Wedding photography tools

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"Today, I think we have all learned that there are few things more marvellous than an Autumn wedding, and nothing more beautiful than a Fall bride. It is wonderful occasions like this that provide us all with great memories that we will never, ever forget, and I am incredibly honoured to have been of part of this special day. Also, I want to thank you for getting married at this time of the year, because now, whenever I see the leaves turning colour and falling off the trees, I’ll be reminded that it’s time to buy your anniversary gift."

The tools of a wedding photographer start with a digital SLR camera and one good, fast-focusing zoom lens able to perform in low-light situations. Whatever other gadgets and accessories are in the camera bag won't matter much without those first two items. That's because to get professional-quality images, the photographer needs to shoot with as close to professional-quality equipment as he can afford.

1. Camera Body

   • A good-quality digital SLR camera, such as a newer model Canon or Nikon, is essential to wedding photography. A photographer needs to be able to get the picture right the first time, especially when trying to capture those special moments during the ceremony and reception. If possible, it's good to have a backup camera as well, just in case something goes wrong with the primary camera body. Carry several extra batteries and memory cards, as well.

   Lenses

   • Good-quality lenses with a minimum aperture (which controls the amount of light coming through the lens) of at least f/2.8. This will give the photographer more flexibility when using natural light and better control over the depth of field of the images. The lower the aperture, or f/stop, the more shallow the depth of field of the resulting image. Many wedding photographers carry several lenses, including a wide-angle or wide-angle zoom lens, such as a 24 mm to 70 mm, for photographing the entire scene and a versatile wide-to-telephoto zoom lens. Additionally, a telephoto or telephoto-zoom lens, such as a 70 mm to 200 mm, will allow the photographer to get close to the couple without getting in the way.

   Accessories

   • Flashes, as well as softboxes to diffuse the light from flashes, remote-trigger devices and off-camera cords to give the photographer more freedom when using a flash to light photographs is allowed and necessary, should be included in the wedding photography kit. A tripod will help keep the camera steady in low-light environments when the photographer isn't using a flash. Gaffers or painters tape can be handy to mark spots on which to stand, to tape together broken equipment or even to hold a bride's veil in place. This type of tape will release without leaving behind a sticky patch.

   A Bag or Two

   • Carry at least one camera bag that's large enough to keep all your equipment organized and easy to find. If you have a lot of gear, consider carrying two bags. One smaller bag would hold the essential pieces of equipment you need, such as extra batteries and memory cards and key lenses. A backpack-style camera bag is easy to carry at all times and quick to stow. The second, larger bag would contain all the other equipment, including those just-in-case items such as flashes, additional lenses and a small tripod.

Source: www.ehow.com

Tags: zoom lens, batteries memory, batteries memory cards, depth field, digital camera