Wedding season is officially underway, and a lot of clients want to know that you have the tools you need. Not every client does but occasionally you get the client asking about what kind of gear you have. They may recognize your tools of the trade, or they may just want to know that you're prepared and not just bringing your iPhone to their big day. I thought I would give a rundown of what I carry with me on wedding days and how I prepare to capture my clients' most valuable moments.
THE LITTLE THINGS
I carry a lot of little things for the wedding party. Tissues, safety pins, a few first aid items, moleskin, nail clippers, Tide sticks, Advil, Tylenol, and mints. I rarely need these things, but when I do, I have them. Skin blisters, buttons pop, wine spills, makeup smudges, newlyweds make out and every now and then, someone will skin a knee. With this handy little kit, I've got it all covered. When I shoot weddings, I'm not just there to take photos. I'm there to do whatever I can to help my client and their guests enjoy the day in comfort.
For my work, I usually carry sticky tack, water, and snacks. Sticky tack is super helpful for ring shots and holding small things in place on a breezy day. It's really just one of those things that is helpful to carry with you. Water is one of those things that you don't think to carry with you but you definitely need. Wedding photography is hard work, and it's physical work. Especially when it's hot, as peak wedding season covers the warmer months, you need to be well hydrated. Snacks are in the same vein as water. Just like you need to hydrate, you also need fuel. You do a lot of work between meals, and if your meals aren't covered, carrying a snack stash is a great way to stay energized and stay available to the work. I carry these things to help my clients, but they benefit me as well.
THE GEAR
This is the good part, right? I don't have a ton of gear but I have enough, so I usually end up bringing all of my lenses, both flashes, and both camera bodies.
Speedlights:
Canon 430EXII
Phottix Odin Trigger + receiver
Phottix Mitros+ Speedlight
Camera bodies:
Canon 5D Mark III
Canon 40D
Lenses:
28mm f/2.8
50mm f/1.8*
24-105mm f/4L*
17-85mm f/4
70-200mm f/2.8L*
*Most commonly used for weddings
Other:
6 8GB CompactFlash Cards
2 4GB CompactFlash Cards
2 16GB SD Cards
2 Extra batteries for the 40D
Battery Chargers for both camera bodies
20 Rechargeable batteries, Energizer and Eneloops
Holdfast Moneymaker strap
Handy dandy notebook
That's what I carry on wedding day! I think my next purchase will likely be a macro lens and a rolling camera bag. House of Flynn has one, I believe, that looks perfect. Carrying my backpack around usually makes my back hurt, especially with the bag I carry my lighitng equipment in. It would be so much easier to carry it all in one bag.
Stay tuned for the next edition of In My Bag, in which I will cover, what I carry in my messenger bag as a graphic designer, and show off my workspace a little. That could get interesting.