Camera Gear That's Essential for Every Wedding Photographer
Starting a professional wedding-photography business can be a lucrative way to use your photo-taking skills. However, if you want to build a business as a wedding photographer, you need to be prepared to photograph all kinds of weddings at various types of venues. To do this, you need the right equipment. Check out this list of must-have gear that every aspiring wedding photographer needs.
Full-Frame Camera
Many wedding photographers opt to use a full-frame, digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera because these cameras have larger sensors that are designed to deliver superior detail, definition, and sharpness as well as take pictures that allow a larger degree of cropping or enlarging without compromising image quality. While any good-quality DLSR camera will work, most professional wedding photographers opt to use an upper-tier model to take advantage of the various features available on higher-quality cameras.
Back-Up Camera
What would you do if you had camera problems mid-wedding? It's imperative that you have a back-up camera on hand in case of an emergency. Keep in mind, your clients don't care about your camera problems. They want to see gorgeous prints, regardless of the type of camera that you choose to use. So, don't purchase a cheap, low-end camera to use as a back-up. Instead, opt for a mid-range DSLR camera that works almost as well as your preferred model.
Accessories
Tripods are essential to wedding photography. Sure, some shots you'll want to make while the camera is in your hand—such as photos of the ceremony, first dance, and cake cutting. However, for traditional staged photos of the bride and groom, family, and the wedding party, you'll want to have a tripod on hand to keep the camera steady. In addition to your tripod, you should consider purchasing a camera-leveling tripod head. A camera-leveling tripod head keeps your camera level when you place your tripod on uneven ground. So, if you want to take outdoor photographs at all—a must for most weddings—a camera-leveling tripod head will come in handy. You can look up companies like Acratech to look into getting one of these. Additionally, you should always carry several memory cards, numerous camera batteries, a cloth to clean your camera lenses, and several different lenses. It's a good idea to have a medium-zoom lens for wedding portraits, a telephoto lens to capture important moments from a distance, a wide-aperture lens to get high-quality shots in low light, and a wide-angle lens for shooting larger groups of people.
Being a wedding photographer might sound like a job that's a lot of fun, but it's also a job that requires a lot of knowledge and a good eye. The good news is, you can make the job a lot easier by having the right gear on hand at all times.