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Home >> Learning Module
Edwin’s
Wedding Photography Kit (Film)
July 2007 - This article is quite out of date as I have been shooting weddings digitally since 2006. Some of the equipment discussed below have been sold off since the transition to digital capture.
Kit
for Backup Photographer Role
 My
role as a backup photographer means a fairly simple kit. I don’t
have to bring along a medium format kit or lighting gear because
I’m just there to shoot quickly and efficiently. It’s the primary
photographer’s role to bring along all the other gear for the types
of shots he wants to take.
- Lowepro
Omni Trekker equipment case, packed with the following equipment:
- Nikon
F100 camera with MB15 grip
- Nikon
F100 camera with MB15 grip
- Nikon
16mm f2.8 AF-D Fisheye lens
- Nikon
18-35mm f3.5-4.5 AF-D lens
- Nikon
24-85mm f3.5-4.5G AF-S lens attached to F100 camera*
- Nikon
70-200mm f2.8G AF-S VR lens attached to F100 camera*
- Tamron
Pro 300 2x Teleconverter
- LensBaby – for the occasional soft, dreamy shot
- Nikon
SB800 flash
- Nikon
SB28DX flash
- Nikon
SB28 flash (backup or used on third camera)
- Bulb
blower for cleaning
- Microfiber
cloths for cleaning
- Leatherman
multi-purpose tool for knife, pliers and screwdrivers
- Quick-release
plates for Arca Swiss ballhead and Allan keys for quick-release
plates in one of the Omni Trekker’s translucent flap pockets
- Filters
and filter ring adapters in the other translucent flap pocket
- Nikon
MC30 remote cord and spare batteries, both alkaline and rechargeable
cells, in front flap pocket of Omni Trekker
*
I attach the lens hoods on these two lenses normally, not reversed,
so as to make packing and unpacking as quick and as convenient as
possible for immediate use.
 Lowepro
Camera Pocket waist belt with a
Lowepro
Street + Field Lens 1W pouch and Street + Field Pouch 30 attached
via the belt loops
- S+F
Lens 1W pouch holds either the 16mm Fisheye lens, or the lens
that the 16mm replaced, such as the 24-85mm lens
- S+F
Pouch 30 holds sundry items that I might want in an instant,
such as the Canon 500D close-up
lens, polarizing filter, microfiber cloth, or the 70-200’s
tripod foot for ambient light only photos
- Camera
Pocket holds the films (without the canisters) I use during
the shoot
Other
items that may be packed, depending on the shoot and what is required
of me in my role as backup. When I pack these pieces, I move
some items from the Omni Trekker to my waist belt system:
- Nikon
F70 camera (borrowed backup used as third camera for specialty
lenses or films)
- Nikon
50mm f1.8 AF lens (borrowed occasional use in low light when
flash is not desired)
- Nikon
35-70mm f2.8 AF-D lens (occasional use since purchase of 24-85mm
lens)
- Manfrotto
monopod with Manfrotto 308 head
- Booth
reflectors
- 32
inch Silver/White
- 42
inch Silver/White
- 42
inch 5-in-1 that is usually used as a Black/Gold reflector
(I bought it after I bought the 42 inch Silver/White, hence
the duplication)
It
seems like a fair bit of gear and I suppose it is, but except for
the tripod, it all fits into a fairly compact Omni Trekker and my
waist pouch system. Conspicuous by their absence are the flash brackets,
which are too bulky to haul in the Omni Trekker.
The
pouches from the waist belt system are migrated to the Lowepro
Rover backpack to make it a more versatile storage and carrying
system when I want a backpack instead of a case or shoulder bag.
I also have S+F Pouch 60 and Pouch 50 cases for hauling more gear,
but these larger pouches are usually attached to the S+F
Reporter 400 shoulder bag. I considered a Lowepro S+F Toploader
case with the Rover, but decided that it was too bulky to use for
personal photographic jaunts, although a shoulder strap system based
on just a Toploader and some additional S+F pouches attached to
it could be an interesting and very compact option.
Additional
Kit for Primary Photographer Role
When
working as the primary photographer, I have to bring along a lot
more gear and depending on the job, this may also require my basic
Multiblitz lighting kit. If I need to haul “everything,” the Lowepro
Pro Roller 3 gets loaded with:
- Bronica SQ-Ai with Motor Drive
and waist-level finder – attached to the Newton
N7400 flash bracket
- Bronica
45D Prism Finder
- Bronica 40mm f4 PS
lens
- Bronica 50mm f3.5 PS lens (default lens attached to the camera because
I use the kit mostly for group shots)
- Bronica 80mm f2.8
PS lens and hood
- Bronica 150mm f4
PS lens and hood
- Bronica SQ-I 120
Film backs (3 with one attached to the camera)
- Bronica Remote Cord
- Bronica SCA 386 TTL
flash adapter
- Metz 45 CL-4 Handle
mount flash
- Spare
Metz
battery pack
- Multiblitz Compact 200 mono
lights (2) with umbrella reflectors
- Multiblitz power
cords, extension power cord, sync cords, wireless trigger
- Sekonic 508 flash meter
Manfrotto
or generic canvas tripod case with:
- Lightstands
(2)
- 36
inch umbrellas (2)
Other
items may include:
- 2nd Bronica
SQ-Ai camera
- Bronica SQ-I 220
Film back
- Bronica S-36 Extension
Tube
- Bronica S 2x Teleconverter
- Vivitar 283 flash
with sync cords as ultimate backup for both 35mm and medium format
kits
- Additional Manfrotto
light stands (3 more for 5 total)
- Manfrotto telescopic
pole to hold backdrops
- Westcott mottled
grey 10x12 foot backdrop
- 8x10 Back flannel
used as a backdrop
- Step ladder for higher
perspective photos
- My Mazda MPV “love” van to haul everything
I bring and if ever some weird situation happened with the limo,
I could haul the bridal party with me too J
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