One of the questions I get asked most often is about the equipment I use in my services. Sometimes it’s out of curiosity, other times it’s due to personal beliefs from some who think there is better equipment than others. In these cases, I imagine the blacksmith who, when introducing himself, is asked about the brand of his grinder, or the farmer being asked about the brand of his tractor when going to buy eggs. As a professional, I work with equipment that can give me the best results and peace of mind in terms of reliability.
An example I always give is that of those who work on the roads. It’s true that the best car on the road is a Ferrari, but a representative buys an Audi (or similar), a courier gets a van, a baker uses a Fiorino, and so on. I mainly work with ceremonies, events, and portraits, so I need reliable equipment that performs well in low light, produces beautiful and workable files, has natural colors, and is discreet—not bulky or noisy—allowing me to work without being the center of attention.
For instance, a more efficient autofocus is not a priority; I’ve never seen a bride or a model arrive at 300 km/h.
Our work is in full evolution; who would have imagined 20 years ago that we would be completely digital? Just three years ago, I wouldn’t have imagined a drone as an essential part of a wedding.
My checklist is as follows:
3 mirrorless digital cameras,
1 film camera and film
6 lenses,
2 drones,
6 batteries for the cameras with a charger,
3 batteries for the drone and a charger,
memory cards for at least 4 services,
2 flash and 1 controller
two continuous lights (one small and one large),
a tripod,
and my bride’s emergency kit: scissors, needle and thread, hairpins and clips, safety pins, tissues, wet wipes, ibuprofen, aspirin, Oki, cortisone, hot glue, a few meters of white satin ribbon, a Swiss army knife, an energy bar, sugar packets, and other items.
I also have a complete change of clothes, more shirts in summer, a swimsuit, a towel, and an underwater case, umbrellas for us and the couple, coins for parking, and plenty of water. I carry a power bank and various accessories. My assistant or second photographer usually has more or less the same things. If we are traveling, we also bring a laptop and an external hard drive for backing up photographs.
Let’s not forget that among the important equipment, there’s me (us), so we arrive rested. For distant services, we sleep on-site to work calmly, and we also stay overnight after the wedding; we need to stay alive for the upcoming services
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