Stanislav Naydenov

Hey, I’m Stan, and I’m a documentary wedding photographer in Folkestone, England.

I got into photography in 2020 during the pandemic, when we had to stay at home without much to do, and I haven’t put my camera down since.

This year, I quit my nine-to-five job to pursue my dream, and it’s my first full-time year with wedding photography.

I started with Nikon, and that’s the brand I’ve been loyal to since the beginning. I use prime lenses and mirrorless cameras, but to me, my gear is a tool that allows me to do my job in the best way possible.

Nikon Z6III – I started with the Nikon D750, progressed to the Z7II, then the Z6II, and I’m now using two of the new Z6III, in which Nikon finally addressed autofocus issues.

I love the Z6III as it’s now the perfect camera body for what I need – it’s compact, fast, and versatile.

Nikon Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.2 S – this lens is my main workhorse. I love the 35mm focal length, and this is one of the fastest lenses I’ve used so far.

It’s a tad heavier than Nikon’s Nikkor Z 35mm F/1.8 S, but I don’t mind the extra weight. I use this lens eighty per cent of the wedding day as it forces me to get close and tell a better, more personal story.

Nikon Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.2 S – my go-to portrait lens. Again, super fast, super sharp, lovely piece of glass. I use this for a couple of portraits and when my position is restricted and I can’t get as close as I’d like to with the 35mm lens.

Nikon Nikkor Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S – my wide-angle pal for dancefloor and tight, crammed space where the 35mm is too much.

I only use Adobe Lightroom Classic to edit my images. I use Jason Vinson’s Grandmaster Series presets, and I apply them to the whole gallery upon import. I don’t use any AI for batch editing. I go through each image I deliver individually and pay it the attention it deserves.

One bag to rule them all, and it’s called the YUHAN Camera Bag! It is all that I have ever needed, and I found it on Amazon.

Other items in my camera bag usually are lens cleaning wipes, a lens cloth or two, headache tablets – lol, a water bottle, an umbrella for the weather in the UK, my Spider Camera Holsters that go on my belt, a box of mints and always, a pen.

If you are looking for something to do in your free time, grab a camera and start snapping!

It’s such a great hobby that one day might turn into your dream career, just like it did for me.

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