What's in my bag?
So, for my first blog post I thought i'd share with you all what's in my photography bag and the essentials I take out on photoshoots with me. These are my key items i.e camera, lenses, reflector, tripod, money and water.
1. First is my camera. I use a Canon 70D, It's a brilliant camera, it's around 20MP so not necessarily the best quality camera out there but I love it and I think it is a very good camera. I have a battery grip on the bottom of my camera as an extra grip and an extra battery so I will never run out of juice when shooting a wedding. There's nothing worse than missing a critical shot because you're changing your battery so i suggest that it is a good idea to get a grip for your camera so you can control it yourself. When I bought the camera it was around £800 but its now about £600 so its gone down in price slightly but I think most camera do after a few years.
2. Secondly is the first lens I ever bought and it is the most common lens and the basic lens for photographers starting out. The 18-55mm lens is priced at around £80-£100 but you can probably pick one up cheaper if you shop around. This lens has got me through some tough situations because it is good with most light and is the perfect zoom for getting slightly closer than is necessary. It's the perfect lens if you want to travel light and dont have room for too many prime lenses. The F stop is around 3 so its good for lower light situations to a certain extent.
3. Next is my favourite lens, the 10-18mm. It is a wide angled zoom lens. The 10-18mm range gives you an ultra-wide perspective, allowing you to capture imposing architecture and expansive landscapes. You can pick one of these up for about £180-£200. This lens is perfect for landscapes with it being wide angled you can get more into the frame. This lens is fairly new to me as I haven't yet used it on a wedding just on landscapes but I am very excited and eager to use this for my next wedding as it will be good for the ceremony and the group shots.
4. Next is my second favourite lens. The 50mm. This prime lens is perfect for weddings and portraits. It has a very good depth of field so you can focus on just the main object without having lots of things interfearing in the background. It is such a lightweight lens so it's perfect if you want to travel light and only take one lens with you. It costs around £100 if you want the F/1.8 model. If you want the F/1.4 you're looking at around £200.
5. Fifth we have the Tamron 70-300mm lens, this lens fits perfectly onto my canon camera and is compatible with my camera too. The Tamron lens was slightly cheaper than the canon one and is priced at around £90. The lens is a perfect zoom lens and can focus right into the smallest of details such as a birds wing or beak. The lens is slightly heavier than the others but is perfect if you are far away but need that zoom.
6. Now we move onto accessories. I use a fill in flash sometimes in low light situations and this one is perfect for helping me out. I use the Canon Speedlite 430EXII. It takes batteries and uses them like their going out of fashion so its easiest to buy rechargeable batteries otherwise you'll go through at least a 4 pack every couple of times you use it. It costs around £200 but you could probably get brand new ones off eBay for less.
7. This is the second last one now I promise. Now we have my reflector. it's a large round reflector with silver, gold and white, it can be turned inside out to show the different colours for different situations. The main reflector is sort of a diffuser as well as a reflector as it can be used for both. Depending on if you're shooting in the studio or on location.
8. Last but not least is the tripod, I have a large tripod that stays indoors but this one is just a small tripod from Argos. Its perfect for weddings as it is so lightweight and extends to my height which is 5ft 6". It is eye level so its good for still shots and good for landscapes. It might be a little too light as you have to be careful it doesn't blow over but is good for non windy days.
Hopefully this gives you a little insight to how much I take with me on photo shoots and weddings. This doesn't include food, water, money, my keys, my phone, my itinerary book and other small bits and pieces for the day to make sure it runs smoothly.
Thanks for reading and I will update you again with another blog soon!
THANKS