Lina Hayes
Wedding | Last Updated: April 4, 2024
Hello, I’m Lina! I started my journey into wedding photography after a serious car accident, which left me with a fresh outlook on life and was the catalyst for turning a hobby into a full-time career.
A favourite quote of mine from Frances Mayes says, “So much disappointment arises from what is desired but not chosen.” This certainly came true after this accident and made me realise it was time to make the jump to start my own business in wedding photography.
My approach to wedding photography is honest and genuine – I get to know the couples I work with and create images that reflect their connection and how the day unfolded. As an avid traveller, I’m incredibly grateful that this job gives me the opportunity to document couples around the country and world.
I’m not one for tradition, and this is definitely true when it comes to my camera gear. I currently shoot on a hybrid system of Canon and Fuji cameras. I don’t believe that any one system is perfect, and I love having different options available to me every time I shoot. Working with the Fuji X-T2
has opened up new ways of shooting for me, where I can go unnoticed during a wedding. It’s also a brilliant companion for when I travel.
My equipment:
Canon 5D Mark III
I love my 5Ds, they have been with me since I started my business. They haven’t let me down!
Canon 35mm f/1.4L II USM Lens
This is my workhorse lens, it’s the one that stays on my camera the majority of the time. It’s very sharp. The bokeh produced by this particular 35mm makes me fall in love with it all over again every time I use it. If I could only have one lens in my kit, this would be it.
Canon 50mm f/1.2L USM Lens
I like to throw this lens into the mix to create a closer, more intimate feel to my images. It has beautiful depth of field and brings some variety to the way I shoot.
Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens for Canon
I mostly use this lens for candid photos during a wedding. It has beautiful quality and compression.
Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT
A powerful and reliable flash. It has never let me down!
Fuji X-T2 Mirrorless Camera
This little camera packs such a punch for its relatively compact size. I often use it when I am shooting the preparation stage of a wedding day and for candid images throughout the day. It’s quiet, subtle, and super quick. It does the perfect job when I want to wander around and take images and remain unnoticed at the same time.
Fuji XF 23mm f/1.4 R Lens
This is a great all-around lens. I use it for weddings and travel. It’s easy to carry on my shoulder all day, whether I’m exploring a new place or just documenting everyday life.
Fuji XF 56mm f/1.2 R Lens
This lens really surprised me when I started using it. I adore the smooth bokeh, and it’s perfect for candid photos as well as portraits.
Godox VING V860IIF TTL Li-Ion Flash
I use this flash on my Fuji because it offers me TTL compatibility and I love the lithium battery it uses. Much easier than carrying around extra AAs!
Sirui N-2204X
+ K-30X Head
I can’t rate this tripod enough. It folds up into a neat little bag for travelling, it’s super light and durable. So far mine has been exposed to snow, dust, sand and water. I use this for taking shots in low light or night time (and the occasional selfie when I am travelling solo!).
Polaroid 660 Camera
I would love to shoot more 35mm film in the future, but for now, this restored Polaroid camera is my go-to for capturing momentos of special life events. The film never turns out as expected, yet it’s extremely satisfying to have a collection of these moments in time. I can also give my clients an instant souvenir from their shoot to take home with them.
ONA | The Brixton Messenger Bag
The bag is very high quality and it fits all the lenses and accessories I need on a wedding day while I’m wearing my two camera bodies on my Hold Fast strap.
PRVKE Backpack by WANDRD
I use this backpack for wedding days that require travel. It fits all the gear that I need for a wedding as well as extra clothes and food. It’s black, sleek, and a great all-round backpack.
Camera Swagg by Hold Fast
I love the cotton version of the original MoneyMaker by Hold Fast
– it’s perfect for hot Australian summers and it’s much lighter to travel with than the leather version.
LumeCube
This is a fairly recent purchase, but so far, I’m enjoying playing around with this little lighting device. It’s super light and easy to throw in my bag and use for backlit shots or to help pull focus in low light situations
Think tank battery holders
I use these to carry and store my spare lithium and AA batteries.
2014
I have an ongoing love affair with light. Perhaps to blame, is the fact that the origin of my name is derived from the very word. I’ve never found a moment during Golden Hour where I’m not captivated and in awe. It gets me every time.I’m always searching for ways to portray the connection between humans and nature. You’ll notice that many of my photos include a human element, some more obvious than others. I’ve always found this adds a new perspective and meaning to the person viewing the photo.
For me, photography is a way of placing my heart and eyes on the same continuum, and a way of living life to the fullest. The recurring feedback I receive on my photos is how much of my passion, spirit and personality comes through them, which is something special that I hope to never lose.
After dipping my feet into all different types of photography, I’ve slowly learnt what it is that gets me excited and motivated, and what it is that doesn’t. Starting off with a basic Canon SLR, kit lens and a 50mm 1/1.8, I found myself constantly upgrading and wanting more gear that would improve the quality of my images and allow me to push boundaries. I constantly find myself coming back to landscapes as my main subject to photograph. As well as this, my most recent spark in photography is photographing couples and people.
Since recently moving from a crop sensor to a full frame Canon 6D camera, I’ve instantly noticed the difference in quality and it’s ability to handle low light situations. I’m not looking back on this one!
My film camera is always by my side on road trips and holidays. I bought the colourful strap from a handmade store on Etsy to make it feel a bit more unique. The film camera always forces me to think twice about my composition and what it is front of me that I am capturing. I’m currently on the look out for an old school camera similar to a Canon AE-1, when I see the one I want I will know it!
The three main items that have found a home in my bag are my Canon 17-40mm f/4, Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 and a 50mm f/1.4. All achieve different effects, which is exactly what I want.
I generally like to keep my gear as light as possible as I tend to move around a lot with it. The Canon 17-40mm is a beautiful lens for my landscape work, giving very sharp and clean results. The Canon 70-200mm is also a fantastic and high quality lens and is great for surfers and other shots out on the beach. The 50mm comes out as an all round lens for snapping general scenes as well as any work I do with people. I’m on the look out for a Tilt-shift lens to add to my kit as well this year!
My Hoya ND-400 Filter gets a lot of use in my landscape photos. It can turn an ordinary scene into an extraordinary one, allowing for long exposures that capture movement and drama.
The majority of my editing is done in Lightroom – I don’t know where I would be without it!
Check out these 8 essential tools to help you succeed as a professional photographer.
Includes limited-time discounts.
