Susheel: I’ve read Jim’s article before, but thanks for the reminder! I’d love to take a longer lens with me, my ideal choice being the Canon 70-200mm F/4L, but my budget just doesn’t allow me to rent more than one lens for a week.

I’m hundreds of dollars over-budget for this paycheck as it is :P Financial planning, she is not my strong point.

I’ve subscribed to your blog (I especially liked your post on whether or not flashes could be damaging to babies) and added you to my blogroll.

Nat: Pen and paper is good! I have a lovely leather zip-up case with paper & pens that I don’t get to use often enough. Hooray for free crap from the office.

Ed: Yeah, I’d love the longer focal length but I just can’t afford it. I’ll have to do things the old-fashioned way and zoom with my feet.

The flash, my most obviously forgotten accessory, is coming for sure though.

@Brian: I don’t own a card reader or a laptop, but the flashlight is not a bad idea! Amusingly enough I have the lens cloth with me more often than my camera, I always keep it in the back pocket of my jeans.

I debated leaving the kit lens behind, your comment cemented it though. I’ll be fine with the two I’ve got.

@Vincent: Sadly I don’t own either of those things. I really need to get either a cable release for my Rebel or a remote. I just haven’t gotten around to it.

also, I’ve found that an external flash is useful for fill, even in landscapes. not necessary, but more creative options is never a bad thing! (useful for illuminating bushes/trees/foliage/etc… in the foreground that would otherwise be cast in shadow)

You don’t have a longer lens than 55mm (which is of course, more like a 85 with your camera’s crop factor), and sometimes while on landscape/nature shoots you may come across that animal or detail in the scenery that you may want to capture…

I’ve found that sometimes I’ve wanted to capture pictures of some interesting birds in the scene, but was not able to because I only had a 135mm with my Canon AE-1 (I was only 12 y/o at the time, but still…)

If you’re aiming to get only sceneries and not worried about losing an animal shot or two, then you’re fine…

You may want to read Jim Goldstein’s post on lenses for landscape photography

And don’t bother with the kit lens, you already have that range covered and it’s so soft.