I went to California recently and I tried taking as little as possible. In retrospect, it was the right decision, and truth be told, I could have subtracted more. In the photo above, you’ll notice a ton of things that are not included compared to the photo below. One of my priorities was to take my laptop and some camera equipment. As a last minute decision, I left behind the extra camera lens.
In hindsight, I probably could have left behind the tripod, lens hood and car charger. By packing lighter, you can do so much more. It also forces you to be a little more creative with the equipment you bring. Packing light translates into being more mobile, which is a good thing for travel.