Wedding Photographer Checklist

When doing shoots where every shot counts, you want to be sure you have all areas covered. This Photographer had his covered by purchasing nice, weather-sealed gear. On a serious note, here is a quick checklist every Wedding Photographer should consider:

1) DSLR body (two in most cases)
- at least 3fps
- at least 8 megapixela
- ability to shoot high ISO with low noise
- weather-sealing is a plus

2) Lenses
- quality glass comparable to Canon's "L" series
- short focal length (prime or zoom from 16-135 range)
- long focal length (usually zoom at least through 200mm)

3) Memory
- at least three 8gb cards
- method of transferring files to hard drive before end of day

4) Lighting
- At least one off camera flash
- stand and umbrella
- gels
- model light for tough focusing situations

5) Batteries
- At least 2 camera batteries
- plenty of AA batteries (rechargeables are great)
- bring all of your chargers

6) Accessories
- light stands and tripods
- mounting accessories for any situation
- extension cord

Of course this is not a complete list, but a great starting point. Watch out for obsticles!

"L" is for Luxury...or something.

I've had the opportunity to shoot with the Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS USM for the past week, and it has made me fall in love with my [camera] body all over again. You can hear all the hype about the lens, read the reviews and do the research on "L" glass in general; but nothing compares to shooting with it. The fact about Photography, or any craft, is that you can continually get better at it, for as long as you do it. There will always be Photographers that boast about the images that can be created with minimal equipment, but to face reality, you need the tools to do the job. For an extreme example, imagine shooting a football game with only an 18-55mm kit lens. Sure it can be done, sure you can get some awesome pictures, but you will be very limited in your output.
The photo above was taken from the first series of images I captured with the 70-200. It was taken at full telephoto with auto-focus, and as you can see the image is very sharp. If I knew she was going to land there, I would have just focused on the line. But this just gives you an idea of how fast this lens is [also note minimal to 0 aberration].
As a Photographer, you should always want to do your best work. After some shoots, clients ask me if this was my best, I think to myself "no, my next shoot will be my best."
It may not show immediately from project to project, but over all you should progressively get better each time you shoot. And at some point, that will mean getting the right tools.

TE - Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS II

Welcome to the Tuesday Edition.

Rumors have been buzzing since last summer about the revealing of the new 70-200 f/2.8L IS II. The time has come! Canon has officially released the successor to it's flagship lens. On the outside, you will notice little change other than the text, and a larger focusing ring to the trained eye. Beauty is in the lens of the beholder. The new lens feautures revised optical design, an increase in maximum magnification, new CPU, and a faster-quieter auto focus. And I hear you asking: there are 23 elements/19 groups. Canon has also released a new lens case to keep this baby warm. Available to the public in February 2010. Official Press Release: