Vlad Solomon

Wedding | Last Updated: February 11, 2021

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Hi guys! I’m Vlad and I’ve been taking photos for more than 11 years now.

I’m a professional wedding photographer but that would probably be that last way I would describe myself.

I’m a huge geek and I love everything related to gadgets and technology.

My appreciation is not only for the modern; I also love old-school technology and I have a growing collection of analogue film cameras, as well as some different devices capable of capturing images. (You probably noticed the Gameboy with the camera attachment – yes that is a real thing, and yes that is an actual selfie taken with its glorious four shades of gray.)

I am also a massive sock nerd – I have over 60 pairs of colourful, funny and silly socks that I wear every day. They are a part of who I am, so of course they are a key element of my gear.

My shooting style is very relaxed and natural. During the wedding day, I try to blend in with guests to capture mostly real moments and then balance it out with creative posed shots of the couple using the sun as my main light source.

When I have the chance, though, I pull out the flash and things get really interesting.

I always shoot with two bodies, alternating between different focal lengths.

Cameras

Canon 5D Mark III – This is my workhorse and I absolutely love shooting with this camera: it’s fast, it’s reliable and the focus system is great. I also love the ability to change the focus points so I don’t need to recompose. I use it as a secondary body now since I got the 5D Mark IV.

Canon 5D Mark IV – I’ve only had this camera for a short time, but I’ve had the chance to shoot a few weddings with it. Canon did a really good job improving on the already great 5D Mark III – this one feels even faster and more precise. It has become my new workhorse.

Canon AE-1 + FD 50mm f/1.4 – I have been experimenting with film photography for a few years but only this year I started taking a film camera with me during weddings and trying to capture at least a few frames. It’s an iconic camera, and one I would recommend to anyone starting out with film.

Lenses

Canon 35mm f/1.4 – This is my go-to lens. If I had to choose just one lens to use for the rest of my life, this would be the winner, hands down. It’s practically glued to my main body 90% of the time.

Canon 85mm f/1.8 – This is my secondary lens. I use it in conjunction with the 35 and it gets a good amount of work.

Canon 16-35mm f/4 – I love this lens so much, especially for getting REALLY up close for some fun or interesting compositions. It’s also my party lens, once I get to the venue. I use it a lot more than my 35 prime. Whether for dragging the shutter or getting into the heart of the party, it’s an excellent choice.

Canon 135mm f/2 – This is a lens that needs no introduction – “The Lord of the Red Rings”! It’s a fantastic lens and I use it whenever I have enough space to work with it. It’s very fast and the separation and bokeh are second to none.

Canon 100mm f/2.8 – I really like this lens for its sharpness. I use it mainly for detail shots but also for portraits.

Lighting

Yongnuo YN560 IV – This is my main flash. At venues I use it on-camera to bounce and fill in some light and to control my other off-camera flashes using Yongnuo’s awesome wireless master functions.

Yongnuo YN860LI – This flash is used off-camera at venues because of its built-in Li-ion battery which can last for ages. I charge it every couple of weddings.

Canon 430EX – I use this flash on-camera when dragging the shutter because it’s smaller and lighter in size and allows me to move the camera more easily.

Yongnuo 560TX – I use the wireless controller to adjust power when using off-camera flashes during creative shoots.

LEE colored gels – These are pretty self-explanatory.

Godox 36LED – I always carry this small LED lamp to use when shooting details such as wedding rings.

Miscellaneous

Clamps/spigots – For mounting flashes to basically anything, like tables, chairs, handrails, branches.

SanDisk Extreme cards – They are the best cards I’ve ever used. The faster, the better.

Kodak GOLD ISO200 Film – I love the warm tones and greens that Kodak GOLD produces. I don’t have a whole lot of experience with film, but I know I like this one.

Victorinox Swiss Army Knife – I use this at almost every wedding. From helping brides cut loose parts of dresses to tightening light stands, it’s very useful.

Leather camera strap – This is really one of the most important pieces of gear. It helps me carry my two cameras safely, it’s easy on my back and it looks stylish.

Thanks ShotKit for the opportunity and thank you guys for reading! Stay creative and be awesome!

www.foto-solomon.com | @vlad.solomon.photography