MY WEDDING GEAR
So, you’ve been hired to capture one of the most important days for an engaged couple and being prepared with the best camera gear for weddings is key to succeeding.
BEST CAMERA GEAR FOR WEDDINGS
So, you’ve been hired to capture one of the most important days for an engaged couple and being prepared with the best camera gear for weddings is key to succeeding.
This is the gear that I use for wedding photography and I want to emphasize that this list works best for my style when shooting a wedding and it allows me to focus on capturing beautiful moments.
Lastly, it should also be mentioned that all the best gear in the world can never equal great skill and creativity. So focus on taking great photographs with the tools you have with you.
1. Full Frame Camera + A Backup Camera
So many things can go wrong at a wedding, so it’s always a great idea to have a backup camera in case anything malfunctions or breaks on your main camera. The Canon 6D Mark II is my favourite to use and the Canon 5D Mark IV is just a powerhouse of a camera.
*Bonus: If you also offer video services, I find it helpful to have a camera body with an adjustable flip out screen like the 6D.
Canon 5D Mark IV https://amzn.to/2LN3sOG | Canon 6D Mark II https://amzn.to/32VLRcS
2. Strong Memory Cards
Depending on your camera’s card reader slot, you will either need a Compact Flash memory card or a SD Card. The best memory card brand to go with depends on how you want to balance speed and capacity. But I have found that SanDick Extreme Pro and Lexar Professional Class work best for me.
SanDisk 64GB Extreme PRO https://amzn.to/2YufWkq | Lexar Professional Compact Flash 128GB https://amzn.to/2GzKtTR
3. Medium Zoom Lens
This is my go to lens when shooting weddings. The 24-70mm f 2.8 lens allows you to capture wide images while also having the ability to zoom in at time when you can’t get close enough. I like to use this lens during wedding ceremonies and family portraits.
Canon makes a great zoom lens, but Tamron also offers a cheaper version that works great.
Canon 24-70mm f2.8 https://amzn.to/2SRwyNF | Tamron 24-70mm f2.8 https://amzn.to/2YtELgp
4. Prime Lens
I like to use prime lenses to get a lot of bokeh in a photo. I will either use a 50mm f1.4 or a 35mm f1.4 and I’ll bring the aperture all the way down when shooting portraits. There is just something about the way prime lenses look and having that restriction on focal length forces you to think creatively.
The lower f-stop also allows you to shoot in low light, which comes in handy as the wedding day progresses and you lose daylight.
Canon 35mm f1.4 https://amzn.to/2LODhre | Canon 50mm f1.4 https://amzn.to/2SMg3T6
5. External Flash
Sometimes having natural light or any indoor lighting at a wedding is not always possible, so it’s a good idea to have an external flash. When the sun goes down and you need extra light for things like the first dance, speeches or anything that happens indoor in a poorly light room.
Canon Speedlight 430EX III-RT Flash https://amzn.to/2MpDxMC
6. Camera Bags
I will be the first to admit that I have bought more camera bags than needed, but it was only because I couldn’t find one that suited all my needs. The Lowepro ProTactic BP 350 AW II bag however is the perfect camera bag for shooting weddings and it’s great for travelling.
Some of the features I love are the the adjustable compartments inside and the fact that it opens mainly from the back.
Lowepro ProTactic BP 350 AW II https://amzn.to/2YzpPx2
There are lots of good features on the LowePro Protactic 450 AW, so I’ll let Matti Haapoja explain it in more detail:
7. Batteries & Chargers
Naturally, you’re gonna need at least 2-4 camera batteries fully charged and ready to go before the wedding day if you are shooting on 2 cameras. I bring a charger for my camera batteries and 1 charger for external flash batteries just in case.
Usually at a 8-10 hour wedding, I will go through 1 & 1/2 camera batteries if I’m only shooting photos. Video coverage eats up a lot more power, so you better be prepared with backups.
Canon LP-E6N Battery Pack https://amzn.to/2ST0BEL
8. Business Cards
A lot of the referrals that I get for weddings come from word of mouth and through the people that I meet at weddings. So, in order to capitalize on that I keep a handful of business cards in my camera bag. There are several business card printing companies out there to choose from but I like to work with MOO.
