Hobbies And Interests
Camera Body
The camera body is a major part of any wedding photographer̵7;s arsenal. Even if working at an amateur level, to capture a wedding properly, you should have either a single lens reflex camera or a DSLR. While many point-and-shoot cameras are capable of taking excellent photos, they do not offer the same amount of control as cameras in the SLR family. Canon and Nikon are excellent choices when shopping for camera bodies. Look for cameras that require little use of menus to take a photograph. You will want to be able to take a photograph without having to go through a series of menus first. Look for a camera that has a wide range of ISO settings. Ideally, there should be options between 50 and at least 3200. The camera you select should also have a full aperture priority mode, as well as full manual settings.
Lens
The lens you put on your camera body is perhaps more important than the camera itself. Always buy the highest quality lens you can afford. Buy name brand equipment if at all possible. Name brand lenses usually have a much higher quality glass that will be evident in your photographs. Include at least three good zoom lenses and one excellent prime lens to your gear bag. Most wedding photographers will carry a wide-angle zoom lens, in addition to carrying two telephoto lenses, one of which will offer image stabilization. When selecting your lenses, look for those that offer wide aperture settings. In some instances, you will need to use an aperture of f 2.8 or wider.
Flashes and Lighting Accessories
Lighting can be very different at each wedding, and planning ahead can sometimes be impossible. In many instances, you will not be allowed to bring in or use any studio lights. You will have to rely on your flashes and any natural lighting that may be available. Carry no fewer than two 500-watt monolights and stands to set them up on. Monolights are small and unobtrusive lights that can be set up quickly. Also, pack at least than two speed lights that you can mount on your camera body. Pack enough diffusers or softboxes for all of your flashes and lights. You will also want a radio-controlled trigger that you can use to sync your camera to fire your lights every time you take a photograph.
Monopods and Light Meters
Pack at least one monopod for every camera body that you are using. Since wedding photographers frequently shoot at low shutter speeds, the portable stability a monopod offers will drastically increase the sharpness of your photographs. Use of a light meter can also greatly improve your wedding photography. Many cameras have built-in light meters; however, the use of a handheld light meter generally gives much more accurate results and should be included in a wedding photographer̵7;s must-have list.
Storage
All of these items are relatively small in size. Those that are large are usually capable of folding or breaking down into a smaller size for storage. You are going to need some sort of vessel to carry your gear around in. Using a backpack made specifically for photography gear is one popular way of containing your gear while keeping it within easy reach. When shopping for a bag, make sure it has enough compartments to store all of your camera bodies and lenses. Many bags will also offer slots for holding collapsible light stands. These bags are readily available online, though you may want to shop at your local photography store so you can more accurately see the size of the bag.