-puke/ It's from this misfortune i found brendan's youtube channel back in 2015 when researching my own trip to South America... Its been amazing to see his channel and hard work grow to what it is today!! Hopefully one day i could join one of this tours!!

[@chris_perea]

great tips brendan!! and HELLOOOO LUCAS!!! 🤗

[@lucasmp86]

Chris Perea hey there!!! 🙃🙃

[@scarface3935]

Tbh in my city of Stockton I don’t really worry about that, no one tries it.

[@30JohnBoy]

Fail! You had a perfect opportunity for the “I’m on a boat“ clip 😟

[@CampingMotoTurismoEFotografia]

Hello, welcome to Brazil. Wonderful places, fantastic people. Do not believe everything the international press says about Brazil. Brazil is changing for the better. I love your channel.

[@YoussefHallouly]

Hey Breandan! I have a question, what about when you go on catamaran tours let's say, and you leave your bag unattended while you go snorkling, did that ever happened to you ? What do you suggest doing in these situations?

[@lucianappaschoal]

Hello! I'm brazilian. Olinda is tuff, man! Could you help me? Would you travel to Europe with just a Fuji XT-4 + 23mm f/2? I'm unsure whether to do this or take my R6 at 24-105 f/4. I would like to get rid of the weight, but I don't know if I would be risking too much. I would also have an iPhone and a GoPro. What's your opinion?

[@gm010379]

THANKYOU...

[@NepalKailashTrekking]

Nice to see that you are safe, I had been watched several videos some robbery

[@RichardFrenchPhotography]

Ive had a few times over the last couple of years where I've had to miss out on a photo or got somewhere and walked way or packup before i get hurt or robbed and it really gets me down when it happends, but at the moment i feel i would rather have my gear and safety and no capture.

[@DaneRThomas]

Out of sight, out of mind. Tone down or hide what you have if you can, and blend in as much as possible. Having a big brightly colored tripod visible is just screaming that you probably also have other expensive camera gear. I got the Peak Design travel tripod specifically for that purpose. It is also the only one that fits into my single carry-on bag. I also downsized my kit to the EOS R with the 24-105 f/4L as my primary lens. For street photography, I either keep it in a discreet LowePro TLZ1 fitted with a non-branded strap, or I use the Peak Design Capture Clip on a belt, with an untucked shirt and/or shemagh draped over it. Also, a backward trucker cap, shirt with advertising print, mirrored shades, a visible water bottle and flip-flops scream "American Tourist", which in many places worldwide can make one fair game for robbery and/or abuse. As a bald white guy I can't help but stick out like a sore thumb in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and India, but a bit of effort can help me blend in a little bit more effectively when I am in many places. Needless to say, never leave visible luggage in a car. Have more than one form of internationally recognized ID and keep them in two separate places if you can. Having two smaller wallets can help, as the one with cash can be sacrificed if needed while you retain the one with the ID. If you are between destinations, or if where you are staying is dodgier than where you are planning to be during the day, bring it all with you. That is one of the advantages of one-bag travel. My pack is small enough to fit in every overhead compartment I have tried, but I can still have my laptop, an extra lens or two, the PD tripod and/or Joby Gorillapod, all my tech stuff, toiletries and everything I need for up to 10 days away (as long as the destination is not cold enough to require heavy clothing) in a backpack that does not scream "I HAVE CAMERA GEAR AND A COMPUTER INSIDE!" The camera case adds extra capacity for flights while being counted as my secondary bag.

[@DaneRThomas]

One more thing comes to mind - Have a robust backup policy with both local and remote backups (I use Backblaze) for mobile phone and laptop. That makes it possible to recover whatever might be temporarily lost, as long as you have sufficient access to data traffic and bandwidth.

[@tomburke5311]

Good video, Brendan. One question - do you take your phone out with you? Do you take an older phone when you go out?

[@TNKHART]

Great video and tips as always. Side note.......enjoyed the change in music track.

[@danielhallqvist9575]

Great tips and episode. Will try to remeber your tips when I go to South Africa : )

[@jamescorral1673]

Nice job Brendan, would love how you decided on the amount of time per exposure, I do use various apps to figure that but seems you shot from the hip, let us know! Safe travels

[@modilly1984]

I’ve been looking to travel abroad and am so paranoid about this stuff.