9. Shoulder Strap
Carrying around heavy camera gear for long hours can take a toll on your arms and body. The Pacsafe sling camera strap has a free-moving slider that helps get the camera to your eye quickly, while the padded, adjustable boomerang-shaped shoulder strap comes with built-in stretch sleeves for storage of lens cap, SD/Flash card, and lens cloth.
Pacsafe Carrysafe 150 Anti-Theft Sling https://amzn.to/2GAPStT
10. Lens Cleaning Kit
Chances are your gear will get dirty from time to time and you don’t want smudges or scratches on your lens ruining your photos. Bring along a cleaning kit to keep your gear clean and it also helps to have a lens hood attached for added protection and reduced lens flare.
Cleaning Kit for DSLR https://amzn.to/2YsEBls
In Conclusion,
These are just suggestions that I have found work great for shooting weddings ,so feel free to make any substitutions to your own gear and kit. Having all these examples will only set you up for success on such an important day.
For more information on each item, links have been provided above. And if you would like more inspiration for your upcoming wedding shoot, please visit my website to see more.
Good luck!
Need More Inspiration?
JOANNA GRESIK
Talented abstract painter and friend Joanna Gresik let us into her home studio to talk art and where she draws her inspiration from.
JOANNA GRESIK
Talented abstract painter and friend Joanna Gresik let us into her home studio to talk art and where she draws her inspiration from.
She showed us some of her new work that was just launched on her website www.joannagresik.com and we talked about her doing a commission for our own painting.
Follow her @joannagresik
SUPPORT THE LOCALS
We stopped by the head office of Support The Locals to meet up with Owner Mike Olah to talk about how he started his company and how he stays focused on promoting local shops.
SUPPORT
THE LOCALS
We stopped by the head office of Support The Locals to meet up with Owner Mike Olah to talk about how he started his company and how he stays focused on promoting local shops.
Be sure to follow Mike’s journey on Instagram @supportthelocals and watch the 1 min IG story we put together.
FLORENCE
Naturally, we went to wine country….
FLORENCE
#TILLDEATHDOUSTRAVEL
Of course we explored the wine country of Florence, Italy on our trip around the world. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint! We booked a day tour of 4 vineyards and tasted some of the finest wines our tastebuds have ever had the pleasure of tasting.
To finish up the trip we did a small tour of the David’s hidden around Italy. The real David was maybe not worth the very long queue to get in, not while the fake David’s have equally interesting placements.
BANGKOK, THAILAND
Our first stop in South East Asia was Bangkok Thailand. And it was the perfect place to kick off our journey. This colourful and busy city had so much to offer and the pictures we took could barely do it justice.
BANGKOK
#TILLDEATHDOUSTRAVEL
Our flights to Bangkok went smoothly, however, when we got to our hotel we found out there was a large tropical storm about to hit the islands that we were to visit next. After a good nights sleep, we decided to change our itinerary and head north and over to Vietnam rather than south in order to avoid whatever was going to hit the island. It turns out that the storm wasn't as bad as they were expecting, however now when we go there in 3 weeks everything will be cleaned up ready for us!).
We spent the morning of our first day re-planning and changing a few flights/hotels etc, and then wandered into Bangkok for the rest of the day. We visited Wat Pho temple, Wat Arun Temple, Wat Phra Kaew; walked around the Chinatown area where we were staying and also took a trip across the river. We went to a restaurant that was recommended in our guide book and also online, and it didn't disappoint.
The next day we took our first tuk-tuk ride to Khao San Road and explored that area and ate some great street food. Cody bought some "tourist pants" aka baggy pants to let you into temples, and I ended up having to wear them into the Grand Palace since they didn't like the pants I was wearing. At least they got some use. We walked around the city and through some beautiful parks, ended the day in Chinatown eating street food again, and some wonderful doughnuts made on the side of the street. The long line was the hint that we should wait for them. They didn't disappoint.
The next morning, we flew out to Chiang Mai where we will be for the next 5 nights before heading to Hanoi, Vietnam. We've only been here a few hours and we like it more than Bangkok. I think Bangkok was a good place to start our adventure, however, after a few days there, we were ready to move on. We have some exciting things planned in Chiang Mai, so we will update you when we move on to Hanoi!
K+C
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