If you’re beginning your wedding photography journey, you’re more than likely wondering what kind of gear you will need to photograph a wedding! In today’s world you could arguably photograph a wedding with almost any kind of camera, there are some industry standards that people still tend to stick to that I will go over in this blog!

I do want to preface this blog that I do not support Amazon, and I refuse to purchase anything from Amazon. I do not receive any affiliate money from these blogs, these are just the products I swear by as a wedding photographer when it comes to my gear.  As a small business I firmly believe that we should be shopping directly from other businesses as often as possible.

Don’t Start a Wedding Photography Business in Debt!

First I would like to start off this blog with a word of advice, DON’T start your small business in debt if you don’t have to! Starting a wedding photography business is awesome because there are a LOT of options when it comes to getting gear. Save up for a DSLR with whatever income you currently have, and in the meantime test out lenses and cameras from rental companies as you begin to hone in on your skills! Here is my favorite rental company to rent photo gear from!

BorrowLenses

Otherwise, there is almost always second hand gear at local camera shops as well as on places like Facebook Marketplace. There are also companies that do buy-back programs for older/starter camera gear that can add up and help you purchase a new camera! Personally, I go to Procam in Aurora, Illinois for their camera gear buy-back day when I need to upgrade my gear, or want to buy used. They also have locations in Michigan and Ohio.

What’s in My Gear Bag as a Wedding Photographer

What Kind of Camera Do You Need as a Wedding Photographer

When it comes to choosing a camera to photograph a wedding, a good rule of thumb to go by is that as long as you have a full frame camera, you’re going to be in good shape! What is a full frame camera you might ask? A full frame camera is a digital camera with an image sensor that is the same size as a 35mm film frame. This larger sensor allows for better overall image quality.

Nikon Z6II

Personally, I prefer to shoot on Nikon cameras. I started my business using Nikon D750’s, and then these days I photograph weddings on two Nikon Z6II’s. Having the live screen feature on my mirrorless cameras as it allows me to shoot from my waist without having to bend down, and the light sensors on my Nikons allow me to really be able to shoot all types of lighting with or without a flash. I also am a sucker for Nikons colors.

Starter Lenses for Wedding Photographers

My first lens I purchased for portraits and my early weddings was my Nikon 35mm 1.8, and I LOVED that lens. It did a great job for me as I was learning how to use my camera, learning how to direct my clients, and starting my professional photography journey. It takes great portraits, gives you quite a bit of control as far as bokeh and lighting goes, and is a great prime lens. The BEST part about it though is you can often get this lens for less than $200. Find the Nikon 35mm 1.8 Lens here!

My Preferred Lenses as a Wedding Photographer

Sigma 85mm 1.4

Soon after booking my first solo wedding, I invested in another prime lens, the sigma 85mm 1.4. I committed to prime lenses for the most part and LOVED this lens. This lens shoots at quite a bit longer of a range, and does the job for almost all of my weddings with the exception of traditional catholic church ceremonies where I can only photograph from the back of the church, or other ceremonies where I have similarly limited movement when photographing. I love this lens for portraits, for candids throughout the day, and it has the creamiest, softest feel to the photos. 

If I had the funds at the time of investing in this lens I would have made the jump to get the Nikon or Nikkor version of this lens, but the Sigma does the job so well if you perform the proper upkeep on the components (calibrate the lens every year and keep it clean).

Nikon 35mm 1.4

I LOVE this lens, and it is the lens I use the most when it comes to photographing weddings and sessions. The lens is incredibly versatile in that you can take great detailed photos of close up subjects and also take great landscape images of everything that’s going on around you. It’s great for group photos, portraits, wide ceremony photos, and really anything that has to do with a wedding. As long as you can move your body, a 35mm 1.4 is a GREAT option for a prime lens.

Lenses I’ve Rented but Don’t Own as a Wedding Photographer!

Nikon 24-70 2.8

Honestly, if I were to do it all over again, I would probably give this lens a go first. I LOVED using this lens, it offered me a lot of versatility from one lens, and it kind of is a stand in for a combination of the 35mm 1.4 and the 85mm 1.8. I really enjoyed shooting with this lens, and it’s likely that it will be the next lens I look into purchasing. 

Nikon 70-200 2.8

This is my go to lens if I have a traditional church ceremony. I have probably rented this lens at least once a year every year of my career. I don’t use it enough to own it though. The lens is MASSIVE. It’s sick, don’t get me wrong, it’s super crispy and reaches a long way, and I love it for speeches and close ups of hands during the ceremony,BUT as long as I’m able to move around I can achieve the same photos with my 85mm. If your ideal clients have church weddings though I highly recommend this lens!

Other Gear I Carry as a Wedding Photographer

Outside of camera gear, there are a few things that I also use throughout my process as a wedding photographer that I cannot run my business without! 

Sandisk Extreme Pro CF Express Cards

Nikon Z6’s take two different SD cards. Typically I like to shoot on cards that are 128mb. They offer me enough storage to last through at least half a wedding day, and then I always make sure to change the cards about half way through the wedding day just to make sure I don’t run out of memory at a super important time, and also in case of a card corrupting.

Sandisk Memory Cards

The Nikon Z6 takes two different kinds of memory cards!  The one mentioned above along with this one.  These are the other memory cards I commonly use, and they’re also 128mb. I highly recommend purchasing them on Black Friday from B&H to get a deal when purchasing these as they can put quite a dent into your wallet!

Ruggard Leda Memory Card Case

I typically have two of these on a wedding day! I keep one on me and one in my bag. Once I take a pair of filled cards out of my camera I split them and keep one on my body and then one in my bag at all times. This ensures that my work is always safe, and I don’t have to stress about the possibility of losing my couples’ photos.

JBL Flip

One underated piece of gear I often use as a wedding photographer is this little clip on speaker that is SO cute and the most convenient little thing. I use it to play music during my wedding portrait sessions and engagement sessions if I am able to! I find that many couples prefer to have a little background music during their session as it can really ease their anxiety. It can be stressful getting in front of a camera for the first time!

Rose and Anvil Harness

I absolutely swear by this harness. I’ve had it for four years and it is HEAVENLY. It has hooks to slip onto my belt loops so that the weight of my cameras can sit on my hips, and it is super cute and functional. It keeps my cameras safe which is SO important and also keeps me feeling pretty good during wedding season. This has been a lifesaver for my posture and overall well-being as carrying around your cameras throughout an entire wedding day can get exhausting as a wedding photographer.

Godox V1 Flash

Okay so hear me out. This flash is fucking expensive, but it is literally my favorite tool to use on a wedding day. It is so strong and powerful, it illuminates a room, it is insane, I love it so much. I also typically carry a little defuser and for my style of wedding photography that’s honestly all I need!

SD Card Storage (at Home)

I have this little container that I keep my SD cards in at home. I found that having a system at home that not only protects my SD cards but also allows me to organize them is a game changer. Speaking of organizing…

SD Card Labels

Full transparency, I purchased a HUGE pack of these from Amazon back in 2019 when I started my business, so I have not purchased the exact ones linked!  I keep all my cards labeled  with these so I know whose photos are on which cards and it is AMAZING! I can’t stress enough how wonderful it is to know where all of your photos are at all times! Gone are the days where you’re frantically searching for a blank SD card.

That’s a quick breakdown of all the essential gear and equipment I’ve used and would recommend for anyone looking to start their wedding photography business. For any wedding photographers looking for more tips on how to get their business started be sure to check out some of my other blogs!