My wife is an amateur photographer too. When we went to Europe on vacation she brought a separate carry-on bag with her cameras and her set of lenses, plus other equipment, and checked her tripod.
Sarai Sierra was a photography enthusiast like President Obama is a skeet enthusiast.
I am an amateur photographer mom- I only can take pics in between holding kids hands. I still travel w at least a dslr and a second lens. Without kids, I would have hands/time for setting up more. The whole story has stunk from the get-go.