So let the creative packing begin! The backpack is a basic Targus<\/a> – a big main compartment with a laptop sleeve and some smaller zippered sections front and side.<\/p>\n Laptop slides into the back. Slip in LumiQuest. Then 70-200mm and the 14-24mm lenses share a neoprene laptop sleeve (a freebee from BestBuy!). Shove the longer lens into the bottom, fold, add the 14-24mm and we save space and offer a bit of bump protection. SB-800 in its case sidles up next to that. 50mm in a little pouch goes in next then the camera with 24-70 attached slips in with a bit of padding around that. Shove PacSafe into a side pocket for easy access, stuff all the little stuff in the other outer pockets and throw a couple of ball bungees in the top so that I can secure the backpack to my small roll-on luggage bag. The pack is now stuffed with no room to spare and I have a 22 lb weight attached to my back. UGH! <\/p>\n So after packing all of this gear, I suppose you might wonder what actually got used.<\/p>\n Well, the laptop was a definite must so glad that I had it. Even if I didn\u2019t do any post processing work, it was nice to be able to look at the pics on something larger than the LCD of the camera. Not to mention, that I felt much better knowing that I had file backups of everything.<\/p>\n As you might have already guessed, the 24-70mm lens was the most used. It is certainly the work horse of the bunch. This was followed closely by the 70-200mm. On the tours, it was \u201cSpray, pray and move on to the next place!\u201d That didn\u2019t leave much time for exchanging lenses.<\/p>\n The least used lens was the 14-24mm. I had just gotten this before the trip and had not had much of a chance to work with it yet. I did do some shooting around the ship with it though. Here\u2019s one just for fun:<\/p>\n Had a bit of fun with the 50mm too (f<\/em>1.4 @ 1\/50th sec). Here\u2019s a shot from the midnight dessert buffet. (I was tempted but took the picture not the brownie!)<\/p>\n Completely forgot that I had the Canon P&S. Wish I had thought to take it to Sorrento in the rain but oh well , guess we\u2019ll have to go back!<\/p>\n The SunSniper strap got used about half of the trip. I made the ultimate mistake of using an un-modified quick release plate as the connector instead of the swivel screw from SunSniper. Walking through Topsiders Buffet, the ring came off. (GASP!) But I had rigged a \u201csafety strap\u201d so all was not a disaster. Of course, without pliers, I couldn\u2019t unscrew the QR plate and had to fall back on my Optech<\/a> strap.<\/p>\n NEVER touched the monopod. <\/p>\n I have to say that for my first foray in Europe, I learned a lot!<\/p>\n And most important\u2026.We WILL go back!<\/p>\n Check out Steve\u2019s trip blog for more of our fun in Europe \u2013 Where in the World<\/a><\/p>\n And for more pictures \u2013 Mediterranean Cruise Gallery<\/a><\/p>\n TTFN<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" First, a confession: I am an unrepentant certified, chronic over-packer. I want to make sure that I have \u201cstuff\u201d to cover all of the myriad possibilities of what might happen. I can\u2019t count how many times I have returned home … Continue reading ![\"Gear-1\"](\"http:\/\/rpeoplesphotography.com\/wordpress\/wordpress-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Gear-1_thumb.jpg\" "\\"Gear-1\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe Verdict<\/h3>\n
![\"@](\"http:\/\/rpeoplesphotography.com\/wordpress\/wordpress-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Stack_TM-1_thumb.jpg\" "\\"The")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Dessert](\"http:\/\/rpeoplesphotography.com\/wordpress\/wordpress-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Dessert-Anyone_thumb.jpg\" "\\"Dessert")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Minnie](\"http:\/\/rpeoplesphotography.com\/wordpress\/wordpress-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Minnie-and-Us-1_thumb.jpg\" "\\"Minnie")
<\/a>Flashes were overkill. I popped the SB-400 on for our character breakfast pics but that was about it. <\/p>\n\n