This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CanadianTire #QuakerState #CollectiveBias

As​ ​a​ ​lifestyle​ ​blogger,​ ​I​ ​am​ ​always​ ​on​ ​the​ ​lookout​ ​for​ ​places​ ​that​ ​would​ ​be​ ​perfect​ ​for​ ​taking photos.​ ​It’s​ ​a​ ​blessing​ ​and​ ​a​ ​curse!  

One​ ​of​ ​the​ ​most​ ​iconic​ ​Alberta​ ​scenic​ ​views​ ​are​ ​the​ ​summer​ ​fields​ ​blanketed​ ​in​ ​canola​ ​-​ ​and​ ​at the​ ​end​ ​of​ ​July​ ​when​ ​the​ ​canola​ ​bloom​ ​into​ ​their​ ​yellow​ ​flowers.  

To​ ​get​ ​to​ ​these​ ​picturesque​ ​fields​ ​is​ ​a​ ​bit​ ​of​ ​a​ ​hike​ ​from​ ​our​ ​downtown​ ​home​ ​and​ ​we​ ​would​ ​be​ ​so disappointed​ ​if​ ​our​ ​vehicle​ ​could​ ​not​ ​make​ ​it​ ​there​ ​or​ ​back…​ ​so,​ ​when​ ​we’re​ ​preparing​ ​to​ ​take photos​ ​there’s​ ​a​ ​checklist​ ​of​ ​things​ ​to​ ​do​ ​to​ ​make​ ​our​ ​journey​ ​worth​ ​it.  

A​ ​mandatory​ ​pit​ ​stop​ ​at​ ​Canadian​ ​Tire​ ​is​ ​a​ ​must.​ ​They​ ​have​ ​a​ ​wide​ ​variety​ ​of​ ​car​ ​parts​ ​and products,​ ​but​ ​also​ ​so​ ​much​ ​for​ ​helping​ ​us​ ​enjoy​ ​the​ ​end​ ​of​ ​summer!​ ​I​ ​personally​ ​love​ ​walking​ the​ ​baking​ ​aisles analyzing the cake pans and muffin trays, ​but​ ​I’ll​ ​save​ ​my​ ​baking​ ​products​ ​for​ ​fall​ ​when​ ​it’s​ ​not​ ​too​ ​hot​ ​out​ ​to​ ​use​ ​the oven.

The rest of my mini road trip checklist includes:

Water bottles and dry snacks – whether it’s hot or cold out, staying hydrated and full will make your shoot more enjoyable. There’s nothing worse than dry mouth and a growling stomach when you’re in the heat and are starting to look miserable in photos! Plus, you would not want any stains on your clothes so keep that in mind when choosing a snack.

Makeup bag – I’m human, if you didn’t already know, and I am not impervious to sweating. When it’s hot or I’m stressed, I sweat. Though typically I don’t use flash in any of my photography looking shiny is not a flattering look for me. To fix any shininess or smudges on the go I bring my translucent powder, waterproof mascara, lipstick, cotton pads, and q tips.

Fully charged camera battery and memory card – Thankfully, the new camera I have now I do not need to remove the memory card to transfer photo files anymore but believe me from experience how much it sucks when you arrive at your photo destination and have no memory card! Same goes for a well charged camera battery – there’s no way to fix the situation. So learn from my mistakes!

Check the tire pressure – imagine something going wrong with your vehicle on the way, during, or on the way home while you’re in the middle of nowhere. That is not a fun place to be dealing with wheel troubles! It’s better to take the extra steps – look in your owner’s manual to check the correct tire pressure, then use Google to learn how to measure the pressure and fill if needed.

Check the oil – While you’re checking your owners manual, look for what kind of oil your car needs. I’m all about learning from other’s mistakes to avoid making the same mistakes ourselves – a few months ago a family member’s engine nearly blew when making a short 2 hour road trip to visit. The car trouble? The oil had not been checked and filled since a long time ago! I’m not judging because I am the most guilty of never checking the oil in our vehicles. It’s crazy to think that something as simple as checking your vehicle’s oil will save you so much money, time, and grief!

Do yourself a favour and purchase Quaker State® Ultimate Durability™ Full Synthetic Motor Oil from your local Canadian Tire – car maintenance being made for life in Canada.

Once these tasks from my checklist are complete I have peace of mind that we’ll have a smooth photo session.

How do you prepare for mini road trips with your car?