Every once in awhile a couple will ask me about my cameras and lens. Usually they do some photography or they are just curious. Although I wholeheartedly believe that gear does not make the photographer, it is nice to know that your wedding photographer has the gear that will allow them to shoot in low light conditions and high resolution.
For fun, I decided I would share what gear I use on a normal wedding day! This is for all you photo buffs and photographers out there! :)
Nikon D750
This is our main camera and what I always use! I LOVE the low light capabilities of this camera, it is a beast in low light situation which is what I need for dim ceremonies and dark reception venues.
Sigma Art 35mm 1.4
This is my go to lens! If you're a photographer and you don't own this lens, you need to purchase it! For those of you who are not photographers, Sigma came out with the Art line and their lens blow all of the other lens out of the water! They produce superb images! For my style, I LOVE a 35mm lens because it is the focal lens that most replicates what a human eye sees. I use this lens for every part of the wedding day and for all engagement sessions. As a photographer who shoots primarily with prime lenses, I love shooting wide open at around 1.4-2 and this lens allows me to do that, which allows me to have gorgeous backgrounds and light and airy images that matches my photography style.
Sigma Art 50mm 1.4
The 50mm lens is a must have for all photographers and this Sigma Art version is amazing! Just like the 35mm, this lens is used for a good majority of the wedding day.
Sigma 105mm 2.8
By now, you have probably realized my love for Sigma lenses! Don't get me wrong, I love Nikon lenses as well but Sigma definitely makes some amazing pieces of glass! This is a macro lens so I do use this for detail shots every once in awhile, however, I love using this lens for the ceremony. This lens allows me to stand in the back of a ceremony venue while still getting close up images of the bride and groom. It also sticks with my prime lens love and helps me get the images that match my style.
Nikon 70-200mm 2.8 II
This lens is only used for the ceremony. It allows me to stand out of guests way and still get close images of the bride and groom as well as some overview shots. This is the only zoom lens I use on a wedding day and it is solely reserved for the ceremony since I like to go as unnoticed as possible.
Vivitar Maco Filters 10x 4x
These filters are what I use for my ring shots! I know you all love my ring shots and these filters allow me to achieve the look I want. I use these filters on my Sigma Art 35mm 1.4 (see I told you I love that lens!). Even though I have a Marco lens that provides great results, I still prefer to use these filters. They are not for all photographers, but for me, they work amazingly!
Nikon 28-70mm 2.8
This lens is solely used by Devin, my second shooter. He likes to move around a lot and doesn't like switching lens all of the time so a zoom lens are his go-to. This lens is his favorite and is on his camera for the majority of the day.
Nikon 80-200mm 2.8
This is another one of Devin's lenses. This is super similar to the 70-200mm that I use but is an older version of the lens that doesn't have as good of image stabilization as the new lens. However, don't let it's age fool you, this lens produces images that are almost identical to the 70-200mm. Devin uses this lens primarily for the ceremony.
Nikon 50mm 1.8
This is Devin's only prime lens for now! He uses this sporadically throughout the wedding day. He loves using it during the reception so he can shoot wide open and let more light into the images.
Nikon D610
This is our backup camera. It is a great camera that was once my main camera before the D750 came out! It is always important for your wedding photographer to have a backup camera and equipment, you never know what can happen in the middle of a wedding!
Neewer Speedlite 750II
This is the flash that Devin and I both use on camera. We have 2 of them along with a trigger system. It is a superb flash that has not failed me yet! When I first started my business, I bought a Neewer flash and it treated me so well I still buy them!
Neewer Speedlite TT520
This speedlite is not as great as the 750 but it still works great! If we are in a super dark reception venue, then we will set this flash in a corner to illuminate the dance floor and will set it as a slave so that it is triggered when our 750 flashes fire.
Besides the equipment featured above, we also have multiple batteries, memory cards, and lens cloths.
If you're a photographer reading this and want to know what we use to carry our equipment on a wedding day then here you go! I have a Jo Totes Gracie bag and it hold all of my equipment perfectly. Devin prefers a belt system so he uses the Spider Pro Belt with bags attached for his lenses and flash.
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Wedding Wednesday is a blog series that occurs every Wednesday and answers the questions you have about wedding photography. Have a question you would like to have answered or something that you wish you would have known before your wedding or are you a wedding professional who would like to contribute? Send your questions to jasmine@jasminenorris.com.
