The life of a wedding photographer demands a lot of determination and talent. However, while those aspects are crucial, using the optimal gear is equally as important if you want to take sharp, properly-composed, well-lit photos that capture the happy couple at their best.
If you’re still new to this genre, you might be unfamiliar with all the wedding photography accessories you have to own to do a stellar job. Other than the go-to elements like flashguns, there’s an array of lesser-known products that can also come in handy during the event. You can assemble the entire accessories set under $500.
Table of Content
- Flashes
- High Speed Memory Cards
- Tripod
- Reflectors
- Wireless Flash Triggers
- Battery Grips
- Rain Cover
- Camera Straps And Holsters
- Camera Cleaning Kit
- Camera Bag
#1 Flashes
Getting a flash is a suggestion you’ll read in all online wedding photography courses. This gear piece lets you take stunning dark dance floor photos that will grab the viewer’s attention with that special sparkle in the subject’s eyes.
A lot of professional wedding photographers bring 4 or even more flash units to light up complex scenes. For a beginner, it’s advised to get at least a couple of high-power flash units to ensure all your basic needs are covered.
Recommended Flashes:
- Nikon SB-5000 AF Speedlight
- Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT
- Sony HVL-F60RM
#2 High Speed Memory Cards
It’s vital to own a SD card that supports high-speed shooting, particularly if you frequently come up with creative motion photography ideas. It will serve you especially well when taking first dance pictures, dancefloor photos, or candid pictures of the guests.
You also have to ensure your SD cards offer enough storage space, hence why most experienced photographers bring multiple spacy memory cards while also ensuring they’re produced by a reputable manufacturer.
For memory cards, the most frequently suggested format is UHS-II with a U3 speed rating, which is perfect for shooting stills. If you’re also supposed to record videos, prioritize these ratings instead: V30, V60, and V90. In the current environment, it’s advised to go with SD cards that offer 64GB of storage space or more.
Recommended Memory Cards:
- SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I
- Kingston Canvas React Plus SDXC UHS-II
- Lexar Professional 633x SDHC / SDXC UHS-I
#3 Tripod
A tripod is among the most important keys to amazing wedding photography for DSLR cameras. It can be employed for group photos that include a lot of people as well as evening venue pictures and other scenes with challenging lighting conditions that give you some time to prepare your equipment.
Tripods are also a fantastic tool for long-exposure photos and situations that involve employing several cameras to canvas and capture a large space from different angles. Additionally, they’re frequently used for still-life photos of the wedding ring, cake, and clothes.
Recommended Tripods:
- Manfrotto BeFree Compact Travel Carbon Fiber Tripod
- Manfrotto MT190CXPRO4
- Vanguard Alta Pro 263 AB 100
#4 Reflectors
Reflectors are one of the first wedding photography accessories you need to get for bridal and couple portraiture. There are multiple types of reflectors you can use to achieve different results, with the most popular types being white, silver, and gold.
White models are the most versatile ones and excel at reflecting both natural and artificial lighting but can lead to “blown out” photos if used improperly.
Silver reflectors are great at reflecting flash units and achieving contrasting looks but can cause the lighting to look too harsh.
Finally, gold models can be strategically employed for sunny outdoor photos, as they increase the warmth of the image while adding a soft glow to the subject, which, however, can quickly get out of hand if you overuse them.
Thankfully, most lighting issues can be dealt with by simply reaching out to a professional wedding photo retouching service.
Recommended Reflectors:
- NEEWER 43 Inch Light Reflector
- LimoStudio 43 Inch 5-in-1 Photography
- Collapsible Light Disc Reflector
- Etekcity 24 Inch 5-in-1 Photography Reflector Light Reflectors
#5 Wireless Flash Triggers
You can employ a wireless flash trigger to use flashes and strobes placed away from the camera without being forced to rely on messy cables and cords. Such accessories also come in handy when working in big indoor venues like ballrooms or reception halls that let you add flash units to multiple room corners to establish more even and professional lighting.
Recommended Wireless Flash Triggers:
- JJC 3-in-1 Wireless Flash Trigger & Shutter Remote Control
- Godox Xpro-C TTL Wireless Flash Trigger
- AODELAN Wireless Flash Trigger Transmitter and Receiver
#6 Battery Grips
Battery grips are special wedding photo accessories that offer increased battery life for taking a significantly higher number of shots per charge while also providing an auxiliary controls option (along with a conveniently-placed shutter release) that makes it a lot easier to take vertical photos.
Remember to always bring at least a single pack of fully-charged batteries or a power pack suitable for powering all battery-powered pieces in your gear set including cameras, flashes, wireless controllers, etc.
A power pack is also capable of offering quicker recycling times, which is a huge advantage when taking action shots.
Recommended Battery Grips:
- Neewer Vertical Battery Grip with Battery Holder
- Meike MK-A7R IV Professional Vertical Battery Grip
- Blackmagic Design Battery Grip
#7 Rain Cover
Sooner or later, you’ll have to work on a wedding on a rainy day. Even though the newlyweds probably have a sheltered venue planned as a backup, taking photos of them out in the rain can allow you to receive some unforgettable shots.
A rain cover for the camera will make it safe for you to go out and take pictures of the couple (if they’re up for it or want to use an umbrella) and macro shots of the rings with raindrops on them.
Recommended Rain Covers:
- Altura Photo Professional Camera Rain Cover
- Think Tank 6197 Camera Emergency Rain Cover
- Peak Design Black Shell Medium Form-Fitting Rain and Dust Cover
#8 Camera Straps and Holsters
8 to 14 hours of moving around, bending over, and climbing with your gear around your neck will make you feel like you’re in dire need of rehabilitation for a couple of days after the event.
Make it easier on yourself by purchasing a quality camera strap. The market offers a plethora of options that include cross-body straps, belts, and harnesses, so feel free to pick a model that suits your taste and needs the best.
Recommended Camera Straps And Holsters:
- Spider Pro Holster
- The Holdfast Money Maker
- Altura Photo Camera Neck Strap w. Quick Release & Safety Tether
#9 Camera Cleaning Kit
Dirty lenses can significantly decrease the quality of your photos, and dealing with this problem
during post-production can be incredibly difficult as well. Weddings are sometimes dusty events and water droplets and rice can be seen flying literally everywhere. Such moments are great for taking unforgettable shots but they can also make your gear get dirty or wet.
You have to buy proper wedding photography accessories to clean the lenses and your camera to ensure they don’t let you down when you need to take the next shot. A blower, “Lenspen”, and multiple microfiber cloths are the least you can get for this purpose.
Recommended Camera Cleaning Kits:
- KuuZuse Professional DSLR Camera Cleaning Kit
- Altura Photo Professional Cleaning Kit
- K&F Concept Camera Lens Cleaning Kit
#10 Camera Bag
Given the large number of wedding photography accessories that we went over, it’s obvious that you’ll need a proper camera bag to fit all of them in. When choosing a camera bag suitable for weddings, give preference to models that can be comfortably worn the entire day and are durable enough to handle different terrains. For example, a roller bag is a terrible choice for a beachside wedding.
Recommended Camera Bags:
- Think Tank Photo Retrospective 6
- Lowepro ProTactic 350 AW
- Think Tank Photo Airport Security V 3.0 Carry On
Conclusion
Once you’ve obtained all the essentials, you can rest assured you’ll be ready to take the perfect photos for all your future clients. It doesn’t matter if it’ll be your first wedding photoshoot or if you’ve been working on similar events for years, these accessories will ensure you’ll provide the perfect results for every couple!
Explore this 100 Dreamy Wedding Photo Overlays Bundle to enhance your photos with a magical atmosphere.
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