Hi all! MK here. I’m a wedding/editorial/travel/whatever-interesting-comes-up photographer based in Los Angeles (but originally and forever Texan). I’m here to tell you about my gear and whatnot; however, talking technicals is not my specialty so buckle up.
First off, I grew up drawing and painting, then went to school for graphic design. I dabbled here and there in photography but started to realize I was really enamored with it right when I was nice and comfortable in a steady design job post college.
I learned photography by applying all my drawing/painting/design knowledge and watching a bunch of terrible YouTube videos after I received my first DSLR. I shot my first solo wedding in 2013 after many gigs second shooting for different folks. You can find me shooting weddings, editorial, commercial, travel, musicians and really anything of interest. I love the variety and think it makes me a happier person.
When shooting weddings I try to be simple and strategic. Normally, I have my Holdfast MoneyMaker strap with a camera on each side, one with the Canon 35mm f/1.4L and the other with the Canon 85mm f/1.2L. This allows me to capture both a whole scene and get in tight for intimate moments.
For reception I just have the one Canon 600-EX-RT Speedlite on my camera. I really hate disrupting the day, so I try not to be too flashy (see what I did there), and keep my presence on the down low.
I do have a Think Tank Airport Navigator Rolling Camera Bag (not featured) that I bring to most local weddings and stash under a table somewhere. When traveling I normally end up packing my gear in my ghetto backpack (currently revising a better system for this), since I got gate checked one time with the roller bag, and panicked for the full 5 hours of my flight.
Right now you’ll see my gear is mostly taped up; I just did a long stint in Switzerland and I get nervous about people knowing that I have nice gear, so I tape off the logos and the red strips on the lenses (probably not necessary). Also, I am notorious for losing lens caps, hence the complete lack of lens caps.
I normally have the Canon 50mm f/1.4 on for everyday shooting and a lot of travel stuff because it is so much smaller and lighter. I also learned photography on this lens and am pretty nostalgic about it, I’ve shot some of my favorite images on it. It does get used on wedding days fairly often as well.
The Zeiss Planar 85mm 1.4 ZE is a bit of a bougie purchase for me. I use it a lot on editorial shoots and when a scene is already set up; it doesn’t autofocus with my camera, but I think the color and quality of image that come from it is stunning which makes it worth it. It normally doesn’t emerge on wedding days because it’s impractical.
For editorial and commercial shoots I may or may not rent some soft boxes and lighting, depending on what the shoot calls for. I try to work with natural light as much as I can.
That poor jacket in the picture has been on so many shoots/weddings with me, its pockets are big enough to fit lenses and water bottles and granola bars and really whatever else I could need. It will also be doubling as my Daria jacket for this years halloween costume.
Lastly, my slightly-too-big reflector. I bring it every shoot/wedding just in case. It’s great for bouncing extra light or blocking out the sun (ignore my silly drawing). It has on several occasions caught the wind and brought me along.
So that’s the gear I have, but I do feel like I’m always on the hunt for something I can’t live without, and a new lens/camera always makes me see differently.
If you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask in the comments!
GEAR:
Canon 5D Mark III
Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 85mm f/1.2L
Canon 35mm f/1.4L
Canon 50mm f/1.4
Zeiss Planar 85mm 1.4 ZE
Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT
Holdfast MoneyMaker strap
A-slightly-too-big Calumet reflector
Batteries
Cards
Not shown:
Think Tank Airport Navigator Rolling Camera Bag
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