Marketing Haych Digital 16/05/2022 Marketing Haych Digital 16/05/2022

Essential Equipment for Wedding Photography

Being a wedding photographer is a hard job, for people starting out in wedding photography there are some pieces of equipment that you should always bring with you

These Are the Equipment Essentials for Wedding Photography

Camera and Backup Camera

Your main camera and backup camera are compulsory for a wedding shoot. It is essential to have a backup in the event that something goes wrong with your primary camera. Even if there is no emergency, having a b camera is great for switching lenses on the fly. You won’t always have a quiet moment or table switch lenses. But, if your desired lens is another camera

Medium Zoom Lens

24 – 70 f2.8 is commonly used as a medium zoom lens. This focal length is great for wedding portraits and photojournalism, offering both wide and tight perspectives. The aperture is fairly decent at 2.8 and is a great lens to start using for weddings as if gives you a chance to figure out what focal length you gravitate towards the most. However, do not assume that it is a starter lens, they can be quite pricey and for most wedding professionals this is a must-have.

Telephoto Lens

Telephoto lenses are probably my favorite since you can shoot from a far which enables me to be un-intrusive. You could opt for a zoom like a 70-200 or a prime. I prefer primes because they are lighter and tend to have a lower aperture value resulting is great low capabilities and gorgeous bokeh rendering.

Wide Angle Lens and Prime Lens

If you are using a medium zoom lens, then having a wide angle prime isn’t necessarily essential for a wedding, but this personally my favorite way to shoot. The wide angle prime lens can assist you with architectural details or big group shots. Being a prime also forces you to be actively engaged in your composition since wide angles can sometimes be tricky. I tend to keep my Fujifilm 16mm f/1.4 (24mm in full frame) reserved for group shots. I also tend to shoot at least at f4 or higher to keep everyone in focus.

Speedlights

Using an external flash can be a lifesaver when you need to get a shot that is just too dark to get otherwise. I use Godox flash for nighttime weddings and dark churches. I say Godox since it is a third party brand that’s affordable and can work with most camera systems.

Flash diffuser

It helps to diffuse the light and make for better portraits on the fly when you don’t have time to set up lights.

Batteries

Always bring more batteries than you think you need. If purchasing 8 batteries is expensive then a great trick I use is; a portable power bank with a USB-C PD connector to your native camera battery socket. This way, while you are shooting, your used battery is being charged. You may only need 2 - 4 batteries in total as opposed to 8 or 10 (depending on how many camera bodies you bring). Furthermore, some wedding venues may ask for a PAT certificate which most of us don’t have. What is a PAT certificate you may ask? Basically a certificate that verifies that your electric equipment is safe to plug into a venue’s wall sockets. Having your own portable charging system bypasses this step altogether. The last thing you’d want is 2 days before your job to be asked for a PAT certificate and with very little time to get one arranged.

Memory Cards

Unfortunately, for memory cards I do not have any cheaper alternatives. I would recommend buying the best within your budget as you would want the most reliable, fastest and durable cards. Do not compromise as here. Furthermore, even if your camera’s buffer can’t utilize the card’s fast read speed. The read speed will help you when offloading photos from your SD card to your computer / hard drive. With slow cards, offloading footage can sometimes take over an hour. Imagine if you shot 500gb worth?

Tripod And Light Stands

Always, always bring a tripod. Even if the bride and groom don’t have any shots that require one. A good tripod will get you out of a pinch if you are low on light and just need a little more stability. It’s also helpful if you are working in very low light or compositing images together. The light stands are helpful to place your speedlights on and allow you to adjust the placement of the lights. Last point is that you may get asked to shoot some video of the ceremony 10 minutes before. This happened to me once and I wish I simply chucked my tiny tripod in the car.

Camera bag

You will need something to put all your gear in. Make sure it’s big enough and comfortable enough to haul around with you as you’re moving throughout the day. I would recommend a master bag for everything. Once you arrive and get settled, I would keep a sling bag on myself for batteries, memory cards and a spare lens.

Lens Cleaning Kit and Lens Hoods

It’s possible for the lens to get dirty or wet throughout the course of a quick moving event, so it’s good to keep a cleaning kit or lens wipes with you to keep smudges from ruining your shots. Lens hoods are a good way to keep lenses from getting dirty in the first place and also serve to keep sun flare down.

These are my essential items. Am I missing any items that you think are essential?

Haris Ahmed 16/02/2022 Haris Ahmed 16/02/2022

10 Important Questions to Ask your Wedding Photographer

Making sure your special day turns out to be perfect requires a lot of planning and homework. Wedding photography in London is usually considered something important. It is a struggle on how to find the best wedding photographer in London?

