Dive Photography Travel Checklist : 50 Things You Should Never Forget

In the Maldives, 2018. I open my camera bag on the first morning and reach for my memory cards. I left them on my desk in Brussels. Two days of travel, six planned dives in one of the best underwater photography destinations in the world, and zero memory cards.

The dive centre had an old 8 GB card to sell. 8 GB in RAW is around 200 photos. Safe to say I shot very selectively those first two days.

Since then, I travel with a checklist. Not in my head - on paper, that I actually tick.

Here is the complete version, tested on a dozen dive photography trips. Organised into 8 categories for speed. Print it, tick it, never skip it.

1. 1Passport valid at least 6 months after the return date
2. 2Visa (check processing times by destination)
3. 3DAN dive insurance active with emergency number saved in your phone - see our full DAN insurance guide
4. 4

1. 1Wetsuit suited to the destination (5 mm Mediterranean summer, 3 mm tropics, 7 mm cold water)
2. 2Mask + anti-fog solution
3. 3Fins (travel fins if space is limited)
4. 4Regulator serviced (annual service recommended, or bi-annual depending on manufacturer)
5. 5Dive computer with battery checked
6. 6BCD appropriate to the trip (some can be rented on site, verify in advance)
7. 7Surface marker buoy (SMB) in its pouch
8. 8

1. 1Primary camera / smartphone
2. 2Waterproof housing with O-rings inspected and empty immersion test completed (see box below)
3. 3Memory cards (minimum as many as planned dive days - see intro anecdote)
4. 4Spare batteries × 2 minimum, charged, in cabin luggage
5. 5Chargers and appropriate cables
6. 6Wet lens (macro or wide angle) if used
7. 7Arms and trays for the housing (checked case in hold)
8. 8

The Housing Test (run 24 hours before departure)

Fill a basin or sink with 30-50 cm of water. Close the housing empty (no camera). Submerge for 30 minutes. Remove and open: the interior must be perfectly dry. If the slightest trace of moisture appears, inspect every O-ring and repeat the test. Never leave without doing this.

1. 1Full first aid kit following DAN recommendations - see our DAN first aid kit guide
2. 2DAN oxygen kit (if trained as Oxygen Provider)
3. 3Personal medications + antihistamines
4. 4SPF50+ sunscreen waterproof (photographers consistently forget this)
5. 5Insect repellent (tropical destinations)
6. 6Anti-malarial treatment if required (start BEFORE departure per protocol)
7. 7Rehydration sachets (dehydration is a DCS risk factor)

1. 1Dive centre booking confirmed by email, on paper or as a screenshot
2. 2Dive schedule: number of planned dives, sites, max depths, surface intervals
3. 3No-fly rule respected: 12h minimum after a single dive, 18-24h after repetitive or deep dives
4. 4Luggage weight checked: dive + photo gear often weighs 15-20 kg - see our cabin vs hold luggage guide
5. 5Lithium batteries in cabin luggage (never in hold - absolute IATA rule)
6. 6Fireproof bag for spare lithium batteries

1. 1Neoprene boots (foot protection on boats + coral beaches)
2. 2Quick-dry clothing (technical swimwear, t-shirt) for surface intervals
3. 3Cap or hat for long boat days

1. 1Daily backup routine defined (card to external hard drive, minimum)
2. 2Weather and tide apps installed and configured for the destination

1. 1Re-read this checklist on the morning of departure, with the bag closed, calmly.

The last item is the most important. It feels redundant. It is not redundant.

The checklist covers gear forgetting. It does not cover fatigue, poor judgment underwater, or decisions made under pressure to "not miss the shot." Those aspects are addressed in the AquaExposure underwater photography training - including a module on managing divided attention between photography and safety.

To complete the pre-departure organisation, the save-a-dive kit guide and the cabin vs hold luggage guide cover the two other pillars of equipment preparation.

Good trip. And don't forget the memory cards.

AquaExposure receives no affiliate commission on any gear mentioned in this article.