Not going to be a long post this one, guys. Just a quick overview of the equipment I carry on any given Wedding Photography gig.

So lets start with the camera/cameras, to use the technical term, the ‘camera body’. There’s loads of choice out there. Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, Olympus etc etc. I myself, I’m a Canon man. So I carry with me a Canon 5D MKiii and a Canon 5D MKii, both full frame cameras, important for capturing the full picture especially in tight venues. And also very important if you’re going to print, especially larger prints like canvases. As an extra spare, because I’m super cautious. I also have one Canon 7D, just in case the other two bodies fail me. I know, right? As if, but hey, you never know. So I definitely won’t fail to record somebody’s big day because a camera decides its the perfect time to give up the ghost.

Lenses. For me there are only two absolute must have lenses. The first never leaves one of the camera bodies, and that is the Canon 70-200mm F2.8 L series lens. This lens is a workhorse, it gobbles up light like nobody’s business. It’s fast, it’s sharp, put this lens up against most other lenses and it will embarrass them. Plus it has a really nice focal length, so I don’t have to be in people’s faces when capturing the big moments. Meaning I can capture natural reactions, more candid shots of the Bride, Groom and their guests. Who doesn’t want the teary mother shot in their wedding book, right? The second must have lens for me is at the other end of the focal range. So I have my Tamron 24-70mm f2.8. Again, it has a nice aperture, so it swallows light. It’s another super lens I wouldn’t be without, a cracking “walking around lens”. It allows me to capture wider shots, such as the big family shots, without being about 200 metres away. And also it’s a great portrait lens for more up close, posed shots. Like when guests throw themselves in front of you wanting a picture (I love that everyone is so happy at a wedding, and wants their picture taking). I also carry a 10-18mm wide angle lens, that doesn’t get as much use, but can come in handy if your family is extra big and the venue doesn’t offer the vantage to get you all in with any other lens.

Lighting. Lighting is super important, churches can be dark places. And unless you want all your images to suffer from low shutter speed camera shake, or really high iso digital noise, you better be packing something. I carry with me as many as four speed lights, these can be mounted on camera, or preferably, off camera if the venue allows it. Of course, a trigger to fire them. The first dance is almost always guaranteed to be in some degree of darkness, this is where the big gun comes in handy. One Godox AD600. A powerful 600 watt portable studio strobe, when you simply haven’t got other light sources to play with, accept no substitutes. Used as a key light and combined with a couple of speed lights, this will do the job just grand.

Sundries. A lot, of fully charged batteries for all the equipment. Battery grips for the cameras and multiple camera straps. And last but not least (cheesiness incoming) a smile and a good attitude. Nobody, and I mean nobody, wants a surly, up themselves photographer gracing their big day.

The Phoblographer

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