One tool I always bring with me on every shoot, everywhere and all the time is the white towel! This one simple item has helped save me and many others numerous times over. In fact, so important was this task that I went directly to a store to purchase them; all are cotton hand towels in white color with very fluffy nap. These umbrellas don’t function to block rain. Their main function is to blot moisture off my gear when I’m out shooting. They stay dry inside my jacket until needed for use outside; then simply blowing gently across any moisture build-up on my equipment without wiping (which could force moisture into crevices that shouldn’t). My white towel serves as additional padding in my camera bag, nestled between its lid and long lens. On beaches where I work, it helps wipe away salt moisture off my hands after I work (in these instances I borrow one from the lodge, returning each day with a fresh one). My preference is for white towels as they reveal dirt that has settled onto both my hands or my gear, thus eliminating further application to my gear. Aside from its visual cue, white towels have many uses; from keeping sun/heat off gear in high temps to use as a snot rag in subzero temps; truly a multitasker! A white towel is truly indispensable!