Wedding preparations are usually exciting but can become pretty stressful as well. From managing guest lists, booking venues to handling hundreds of things side by side, it can leave you exhausted and sometimes clueless as well.

Hence, in this article, we would like to help you in selecting the perfect wedding photographer in the UK for your main day. You must’ve been through the process of searching for the best wedding photographer in London. Now let’s have a look at 10 important questions to ask your wedding photographer:

1. How far in advance should you book them?

The most important question is to keep an eye on how far in advance you should book your wedding photographer in London. If your wedding is in peak wedding season (May in the UK) then there are chances that you will have to struggle to get your favorites booked.

However, if you plan everything in advance you can get your desired photographer for your big day. It’s your choice if you want to book the venue and catering first, most couples book photographers not later than six months before their wedding but ideally, you should book them 10 months in advance.

We, at Haych Weddings, are currently taking bookings for wedding photography in London in the months of March 2022- November 22.

2. Are they willing to meet at the venue in advance?

It is important that you clarify with your photographers if they would be willing to meet you at the venue before the event so you can have a better look at how the photos will look. The venue gives a better perspective to photos and can give you a better idea of how your photos will turn out to be.

By visiting the venue in advance, the photographers can tell you their ideas for getting the best photo locations, including for the bride and groom shots and group shots.

3. How many photographers and photos will you get?

Another important question to clarify is to ask how many photographers will you get? Usually, couples forget to clarify this at the time of booking and have to face disappointment later on.

Also, make sure you have a rough idea of how many photos you want and what your photographer is offering. Usually eight hours of wedding photography we would return approximately 300-500 edited photographs.

4. How long do they take to deliver the photos?

As every photographer works differently, it’s an important question to ask how long do they take to deliver the photos so you know exactly how long you’ll have to wait. Just after the wedding couples are mostly away on their honeymoon which is also an issue in communication and selection of photos.

You must tell your plans to the photographer and ask them about their timeline too so you both have a fair idea of what to expect. We deliver a quick highlight selection of photographs within a week of your wedding so you can instantly share them on social media with your loved ones. The full amount of photos from the wedding usually takes up to several weeks.

5. What’s their style?

It is essential that you understand the style of the photographer that you are selecting for your big day. An easy way to go about this is to have a look at their previous work. Having a detailed look at their portraits, event coverage, videography, etc. will help you understand the style those photographers follow. If you have any personal preferences you can clarify them as well.

6. Do they offer video?

Most people leave the video as an afterthought and may have to hire a separate videographer and the styles may clash which causes a lot of distress. It is suggested that you try to get both photography and videography from the same team so it looks synced with your photos and the same style is followed in both. If this is not possible then we suggest having a videographer that can work well with your photographer so moments from the day don’t get compromised by either’s position.

At Haych Weddings, we make sure to keep your requirements in mind and have a diverse range of packages including photography, videography, bridal shower, bride and groom solo shoot, and even complimentary engagement shoot for our clients. How exciting, isn't it?

7. Do they have their backup sorted?

One of the dreadful thoughts ever is losing your wedding photos! To avoid this nightmare you must ask your photographers how do they back up the photos? Some photographers go dual memory card recording, 2 photographers, and even external hard drives for backing up photos on cloud storage just after the event. Whatever protocol your photographer is following, just make sure to have it confirmed beforehand.

8. How late can they stay?

The timings at weddings can be crucial. There could be some unforeseen delays as well which you must keep a buffer for in advance. Most photographers will stay till the first dance but it's always good to check if they can stay a bit later because schedules don’t usually go to plan. Make sure to have it all discussed with your photographer to avoid any mismanagement.

9. Do they print an album?

Everyone has different preferences when it comes to printing an album. Some like to keep it digital while a few want just some copies while others prefer a whole wedding album. In a day of digital albums, it is actually cheaper to print your own. We, at Haych Weddings, offer an online gallery where you can choose and print your own albums at ease without the hassle of delayed waiting periods.

10. How much will the deposit be?

Every photographer has a rule when it comes to payment. The standard wedding photography deposit is considered 20% to 25% of the full price, and you have to pay that to secure your date. Full payment is usually to be paid a month before the wedding day.

About Us:

Haych Weddings is owned by Haris & Chloe who are a London-based photography & videography duo that seeks to capture your special moments in an inspiring way. We understand how stressful it must be having to organize everything, so we want to be your partners in ensuring that you look back on it with joy and bliss.