Emin Kuliyev
Wedding | Last Updated: August 25, 2023
There have been several changes in my gear and vision since 2014.
Here’s what I’m doing in 2019:
1) I’m still using Sony for my main cameras – Sony a9
& Sony a7 III
.
2) I’ve also added a Fujifilm 50R
camera body for portraits.
This is a magic camera – all my lenses became wider with an increased depth of field (everything multiplies by 0.79). I attach my old Canon lenses to the 50R via a lens adapter.
3) I shoot photo and video at the same time (I use the Sony a7 III 
for the video and a9
for photos), then I take a still from the video (4K, Hslog) and make a video from the photos from my a9
(I shoot 20 frames per second and stick all the images together in Premiere CC).
4) I upgraded my computer and my SD cards. I now have 3x 256Gb Toshiba Exceria Pro
, 2x 128GB Sony G
, 1x 128gb Lexar 2000x
and Sandisk 512gb
.
5) Most of the time I use native Sony lenses: Sony GM 24mm f/1.4
, Sony GM 85mm f/1.4
, Sony 35mm f/1.4
, Sony 16-35mm f/4
.
6) I’ve started shooting 360 degree videos (GoPro Fusion
) and sometimes take a still from the 5.2K video.
7) I’m still using my projection lenses.
What’s in the picture?
Cameras
Sony a9
+ 24mm GM f/1.4
, a7 III
+ Batis 18mm f/2.8
, Fuji 50R
+ Nikon 105mm f/1.4
Gopro Fusion
Sony a7
– conversion to infrared 720nm filter (+ Sony 55mm f/1.8
)
Lenses
Heliar 12mm f/5.6
Mitakon 50mm f/0.95
Sony 16-35mm f/4
Sony GM 85mm f/1.4
Sony 70-200mm GM f/2.8
Gaumont Kalee 241mm f/1.9
Projection lenses (gold and silver)
Neoki 60mm
Benoist Berthiot 75mm f/1.8
Super Kiptar 115mm f/1.7
Super Kiptar 95mm f/1.6
Old Delfinor 105mm f/1.6
Meopta 90mm f/1.2
Viltrox video studio led 25x10cm
Flash light with a zoom
Monopod (carbon fiber -no-name from China)
Monopod Telesin for GoPro Fusion
IR remote for Sony
Sony grip GP X1EM
Acrylic Mirror Clear Plexiglass
SD cards – 3x 256Gb Toshiba Exceria Pro
, 2x 128GB Sony G
, 1x 128gb Lexar 2000x
, Sandisk 512gb
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31 Comments
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Hi Emin,
>> All examples above I took from the video file. They are not pictures, they are stills from the video
This one sentence of yours – together with your amazing portfolio – has single-handedly changed my photography for the better.
Thank you.
super high shooting ratio, lots of editing post can your charge for this time? what would he do back in the film days?
…probably not shoot this way!
IMHO it’s absolutely does not matter how many shots you do and what gear you use. What does matter is the quality that you produce. Remember a photographer is evaluated not for the number of shots he takes, but for the fact what he shows to the public!
I’m not sure if here in the chat who criticise his approach can produce something similar quality to Emin’s???
Take an interest how many shots in their career made great photographers (even on film) and you will be amazed!
Have a nice day:)
…and people usually say that they switch to mirrorless as it’s less weight to carry around….WAFI !!!
haha true!!
10,000 pictures in 14 hours is a picture every 5 seconds for 14 hours. That’s 12 photos a minute without stopping for 14 hours.
Yep, it’s crazy. I’m guessing it’s more like holding the trigger on a 10fps camera for a few seconds to capture the best moment, then moving on. Either way, that’s 5x more than I’m ever likely to shoot at a wedding!
