I've been a wedding photographer in Vermont for over 5 years now. During that time, I have learned the value of having the right tools. We always say that gear doesn’t count when it comes to good photography but some things do make your life easier.
So I thought it would be fun to share 5 of my favorite products and things that I can't live without as a wedding photographer:
1.Hubba Hubba Think Tank shoulder bag.
It’s the first thing I mention because even before my large camera bag, I never leave the house without this little love. It fits 2 lenses which is absolutely perfect for me. On engagement and portrait shoots I like to travel as light as possible so being able to only have my camera and the two additional lenses (or sometimes 1 lens and 1 flash) is incredible. The best part about it is that it somehow never tips- it holds the equipment and even open, nothing falls out. Amazing little bag!
2. Think Tank Photo Airport Takeoff V2.0 Rolling Camera Bag (Black)
This bag is everything you’ll need and more. I love the integrated backpack straps and the fact that I can fit all of my gear comfortably. Being able to roll this on any kind of terrain is SO important! You just never know where the day takes you and your bag has to always be accessible.
3. Peak Design SL-BK-3 Slide, Camera Strap, Black
If you're a wedding photographer, or even if you just love taking pictures, then a camera strap is an essential piece of equipment. It's the best way to carry your camera safely while keeping it easily accessible.
You'll want one that's lightweight and comfortable so that it doesn't get in your way when shooting on location. The right strap will also keep your camera secure at all times; this is especially important if the weather changes suddenly or if someone bumps into you while walking down the aisle!
My current favorite is made by Peak Design (they make some pretty cool stuff). It has three different lengths--short enough for discreet street photography but long enough for landscape shots--and comes with attachment points so that I can use it with any kind of bag/case I want without having any extra parts lying around my house after using them once or twice (I'm looking at YOU Nikon strap!)
There are no words for the love I have for this camera strap system. When you have multiple cameras this is the absolute easiest way to quickly switch the straps as needed. Since Mike and I do both photo and video, some of our cameras need to be strapless sometimes so it is super important for us to be able to do that quickly.
You won’t be disappointed, I promise!
4. Nikon D5 20.8 MP FX-Format Digital SLR Camera Body
My baby. I LOVE this camera. I’ve owned almost every pro camera Nikon ever released and nothing even compares. The color alone is out of this world. I love the fact that you can easily switch to video and the video quality is equally impressive.
5. Think Tank Photo Secure Pocket Rocket Memory Card Case
This is always full of cards and attached to my Think Tank shoulder bag so that it never leaves my sight. One of the most important things is that your memory cards are secure and on you at all times. Especially once you have a bunch of used ones already. I am completely paranoid when it comes to parting with this little pocket.
At the end of the night, after a wedding, I take the cards out of the camera and secure them in this so that if someone steals my camera or equipment bag, my couples memories are always safe ;)
6. SanDisk Extreme PRO Compact Flash Memory Card UDMA 7 Speed Up to 160MB/s
(One bonus item because it is impossible to do what I do without it and leaving the house without a bunch of them is what wedding photographer nightmares are made of ;) if you know, you know!)
I never (hopefully!!) leave the house without at least 6 of these. (I usually have 12 ). My camera (and all pro cameras should) takes 2, one main and one back up, and during a wedding day I can easily fill 3 of them. The faster these babies are, the better. My personal preference is that I keep them at either 32GB or 64GB. My thinking is that in case they fail I only loose part of the day. It never happened by the way, but I think its wise to not put all of your eggs in one basket when it comes to wedding days.
Now, I know what you're thinking. "Wait a second, what about the other stuff? Well, good question! In addition to these five must-have products listed above, there are A LOT more products that I use and I’ll make sure to share more in a future post. If you are curious what other gear is in my bag or want to know what else I can’t live without, make sure to follow me here or on Instagram ;)
xoxo,
Idena