SO, I’ve been pondering writing this blog for a while now, and I figured today I would share just one part of a series I’m going to be doing about ‘What’s in my bag?’!

I want to share what I bring to wedding days, from my equipment to the styling kit for details with you all over the internet. For the first part of this blog series, I’m going to be featuring my wedding day lenses. I shoot on all Canon camera bodies and lenses, and I wouldn’t have it any other way! Though the L series lenses ARE a pretty penny, you can’t match their quality or sharpness, I swear!!!

To start off, I wanted to show off my Canon 5D Mark III. This is my primary camera body for all of my weddings and sessions, and I still call it my baby on the daily. I finally upgraded to the Mark III last year from shooting on the Mark II, and the difference is INCREDIBLE.

I still have my Canon 5D Mark II as my wedding day back-up JUST IN CASE something happens to my Mark III (knock on wood, y’all), but I rarely pull it out any more. The Mark II is just for my peace of mind, truthfully, and in my humble opinion, if you’re a professional, you have a back-up ready. That’s what being a professional wedding photographer means, ready for any situation on a wedding day, even if it means my favorite possession in the world just broke in my hands.

I love my Mark III, and I’m going to be purchasing another one to replace my Mark II as my backup later this year! That way, I won’t be stepping down in quality by switching between camera bodies during the wedding day, and I’m planning on becoming a two-camera shooter for next year’s wedding season!

This right here is my original L series lens. My first! I got this sweet little babe in 2011, and it’s still one of my favorite lenses. I pull out this 85mm 1.2 for portraits of 4 or less people and during bride and groom portraits! It’s a bit heavy, I won’t lie to you, BUT the sharpness and clarity of it’s images is unparalleled.

I sometime consider this guy my secret weapon on wedding days. When I’m in a pinch and out of posing ideas, I’ll throw on my 85 and just enjoy how it changes literally every image and pose! Seriously, if you don’t have this lens and you’re a wedding photographer, WHAT R U DOING WITH UR LIFE?!?

Next little baby I’m going to brag on is my 35mm 1.4, one of my favorite lenses in my bag. I use this for detail shots of the invitation suite, bridal party photos, and a few portraits. It’s a great lens for grabbing the scene or feel of a room or reception, and I leave it on my camera almost too much during family sessions, ha! It’s the perfect focal length for intimate portraits, and I can always capture a sweet smile from a little one when I’m able to sit so close and still photograph.

Okay, now for what I would claim is my actual FAVORITE lens in my bag. My 50mm 1.2 live up to the name of ‘nifty fifty’, truly, because I can honestly shoot anything on a wedding day with my 50. I sometimes get onto myself about how often I use this lens, guys. Like, honestly, I never want to take it off my camera.

From bride and groom portraits to family portraits to details, this little guy is a bad-ass in every sense of the word! I never get tired of shooting with it, and if I ever don’t know what to do next, I just pop on my 50 and just shoot. It’s my favorite focal length, by far, and that 1.2 f/stop is a beauty. The bokeh this lens produces is like NO other!

This next little guy is just as versatile as my 50mm, but just in a different way. The 24-70mm 2.8 is one of the newest additions to the family here at JHP, and I’m SO glad I purchased it at the beginning of this wedding season. It’s great for outdoor location shots, large groups for family portraits, and receptions. I love that it’s focal length is not just a prime, and that I can create some super unique shots when I have time on a wedding day.

It’s a newer addition, as I said, so I’m still learning it completely, but I’m already a huge fan. Definitely a must-have for wedding days, without a doubt.

Ah, my 100mm macro 2,8. The reason my ring shots have gotten SO MUCH better this wedding season. This little guy makes bokeh MAGIC and has some serious strength in the focusing department. I use it for all my ring shots, details of the bride’s gown, and even sometimes portraits! It’s compression and quick focusing has helped me in a pinch during wedding days where I needed the power to be farther away from my couple, but still grabbing images that are gorgeous and cropped closely.

I definitely took advantage of this guy a lot during ceremonies before I purchased my 70-200mm. You guys wouldn’t believe how FAR away the altar truly from the back row is in some churches!! It’s low f/stop capabilities also allow me to use it in low light situations, which is usually what I face during inside ceremonies. Even if it looks bright enough to the human eye, it’s a hold OTHER world in camera!

And last, but not least, the big papa of the family, my 20-700mm 2.8! This lens is a MUST HAVE for wedding photographers, I swear to you. Though I shot weddings for five years without it, now that I’ve been through one wedding season with it in my bag, I don’t think I can ever shoot a wedding without it now! The focal length is seriously an advantage for restricted situations or large ceremonies. I even use it for portraits because it’s compression and clarity are fantastic, truly!

I hesitated on buying this lens for a LONG time, I’ll be honest with you. I thought I didn’t need it, and I didn’t want to spend the money. $2,000 dollars is A LOT OF MONEY when you’re a small business, heck it’s a lot of money for ANYONE, am I right? But, I’m so glad I finally purchased it this year. It’s a necessary addition to the team. Truly, if you’re a wedding photographer, you need this in your bag. Like, NEED, okay?

So there’s that! Those are my six babies that come to every wedding day with me and what I shoot with them! I’m a bit addicted to changing lenses on the wedding day, because I love a variety in my images and each of these little guys have a specific purpose and strength. They are each meant for their certain times on the wedding day, and I don’t want to show up to shoot without every single one of these bad boys in my arsenal!

Hope you enjoyed this peak into what’s in my bag on a wedding day! Next week, I’ll be sharing the OTHER equipment type things I bring along, like flashes, stands, and reflectors! Happy Wednesday, friends!!