Being in this industry for over 4 years I have been asked many times what gear I use. I admit, when I first started in the wedding photogrpahy industry I wanted every single lens out there! 4 years later…I still do! However, I have learnt to appreciate and master the lenses that I currently own.
I buy my gear from several companies including B&H Photo Video, D-D-photographics, DWInternational and various local retail outlets(depending on how urgently I need an item).
What cameras I currently own:
Nikon D3S – The bad baby of its time. I got a hold of this camera within the last year or so. My primary
lenses always sit on this camera at any wedding or event. I have always been able to shoot with confidence with this camera. This camera hardly/rarely misses a shot. With its incredible high ISO and low light performance it is pivotal to ensuring I get every creative shot.
Nikon D700 – The secondary camera, my right hand man. I started the wedding industry shooting with this camera after extensive research and understanding the difference between getting a D700 and Canon 5D MkII a few years back. This has great low light performance also.
FujiFilm x100 – Yes, after shooting so many weddings, I decided, even though I loved full frame cameras that I currently have I need a portable camera for holidays and trips and social events. The x100 although slightly complex to use for the average user, serves my needs fine. It has full manual control and the bokeh that comes out of it is quite nice.
Lenses, what I bring:
Nikon 50mm f/1.8G – First 50mm lens I ever bought, I still think it is bang for buck. I bring it along with me just in case my 50mm 1.4G ever fails. Great for portraits!
Nikon 50mm f/1.4G – If only Nikon can make a 1.2G lens, I’d pay for one:). This is beautiful lens nonetheless. When I want to get beautiful skin tones, I use this lens during portrait sessions. The bokeh is awesome on this lens when shooting at 1.4G.
Nikon 85mm f/1.8G – Another great lens. This lens always astounds me when I use it. Unfortunately I do not use it enough. Shooting at 1.8G can be quite soft
Nikon 105mm macro f/2.8G -LOVE LOVE LOVE this lens. There is undeniable the amount of money a bride and groom spends on their wedding ring. So what better way to photograph their jewels with pitch sharpness so we can see the diamond glitter!
Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 – A great lens to avoid telling people, sorry your room or house is too small to take group photos:). Great for dancing shots too when you want that ultra-wide party feel. With edge to edge sharpness, this is an awesome lens. I am not a fan of fish eye lenses, so this lens serves those creative purposes just fine for me.
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 – Great all round, multipurpose, story telling lens. I use this lens heavily when trying to capture moments. Not the lightest lens out there, but it is a lens I use heavily at every wedding. If you want a holiday lens, this is one of them.
Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 – When I can, I will always use this lens. Love it on any location shoot or reception. Being able to capture people’s reactions without shoving a camera in their face is important in this industry. People always wonder why I stand so far back, well the bokeh fall off from this lens is incredible when shooting close to 200mm.
Light it up:
Nikon SB600 – Awesome flash I use when I can. It is light and does the job.
Nikon SB700 – Awesome flash, slightly bigger than SB600 with many of the features of SB900.
Nikon SB900 – Great flash power, bit bulky, but I need this to control all my off camera flashes in conjunction with the Pocket Wizard TT5.
Nikon MC-Dc1 – These remote triggers are awesome to use when shooting at pitch darkness and using bulb mode. When can activate the camera without causing vibration. It is great for creative shots at night.
Pocket Wizard TT5 – I can not live without these bad babies, there are so many weddings I have been to, when the couple choose not to get a videographer. So I need this to make my own flared shots during the bridal waltz. Love it.
Small Office Home Office:
27″ iMAC – This is the central hub of where I do all my work. The colours and contrast out of the box in this monitor is awesome, however you need one other device to ensure your images you print, come out close to how you see it on screen. The Spyder Pro.
14.4″ MacBook – When I want to work in front of the bed:)
iPad 2 – Great for writing notes when meeting clients, and show casing work when on the road, and at wedding expos.
Lexor CF readers – These compact flash card readers are awesome, they transfer files straight to the computer so quickly!
Spyder 4 Pro – I have always wondered why, when I first started photography, I could not get the colours I see on the screen to be how it is printed. After I got this neat little unit, I am more comfortable printing items. It comes very close to how I see it on screen. Being able to calibrate your monitor is pivotal in this industry.