As if we would...

1. It is entirely possible to photo or video yourself, but it tends to take an awful lot longer than having someone else do it. They can see what the camera sees in a way that you can't - even if you attach the camera to a TV or monitor, you end up looking at it too much. For video, it helps to move the tripod around every so often and edit the results into something less static than one stationary fixed shot for the whole clip.

Can the friends visit you wherever you are from time to time? Alternatively, find some more people you can work with.

2. Netbooks = smaller laptops. You're right - I take mine around a lot more than I ever did the laptop. They tend to be lower powered which saves battery life (mine has vastly better battery life than the laptop ever did) but means things like editing video on them is problematic. Smaller screens make manual photo editing more painful too. 'Built in wireless' = they do wi-fi. If you're somewhere with free wi-fi, great. Otherwise, you might as well use a dongle which uses a mobile phone network's data service to get you internet. Depending on your phone, you may be able to get internet on a laptop/netbook via it.

All the big mobile networks do internet dongles. You need to know that they all lie about speeds. When you're outside a 3G area for your provider, be prepared to be reminded of life before broadband. Some providers have ishy coverage - I think it was O2 who had to be pushed to make it better. They also sold far more iphones than they had network capability for, slowing things down further.

Personally, I never saw the point of getting a dongle on a contract: committing to ?15/month every month for ages or paying the same (or less) just when I used it... hmmm... let me think Depending on who you use for your mobile(s), you may be able to find a good deal for existing customers. If you're thinking of T-mobile, get one before the start of February as they're just about to change (i.e. reduce) the data allowances for at least some of their deals. If you are thinking of transferring video, the data allowances will be especially critical.

Which ever you go for, if you can afford it, it almost always makes more sense to buy the netbook outright separately from the dongle. Otherwise you'll end up paying more over the two years they want to have you captive for.

Built in webcams tend to be ok. If you want to do webcamming, you really want something you can move about, not fixed to the top of your screen. They're not really good enough to do video clips.

Hi again 

Just wanted to check I've actually gotten it right - Net book & use wi-fi when available (They will give me a pin number) & use pay as you go dongale for back up  Should be ok to use built in web cam for live shows, but might need to up grade to a better one that I can attach to my net book 

Thanks for advise on the camera but I have to say my friends that do my photos aren't artistic I have to pose & direct at the same time  I will see them to do filming, I just thought as I'm going to stay in some nice hotels & do some traveling I can use it to my advantage.

xx

if your a bt internet user you can also use there  free wifi network  if it in range btopenzone ( normally is )
or if you know anyone who has it they might let you use there password /user name ect
 
  Failing that if your not going to be webcamming ect then use your  own phone as a modem   if its got free internet usage then this is generally a good deal  i am with t mobile and have unlimited use on my phone so use it as a modem if in a hotel
   
i have a samsung netbook with built in webcam( never use it lol) but its great for touring with as very light tough and easy to use
in the past when i have used dongles i always found 3 to be ok  just bought one and you got three months 3 use /allowance but not sure if this is the case any more

ive done a few homemade video clips and   xw5 is spot on i find the hardest thing is when you want to stop recording the video  and also background noise