Inside My Camera Bag | Erica Kurth

I am a wedding and family photographer based in the picturesque Coromandel Peninsula of New Zealand – one of the most beautiful coastlines I have experienced. Natural elements from my surrounding environment feature consistently in my work.

I am relatively new on the wedding scene just completing my second full season. It has been a huge learning experience for me. I have found that never being 100% satisfied and consistently striving to improve my skills pushes me to create interesting images.

Weddings provide restrictions that make you think quickly and improvise to get creative. Something that seems to create pressure can result in wonderful results. I like to push boundaries and break the classic rules so that you can end up with something unique.

I have my subjects move and chat, and I ask them to take in the moment and the surroundings and this results in some beautiful natural imagery. Also I have fun! It’s their wedding day. People want to look back with memories of joy and laughter.

I shoot Canon, and I learnt on film back in 1995. I purchased my first SLR Canon in 2000 and even have all my travel shots on film. My next step in my professional development would be to go back to film and shoot both.

My Gear

Canon 5D Mark III
I love this camera – my first camera purchase before starting out and it has been a faithful friend. A month after I purchased it they brought out the IV, so I will upgrade to one next season.

Canon 6D
This is my second body and I purchased it because it was a cheap option when setting up, but I love the images it produces. It’s a sturdy wee camera and I can thrash it and don’t have to worry. Sometimes I prefer the simple layout on the back of the camera controls to move focus points.

Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art
This lens was tricky to work with at the beginning. I thought I was never going to get used to it as I missed a lot of focus. Now I use it more than any other lens. It’s sturdy and reliable. One negative is the lens flare when shooting into sun.

Canon 85mm f/1.2 L series
A beautiful portrait lens for weddings and great for close ups at receptions. This lens stays on my camera all day to capture individuals and get in close for emotion at a wedding. I think sometimes it crops a little too much but the image quality is stunning with creamy bokeh.

Canon 24-105mm f/4 Kit lens
This is in need of an upgrade to an f/2.8 but it is handy for family photos at a wedding when you are starting so you don’t have to worry about depth of field for group shots. Don’t let the lens snobs scare you off – this lens as it does produce lovely images until you can make the money to upgrade.

DJI Mavic Pro
I have just purchased this drone and am loving experimenting with beautiful wedding imagery from the air. It gives a whole new perspective but composing shots in your head first is an entirely new process.

GODOX V860II x2
Great little flashes for a competitive price when building your kit. I would love to not even use flashes and just use natural light but sometimes that is just not possible, and these guys do the trick nicely.

www.ericakurthphotography.com | @ericakurthphotography