A light camera kit for a Hill Country day trip
Fall color, river crossings and big skies are under two hours from San Antonio. Here's the small camera bag we'd pack for the drive.
Late October into November is when the Hill Country quietly turns. Bigtooth maples go red at places like Lost Maples State Natural Area, cypress trees along the rivers turn rust brown, and the summer haze finally lifts. It's a great time for a day trip, and you don't need a heavy bag of gear to come home with good photos.
The camera: one zoom, no lens swaps
A compact with a long optical zoom covers wide valley views and a hawk on a fence post without changing lenses. The HS Digital Camera bundle comes with a spare battery and a memory card, which is exactly what runs out first on a long day.
Something to hold it steady
- A mini tabletop tripod sits on a picnic table or a rock for group photos and low-light shots at dusk.
- A full-height phone tripod is worth the extra pound if you want time-lapse video of clouds rolling over a ridge.
- For selfies on the trail, a mini selfie stick tripod with a Bluetooth shutter fits in a pocket.
Prints for the fridge
Half the fun of a day trip is handing out pictures afterward. The Digital Camera and Mini Link kit lets you shoot on instant film or print your favorite phone shots in credit-card size, right in the car on the way home.
Power for the drive back
Navigation, photos and music drain a phone quickly. A folding portable solar charger on the dashboard keeps things topped up without hunting for a café outlet.
A few last tips
- Popular state parks can fill up on fall weekends, so reserve a day pass ahead of time when you can.
- Shoot in the first and last hour of sunlight for warm color and long shadows.
- Pack water and snacks. Some of the best viewpoints are far from the nearest store.