Gear Options for Wedding Photography

​ You notice my title says options, not rules!  Options are learned from doing something and adding to your needs according to experiences at the time.  Rules are just that, a rule, maybe something such as the rule of thirds.  As just like most photography, wedding photography chances all the time, venue, times of the year, and the weather just to name a few!    The op[tions we're going to talk about today are related to shooting the wedding.  Next time we'll be talking about post-production.  So here we go!

1.  Three cameras:

 Are you going to shoot with three, more than likely not!.  But you want the third as a backup, in case one body goes down.  I always shoot with at least two cameras!

2.  MEDIUM ZOOM LENS:

I use a 24-85 f3.5 Nikon as my medium zoom and the lens that is on my camera most of the time. This focal length is great for wedding portraits and photojournalism, offering both wide and tight perspectives. The pretty wide aperture gives me some flexibility in spaces that aren’t very well lit.  Another great choice would be a 24-70 F2.8.  Which will be a lens in my future.

TELEPHOTO LENS

You will need a longer lens to capture events from a distance, in particular, the ceremony. I like to stand toward the back or sides of a ceremony as to not be blocking anyone’s view and taking photos from a distance with my 70-200mm f2.8. Allowing both a close-up and full length shot down the aisle. I also use this lens for close-ups of the first dance.   


WIDE ANGLE LENS AND PRIME LENSES

These are not as essential for a wedding, but are certainly nice to have. The wide angle can get you shots of architectural details or big groups. The prime lens can allow you to shoot in dark spaces and give you dreamy depth of field.  One of my favs is an 85mm f.2.8.

SPEEDLIGHTS and  FLASH DIFFUSER

Using an external flash can be a lifesaver when you need to get a shot that is just too dark to get otherwise. If I can I rather not use a flash, cameras with great high ISO performance greatly help with that.  But sometimes I have to use Speedlight photography techniques for nighttime weddings and dark churches. The alternative is dark or grainy images.  I like to bring a Gary Fong Lightsphere to put on top of my flash. It helps to diffuse the light and make for better portraits on the fly when you don’t have time to set up lights.

 TRIPOD AND LIGHT STANDS

A good tripod will get you out of a pinch if you are low on light and just need a little more stability. It’s also helpful if you are working in very low light or compositing images together. The light stands are helpful to place your speedlights, say on a dance floor and allow you to adjust the placement of the lights. Shoot-through umbrellas are also helpful to have with the lightstands and speedlights for portrait work.

CAMERA BAG

You will need something to put all your gear in. Make sure it’s big enough and comfortable enough to haul around with you as you’re moving throughout the day.  I like models by ThinkTank, but their are many options out there!

MEMORY CARDS AND BATTERIES

Always bring more cards and batteries than you think you need. I will shoot a few cards full of images for a wedding.  And I prefer cameras with two slots for cards as I set it up that one backs up to the other, just in case a card were to fail!   and go through two sets of batteries per camera and per speedlight. Make sure the batteries are all charged up in advance.

Small lightweight folding ladders

Allows you to get a different perspective og the couple amnd wedding guests.  

 Oh, one last thing!  If you've not had a chance to check it out.  The same software I use "Aurora HDR" just released the 2018 version.  Save $10.00 by following the link below!

Your Aurora HDR 2018 text link: http://macphun.evyy.net/c/418593/402688/3255
Till Then Happy Clicking

Till Next Time!

Happy Clicking

​Lance