Other than having a baby, a wedding is probably the most important
day in a couple’s life. I therefore want the best equipment available to capture their special day and just like Mr Clarkson I believe in having the best. My clients deserve nothing less…
I would like to share with you what’s in my kit bag and why it’s
there. This is the typical ‘load out’ I will choose for a wedding.
Canon 5D MkII x 2
First and foremost are my two Canon 5D MkII bodies. They are
21.1MP cameras with Full Frame sensors which provide world class image quality,
especially in ‘low light’ situations such as a church or evening reception.
I shoot with two bodies at all times as this enables me to have different
lenses on each camera and be ready for any situation.
Both are fitted with Canon battery grips enabling me to shoot in either
a landscape or portrait orientation without any hassle and the extra batteries these
hold mean I’m never caught short changing batteries.
The perfect wedding cameras!
Canon 70-200 f/2.8L II lens
My favourite lens and for good reason, the image quality from this
lens is simply amazing and the long reach allows me to photograph people from a
long way away so they are not even aware that their photo is being taken. Perfect
for reportage photography! This enables me to capture events as they happen
without intrusion.
It is equally at home being used for the romantic portrait shots
where I can shoot full length and very quickly zoom in for those intimate
moments without interrupting the couple.
It is also an extremely fast lens. The speed of a lens refers to
the maximum aperture of the lens. The smaller the number e.g. 2.8 the wider the
lens aperture opens and the more light is let in, allowing for faster shutter
speeds.
Canon 35mm f/1.4 L lens
My second favourite lens is my 35mm prime lens. A prime lens is a
lens with a fixed focal length i.e. no zoom.
You and I see the world at a ratio of 1:1 i.e. without any
magnification. In camera terms this would be a focal length of approximately
50mm.
Thus a 35mm lens sees a wider view than we do. This is therefore a
great lens to capture an entire scene such as the bride and bridesmaids getting
ready in the morning or larger groups of people.
The image quality is once again exceptional and being one of the
fastest lenses in the world it enables me to capture images in even the darkest
of places. You will always see me circling the dance floor with this lens
attached to one of my camera bodies.
Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens
The work horse of my lens collection and possibly the one with the
most useful focal range. At 24mm the lens is very wide and perfect for taking
in an entire scene or very large group shots.
The zoom range, up to 105mm, is extremely handy for getting in
close to the subject without being intrusive.
This is the perfect general purpose lens and hence is also the
perfect ‘back up’ lens should one of the others develop a problem.
Canon 100mm f/2.8 L II Macro lens
What a great lens this is. Once again it is a ‘prime’ lens with a
fixed focal length of 100mm. This makes it great for portrait shots, however
the ace up its sleeve is that it is also one of the world’s finest macro
lenses.
When I want to get in close, and I mean really close (cm’s!), this
is my lens of choice. Unbeatable for detail shots such as the rings or jewelry where
an engraving might only be a few millimeters across.
Canon Speedlight 580EX II x 4
Let there be light!
I prefer ‘natural light’ and will always try and work with the
light available however there are times when there simply isn’t enough of it.
In those situations I therefore want to be able to create the light I want, where
I want it.
That is why I have 4 of Canon’s ‘flagship’ flashguns. I can fire these
remotely (i.e. not attached to the camera) using my Pocket Wizard radio
triggers. This allows me to be extremely creative with my positioning and
direction of lighting, giving me complete control over the scene.
Spider Holster Camera Carrying System
Interestingly the inclusion this year of my Spider Holster carry system
has generated the most interest from clients and guests alike.
It is basically a strapless way of carrying my cameras whereby a
bolt is attached to the bottom of each camera enabling them to hang from a belt
around my waist rather than having the cameras dangle off my shoulders using
conventional straps.
It is an ingenious invention and has revolutionized the way I
carry and shoot with my cameras, and it always puts a smile on the guest’s
faces. The ‘gun-slinging’ photographer!
Bits N Bobs
Other bits include lens caps, light modifiers, more batteries and
most importantly even more memory cards! I have about 64GB of memory cards in
total that I can call upon. You can never have enough memory!
So there you have it, my simple description of the equipment load
I will typically take to a wedding. I’ve found that this provides me with the
equipment I need to compliment my style of photography whilst giving me the comfort
of knowing that should something fail there is a reliable backup.
