As a Las Vegas wedding photographer, there are some camera bag necessities that I never leave the house without. So let me share because this is a “no secrets” kind of place…
Camera bag necessities I always have:
2 mirrorless bodies. Let’s be real, the last thing that you need as a photographer is for a camera to malfunction mid-ceremony. So that’s why I always have 2 Canon r6 camera bodies with me at all times during a wedding day. Though I only use one to take photos for most of the day, it’s important to always have a backup right on your person.
Lenses. Obviously, if you’re going to take photos…ya gotta have lenses. But more than that, you’ve got to have the right lenses! I always have my 24-70mm and 35mm lenses with me. I’ve found this gives me the best diversity of range for photos but also keeps things consistent from session to session.
2 Godox V1 flashes. You never know when a venue will be darker than you think or a session will run long and it’ll get dark out. It’s always important to have flashes on hand!
Extra batteries. Duh, gotta keep things charged and ready to go! I keep both extra camera batteries and extra flash batteries in my bag, just in case!
An emergency pouch. Last but definitely not least, I always have a little emergency kit filled with hand wipes, a tide to go pen, and makeup remover wipes. All very handy for many reasons but the biggest one being getting lipstick off wherever it lands after some smoochin’.
Additional items that are nice to have:
Extra long lens. On wedding day’s specifically I love having my giant 70-200mm camera lens with me. Not only is it super easy to lug around (lol) but actually it’s incredibly helpful to get key details during the ceremony without needing to be super close. I also find myself using it a lot during toasts to capture emotional responses from friends and family members while they’re giving toasts.
Props. I mean, come on…it’s Vegas after all. We gotta keep things spicy and interesting around here. I love having little props like heart sunglasses or a bottle of champagne to pop!
Film equipment. Every so often I photograph using film as well as digital. In that case, I use 35mm film and need two extra cameras plus batteries and extra film. It’s a great way to capture the romance and nostalgia of a wedding day!
I hope this helps you figure out what to put in your bag and why certain items are important. Have your own list of camera bag necessities? I would love to hear what they are! Let’s connect!
