Traveling with a full lighting kit gets complicated fast. Weight limits, lithium batteries, and tight overhead bins change how you pack and what you bring. You want gear that works anywhere without turning every trip into a negotiation at the check-in counter.
Coming to you from John Gress, this practical video walks through a working travel kit built around the Elinchrom FIVE battery-powered strobes. Gress carries three 500 Ws units and removes the batteries before flying, storing them separately and carrying them on to avoid problems with TSA. He keeps multiple batteries in a small organizer and charges them with power banks while shooting so the lights stay in rotation. That approach keeps downtime low on set and helps you stay within airline rules. He also carries three compact Elinchrom ONE heads, which break down smaller for tight cases but still offer enough output for controlled indoor work.
The kit is not just lights. Gress packs a Sekonic light meter, specifically the Sekonic Speedmaster L-858D-U, with a built-in radio module to adjust and trigger the Elinchrom units from the meter. You can change power without walking back to the stand. That speeds up client sessions and workshops where multiple people are shooting. He also keeps an optical snoot with pattern gobos, grip heads, an A-clamp, and a deflector disc that converts a softbox into a beauty-dish style setup. Small pieces like that give you more looks without adding another modifier to your load.
His camera bag is lean but deliberate. He travels with two Canon EOS R5 bodies and usually up to four lenses. The common pairing is a 70-200mm f/4 and a 28-70mm f/2, covering events, portraits, and tighter commercial work without switching systems. An 85mm f/1.2 stays in the studio more often due to space limits on location. For video and quick social clips, he adds a DJI Osmo Pocket 3. Triggers for multiple brands ride along for workshops, letting attendees connect to the Elinchrom lights whether they use Sony, Canon, Nikon, or Fujifilm.
There are also details most people skip. Gress carries basic makeup supplies and disposable tools to keep powder sanitary on set. He scrapes product onto a paper plate before applying it, avoiding contamination inside the container. It is simple, but it prevents awkward moments with clients. In a separate SKB modifier case, he packs indirect strip softboxes, a 150 cm indirect octabox, additional strip boxes, umbrellas, and a Matthews flag kit. Then he addresses the part many ignore: how to check large, overweight cases without paying full freight. He explains media rates, airline policies, and how status or a co-branded credit card can cut baggage fees dramatically. Policies vary, and he shares specific examples that could change how you book flights. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Gress.
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