Wow sucha change. The biggest problem imho is AF. Is not as good like in D4 for sure. I wonder why You made this swiych – Your style change You do not do any more weddings or fast action in low light? Sorry for me english. And i have a question to anyone who knows the answer. What about af in A7s with adaptor its similar to the for example d610 in low light? Or freaking D750 is the only chocie these days…
REALLLLLY. Is this meant as some kind of click bait. Who the HELL shoots 10k shots per wedding. I never really considered myself that good but I would come out with at MOST 1.5k of shots
I feel sorry for your camera. You must have to get that serviced quite a lot. Hell. I felt sorry for my camera after shooting a wedding. REALLY. My God Man!!!
Which Monopod is that one?
I would like to add a comment to what I have already said above… And that is that after thinking about the whole idea of shooting 10K images on any given day is actually within the realm of belief. This is contrary to what I previously stated. I realize that everyone has a different approach. Props to you Emin. Your work is superb.
It would be awesome owning all of that stuff. It is a pure luxury to be able to pick and choose the equipment you would need for the day….
I am a seasoned professional who averages 55 weddings a year. I have been shooting weddings for 15 years. I can tell you that there are times that I would need high ISOs and super fast lenses in dark places where flash is not appropriate, And super long lenses when I was not allowed to get close, And extreme wide angles when I was in tight quarters or when I needed to shoot beautiful architecture, and I can go on and on talking about macro and tilt shift and so on…..
So I can easily see how a person could get wrapped up with the equipment “bug”.
But here is the important lesson that I have learn. The bare minimum a person needs to shoot an event is two bodies (with two card slots for redundancy protection) and two lenses. Preferably two zoom lenses that covers that 24 to 200 range. Some would say you could get by with to primes like the 35mm and 85mm. Sure, you will mot be able to get certain shots but you would make due.
Here is the kicker…. If a photographer takes enough photos in his career (imho) he will develope a distinct style. He will lean heavily of “favorite” lense and body. It can’t be helped. So even if all of that gear lives in you “truck”, carrying all that gear around seems unessasary.
I shoot an average of 1500 to 2000 images on a 10 hour wedding day. I have 5 bodies and they all have 200k shutter clicks. So, with all due respect, shooting 10k per wedding is EXTREMELY hard to believe my friend. If that were true so many questions arrise…. And my first question would be…. how many bodies do you go through?
You probably did not realise he is shooting video and taking the stills from there?
His photographs are very different that those standard wedding photographers I have seen. His eye for image is great and beyond the typical “weekend warrior wedding photographer” who has those two-three lenses as recommended in the camera magazine, takes the standard, technically excellent shots and leaves. So every bride will have a very similar looking wedding album, just like the neighbours.
You would never care which technique/method/brush etc. a painter uses, if the end result is out of ordinary? Like “nobody needs that many brushes and colours”.
So far I have not seen any, not a single one, of these people commenting here putting their photos on display for comparison. Emins work is art, maybe yours is not?
Wao dude!! thats all I can say.
I love love the energy of your work dude!!
So simple yet full of flavors.
Why are people hating on this dude? If he needs 50 cameras and 20 lenses to create 50,000 photos in 12 hours that HIS business. Damn haters.
Dude you rock I want to be like you when I grow up lol
Sorry, but this is pure nonsense. Nobody needs 8 bodies and 20 lenses to shoot anything, certainly not weddings. If you are an equipment collector, so be it, but don’t tell us you need all this to shoot. The best wedding photogs I know use two housings and three lenses, max four, all in a small bag on them and a lighting assistant. Full stop.
Hello Emin… You just woke me up and opened my eyes a lot… Admire the eye and control for the situations, being able to work with the gear available but at same time, being ready to use, every single different lens for a purpose…
I admired some lenses you own and i know its about knowing what you want to do it and do it no matter the lens, but you have some of them for some reason… I wanted some insight the Sigma 20 1.8… what you think? i shoot nikon and been trying to work around my wide area and my lens for that can’t do everything… a wide prime is on my sight…
thanks
And 5* to the creativity with the prisms and flashlights!!
It isn’t uncomfortable to having two brands of camera while having Wedding Reportage?
thank you, emin for sharing. Great pictures. I’ve been experimenting with prisms already, but cannot find a clear, crystal ball/sphere.
