Katch Silva
Wedding | Last Updated: April 4, 2024
I’m Katch. I’m a photographer, an artist, a story teller and a lover of the outdoors. I’m lucky I get to do the things I love the most: shoot weddings around the world, and spend most of my time in the mountains, camping, hiking, climbing, and documenting all the adventures I go on with my husband.
For my weddings, editorial and lifestyle shoots, I stick with SLRs and prime lenses. For some of my travel personal work, I use my SLR with a wide zoom lens, for versatility when I don’t have that much room to move, like on a summit or repelling down a cliff. Other times I use my tiny mirrorless camera and stick with one pancake lens, if I need to be lighter for climbs.
Camera bodies:
Two Canon 5D Mark III ‘s, one on each shoulder at weddings.
Canon EOS M – This tiny mirrorless camera comes with me on our hikes and camping trips. It attaches easily to my harness (with a tiny Lowepro point and shoot case) and doesn’t weigh me down when I climb.
Bags:
Poler Excursion Pack with Camera Insert: I’ve gone through a lot of camera bags and this is by far my favorite. I use it at weddings as well as on hikes and camping trips. And I usually have my water bottle attached with a carabiner, for hydration.
ONA Brixton: I use this small camera bag for shorter shoots, like engagement or portrait sessions when I don’t need to bring my entire kit. And when I want bonus style points.
Lowepro Top Loader Pro 65AW for SLR – I use this strictly for rock climbing when I want to bring my Canon 5D Mark III with me up the wall. It has a nice loop that attaches to my harness.
Lenses:
Canon 35mm f/1.4L – This one is always on at weddings. The first prime I owned and my favorite, hands down.
Canon 50mm f/1.2L – I actually just upgraded to this lens, and have only shot personal work with it. I can’t wait to use it at my next wedding, I have a feeling it will compete with my 35mm for favorite.
Canon 85mm f1/2L II – My favorite for portraits, and my second favorite overall.
Canon 135mm f/2L – This one is great for ceremonies. I like to get the tight reaction shots with it.
Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 L II – I don’t bring this one to weddings, I use it for climbing. The range is quite helpful when I literally cannot walk closer or away from my subject, and it provides some pretty dramatic landscapes and shots in action. I also won’t feel too bad if I bang it on the ascent, since it’s my workhorse lens and I don’t need it for weddings.
Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 – My main lens for my Canon M. I also have the Canon EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 but rarely use it.
Flashes:
Two Canon 580 EX II Speedlites
Wireless Triggers:
I have a PocketWizard Flex TT5 and a PocketWizard Mini TT1, for when I want off-camera flash at the reception. Lately though I rarely use them.
A few other odds and ends:
My Think Tank AA Battery Holder for battery backups.
Sandisk card case (the super generic one that came with something I bought). I love that it is tiny and still fits every single card I use. I carry it in my pocket at weddings or hang it on a carabiner on my belt loop.
Random pieces of sea glass I sometimes use in front of the lens to simplify a busy scene or provide soft fading inside the frame.
At least one Cliff Bar is always in my bag, for those long 14-hour days when dinner seems so far away.
A few business cards. Old school, I know, but I get requests for them at almost every wedding, and I like being able to hand over a tangible paper product.
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