It seems like the question for most new photographers to seasoned ones is, “What do you shoot with?” In my opinion, equipment only accounts for a small portion of what makes a good photographer, while at the same time, having high quality equipment can take an already great photo to the next level. Even so, today I am going to share with you everything that I use for my photography business!

What’s in your bag?

I’ll start with what I actually shoot with. My current camera is a Canon 5D Mark II. It’s an oldie, but it’s a workhorse and does its job exceptionally well. The color on it is great and it’s very user friendly. This is the first DSLR I have ever owned! I am currently looking into purchasing a second, upgraded camera body so that I can use my Mark II as a backup for weddings. I love my camera, but one drawback is that it’s heavy. With the lens on it, just under 3 pounds doesn’t seem like a lot, but when you’ve been carrying it around your neck for eight hours, you start to feel it in your back!(Screenshot from adorama.com because, well, I can’t take a picture of my camera with my camera)

As for lenses, I only have two of them! A lot of photographers will have a lens for every kind of lighting or styling situation they may happen upon, but I prefer to keep my equipment to the simple and essentials. I have a Canon 50mm “nifty fifty,” and I LOVE it. A 50mm lens is known to best represent the world as we see it in photographs. About a year ago I bought my second lens solely for the purpose of being able to get wider angle shots in tighter areas— a Tamaron 35mm. I rented A LOT of lenses before I finally decided this is the one I was going to get. I tried several zoom lenses, like a 16-35mm and a 28-70mm, and while they worked great, I love the crispness and shallow depth of a field a prime lens gives. My 35mm stays on my camera for almost the entire wedding day!

What do you edit with?

Haha prepare to be disappointed. I edit on a 2013 Mac Book Pro. It’s so old!! Sometimes it drives me NUTS with how slow it is, so as soon as I have the funds, I’m definitely upgrading my machine. The editing software that I use though is primarily Lightroom by Adobe. Occasionally I use Photoshop for some more detailed edits, like the occasional head swap or skin editing. I pay for the monthly subscription for photographers that Adobe offers, which includes both Lightroom and Photoshop and all of their updates for just over $10 a month.

What about indoor photography?

My studio work is nowhere near ready for debut, so I don’t have a whole lot of equipment for that. I do have one continuous light with an umbrella that I’ve been experimenting with which was given to me as a gift, and I don’t know any of the details regarding it! For a reflector, right now I just use a piece of poster board. Ha!

There you have it! My equipment list is pretty basic, but it’s good and does the job!