[@BrendanvanSon]

The rumors of theft are greatly exaggerated

[@JDubyafoto]

I've not been to Brazil, but my brother has many years ago & he said at that time it was pretty sketchy. It's obviously improved a lot since then. Just an observation...when flashing text on the screen such as someone's Instagram handle, don't use a font that runs together like cursive. I'm pretty good at reading cursive, but not everyone is. When you flashed Luca's info on screen I really had a difficult time deciphering it. I had to back up the video to freeze it so I could figure out what it said. Just saying.

[@tonyvaldivia7300]

Thanks Brendan!!

[@normanschultz1142]

Another tip don't use the strap that came with your camera ,your just advertiseing what your carrying besides those straps really suck get yourself one that goes cross body or holds the camera on your chest . (Also a neck strap is the easiest to take and puts All the weight on your neck

[@mikegindling4236]

I was robbed in Quito. I went one street to far away from the safe area.

[@DougHall65]

More “speaking roles” for Jodie! Great video, Brendan.

[@ashleygarvin7177]

Monopod in hand when walking. No one is robbing someone with a decent sized pole in their hand

[@tamasnemeth2161]

There is one major advice I was hoping to see - at least in the finale with the 'don't be affraid' I was expecting that. Insurance. Have one which covers your ass.

[@matthewhenry6281]

How to not get robbed, tell people you shoot Nikon 😜. Lol. j/k

[@BrendanvanSon]

hahaha, well played.

[@amyril]

Strolling around in foreign country without a passport is it ok?

[@theponderosa3489]

Depends were you are. When we travelled in Panama we had to have it with us at all times.

[@SnakrGarage]

I dont think looking like a PRO will give you more or less chance of being robbed. It is just about bad luck If thief know how much your gear costs. If you carry around $5K-$10K, C'om, you will be robbed. I think the only way to avoid is knowing where you are, being in group and have a big hammer outside your backpack ready for hit some skulls :)

[@MichalOlender]

If you get pranked by a friend of yours called Rob, were you robbed then?

[@robinfereday6562]

Women are always the voice of reason worth listening too 👍

[@awillingvessel238]

what about flying????

[@Jeff-jg7jh]

Locals are always over protective of tourists. Like when we went to Montana,US. Don't got to Butte, the kid told us. Now Butte is a North country mining town. I 'm gong to get racial here somewhat. The young helpful kid told us not to got to Butte because it was full of Irish(Butte MT) and they liked to fight. So we got up in the morning and we drove down the hiway. We bypassed Butte and continued on our journey. We did observed Butte from the hiway as we went past. We weren't going there in the first place. We had left the town that the state prison was located in. A story there.

[@tube2211ification]

Being confident will not stop you from getting robbed! That’s is just silly comment.

[@MSmith-Photography]

So...blue feet = future So...I don't need a DeLorean? 🤣

[@IainHC1]

Or...... You could say..... "That's not a knife" ( pull out a Machete) and say "This is a knife!!" and tell em to 'Go Forth' !!!! :-)

[@dsm_stories]

It's beautiful 😍

[@jrlong3490]

Nice street photography until you kept reminding us of the seedy side of society and to watch our backs in the big cities. Brendan is Debbie Downer here at Christmas time. :) Safe travels and see you in AZ in a few weeks.

[@michael_swardh]

Smart girl ;)

[@Jeff-jg7jh]

I will sit still for the future/

[@lefturn99]

If you have to chase down someone in those flip flops..................

[@lightonthelandscape]

Very good point. A pro thief will size someone up. Can they chase after me? Flip-flops. Hell no! Potential target!

[@henrileduc]

Hi Brendan. I'm a big fan of you and your work. Same for Tom, Adam, Nick, Gavin. Knowing that you are in Ecuador and that you maybe will do some landscape photography, if I can help you with something it would be a great pleasure. I'm from Belgium, living in Ecuador for 29 years now and, of course, I do landscape photography (@hvojvoda). I also worked here in tourism during all those years as a mountain and trekking guide. So, yes, I think I may say I know a lot of spots in this country :-) So, if you have an idea or a project in the country (and time) after you Amazon and Galapagos trip, it will be a pleasure to help you with it and to meet you. And if not a coffee or a beer and shaking your hand will be already a great pleasure also ;-) Have fun in this beautiful country.

[@wdb1932]

Looks like a dump

[@jimmyqballs]

They sell guns for a reason hahaha

[@mistermadsen]

I am fast

[@boulx]

boring...