Hey,
Can you tell me where I can buy these balls and prisms.
Great article… I think everybody has his own way to photograph weddings, so Jason you comment is really rough, i dont agree with you
@jason
from how i understood this…
“Most of them are out of focus or don’t have good composition and framing because usually I’m not looking through the viewfinder and shoot holding the camera over my head or from the floor.”
…this was done to get ideas of scenes and angles when planning for an actual shoot.
Never ever got near 10000 shots. Can you imagine culling this shooting 2 or 3 weddings a month? The question should be asked about the number of images delivered to the couple. If it is 3500 good shots then I am happy. If however it is 500 to 700 it may be more of a spray and pray approach. Also, I think pressing the shutter button 10000 over a period of let’s say 12 hours might seem to some a bit intrusive and not entirely descrete no matter how silent your silent mode is. Whatever is said here, this gentleman work is quite outstanding so whatever works for him!!!
You say that you sometimes shoot more than 10,000 shots during a 12-14 hour day with most of the shots being unusable due to out of focus or poor composition or framing. And you call yourself a pro photographer? I mean really, are you proud that basically all you’re doing, which amateurs with little knowledge in photography will do, is to just rattle off numerous shots hoping that you land one? I’m sorry but no pro wedding photographer in their right mind would even come close to shooting that many shots. They take their time to study the light, composition, framing and know precisely when to capture that moment. Instead you go around with a trigger happy finger not caring one bit whether or not you landed the shot and then later on spending countless hours sifting through your shots trying to find that one that is useable.
I feel really, really sorry for your clients. And no amount of gear in the world, complete with unnecessary gimmicks such as your flashlights and prisms, will change the fact that it shows you really don’t know what you’re doing. A true professional would show up with 2 bodies, 3-4 lens, a few flashes and be able to walk away at the end of the day with fewer than 1,000 shots and happy knowing that he did his job well. Good luck to you and your business.
some answers
about prisms and balls
https://www.em34.com/dima/Marissa%20%26%20Michael%20%28E-Session%29%20%20-%20June%2011th%2c%202014/IMG_0628gfd.jpg
https://www.em34.com/dima/Natalia%20%26%20Jonathan%20-%20May%209th%2c%202014/IMG_8604gdgfddd.jpg
https://www.em34.com/dima/Natalia%20%26%20Jonathan%20-%20May%209th%2c%202014/KULI1051fdss.jpg
https://www.em34.com/dima/pag%20and%20Ross%20day%201%204%208%202014/014.jpg
https://www.em34.com/dima/pag%20and%20Ross%20day%201%204%208%202014/033.jpg
https://www.em34.com/dima/Julie%20%26%20Marcel%20day%201%202%2026%202014/day2/1/004.jpg
https://www.em34.com/dima/Julie%20%26%20Marcel%20day%201%202%2026%202014/day2/1/006.jpg
about flashlight
https://www.em34.com/dima/moscow%20class/3/IMG_5345.jpg
https://www.em34.com/dima/moscow%20class/3/IMG_5306ds.jpg
https://www.em34.com/dima/moscow%20class/3/IMG_5335s.jpg
https://www.em34.com/dima/moscow%20class/3/IMG_5370.jpg
https://www.em34.com/dima/moscow%20class/3/IMG_5361u.jpg
https://www.em34.com/dima/moscow%20class/3/IMG_5409ew.jpg
https://www.em34.com/dima/moscow%20class/3/IMG_5498e.jpg
https://www.em34.com/dima/moscow%20class/3/IMG_5232da.jpg
https://www.em34.com/dima/klass%20europe%202010/103.jpg
https://www.em34.com/dima/klass%20europe%202010/099.jpg
https://www.em34.com/dima/klass%20europe%202010/100.jpg
What are prisms used for?
I have friends that are shooting through prisms, this is something I want to experiment with too.
I neeeeeeed to know what the flashlights are used for
x