David Trinh
Wedding | Last Updated: October 30, 2023
Hi, my name is David Trinh and I am a wedding photographer based out of Houston, Texas. My story as a photographer is far from conventional. I didn’t grow up with cameras nor did I have any background in photography. I picked up a camera in 2014 for the first time and never looked back.
My first camera was a Canon T5i which I bought to just take random pictures of my girlfriend. The camera was mainly for me to start a new hobby and travel more. Over time as my pictures started to improve, I was asked by numerous friends and family to take photos for them. In 2015, I was asked to photograph my first wedding. This was the start of an amazing journey for me, as I fell in love with wedding photography.
My style of photography is all about making ordinary people feel special. I want your wedding day to be documented for what it is, with minimal posing while preserving the beauty. I also like to push the limits of in-camera special effects to create artistic and different looking images.
I do not Photoshop, I love to blow my clients away when I show them a photo on the back of my camera. I mostly add minimal adjustments in post-processing for exposure and white balance and that’s it. All the magic happens in-camera. But enough about me… let’s get into all the fun talk about gear!
Cameras
Sony A7 III – I made the switch to Sony from Nikon and it was the best decision ever. I’m not going to lie, I was a skeptic at first but as soon as I took this camera to a wedding, I knew that I was going all in. Not only did the camera exceed my expectations, but it was by far the fastest autofocus system that I have ever used. The eye autofocus worked flawlessly and it made my life so much easier.
I’m now able to focus on things like lighting and composition instead of looking at a meter all day. After my first wedding, I sold all my Nikon gear and dove headfirst into the Sony ecosystem. Although the switch from Nikon was painful, it was for the better. The Sony A7 III just offered so many features that the DSLR is currently lacking.
Fujifilm X100F – This is the camera that made me love photography again. I mostly use it to document my life but it has found its way into my wedding kit. The X100F normally comes out when I want to be discreet during ‘getting ready’ photos. People tend to be less intimidated by a smaller camera and you can get some awesome candid moments with it.
Lenses
Sony FE 55mm f/1.8 ZA – What I can say about this lens is that it’s fantastic! Although it is one of the first ever lenses released for the Sony FE mount, it is legendary. There is so much character that oozes out of it and I just love it for portrait work. The build quality is what you expect from a Zeiss product and it is extremely light.
The Sony 55mm definitely deserves all the praise for how good it is and I will never leave the house without it.
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 – I can’t remember how long it has been since I have used a zoom lens but ever since I went back to using one camera instead of two, this lens has been my all rounder. For me, it serves its purpose and it is super sharp. The Tamron 28-75mm is one of my absolute favorite zooms and I use it for about 85% of the wedding day.
Although it is only a 2.8, it forces me to get creative instead of just blurring out a background. I also opted to buy this lens over the big brother Sony or Sigma 24-70mm due to it’s lighter weight and cheaper price.
Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 – Unlike it’s more expensive f/1.4 G Master brother, I believe that this lens is almost perfect. The bokeh is amazing and the back compression is phenomenal. The 85mm is always thought of as one of the best portrait lenses out there and I can’t disagree at all. I mostly use the 85mm for speeches and small ceremonies.
Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM – This lens is mainly used for ceremonies where I am stuck at a distance. It comes in handy when I am at a big church with little room to move around. Unfortunately, adapted lenses to me are not reliable in low light so this lens is only used when my subject is completely still or not moving fast.
People keep telling me to get the Sony 70-200 f/2.8 but that lens is definitely out of the question, not only is it pricey, it is massive. I am all about traveling light so that’s a no-go for me.
Sigma MC-11 Mount Converter – Having the ability to use Canon glass is amazing. It gives me so much more versatility with my lens choices. The MC-11 is a must-have for every Sony photographer and I believe it is the best converter currently offered for e-mount.
Flash/Triggers
Godox TT685S Thinklite TTL Flash – These little guys are amazing. The remote feature in each flash is great and convenient for when I want to do night photos. No changing out remotes, I can just power it up, switch settings and it is good to go.
Although there is a lithium battery version, I had too many rechargeable batteries lying around the house, so I went with this one instead. The biggest selling point for me has got to be the price point of the flash – it is super affordable for the quality it offers.
Godox XPro-S TTL Wireless Flash Trigger – I normally do not do off-camera flash during receptions. This trigger is strictly for indoor and night photos only. The screen is massive and the interface is easy to navigate.
Hardware & Software
Apple Macbook Pro 16″ – This Intel i9 laptop can handle any type of editing thrown at it. I love to edit my work in full resolution and this laptop can handle that like a champ. The size is a bit large for travel but the larger screen and performance are worth the weight. I do not own a desktop so this is my main computer. I prefer to have more portability when it comes to my workflow.
www.thetrinhstudios.com | @thetrinhstudios
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