I am often asked what gear I am using, I consider myself a bit of a tech geek, while gear is not what creates the art of the photo, top-notch quality gear is paramount for professional photography, and the Sony mirrorless system is perfect for any situation. I don’t knock on Canon or Nikon, but after testing them all Sony delivered the best for my needs. I switched from Canon to Sony in early 2020 and never looked back. The dynamic range allows me to have room for more error when I need to be worrying about the composition or a sudden moment instead of nailing the exposure perfectly. If I am shooting a wedding ceremony in mixed lighting I can switch from manual to aperture priority without any worry if I accidentally underexposed the shot 1 1/2 stops because the bride’s dress is bright white in the sun while the other half of the scene is dark shadow. Perfect color science in the raw files and Sony’s incredible autofocus allows me to shoot fast-moving subjects at f1.4 and still be tack sharp every time.

Sony A7Iv

I love my a7Riii and considered just buying a second one so I am not swapping prime lenses constantly on one body. Decided to go with the newer model a7iv, the autofocus is snappier, more up-to-date faster processor, and 33megapixels is plenty for anything, especially portraits and weddings.

Sony A7RIII

Not the newest model, but I don’t see myself ever selling this camera to upgrade anytime soon. the A7rIII and my A7Iv are a perfect combo for my work. Landscapes and more detailed environmental shots are taken on this camera. This camera has been everywhere and put through its paces in some rough conditions and harsh weather. It has held up to any situation.

Sony A6400

This 24-megapixel aps-c body is handy to have in my bag. I use it for extra reach such as the exchange of rings during a ceremony turning my 85mm into a 135 or shooting bird photography with my 150-600mm lens. Use it for video during events on a tripod and 4k footage looks great. If one of my cameras was to malfunction during a wedding I wouldn’t hesitate to use this in place of one of my full-frame bodies.

Lenses

I am a prime lens shooter, shooting at f1.4 creates a dreamy look that a 24-70 or any other zoom lens just cannot produce. Sigma Art lenses are incredible, durable, and fast focus along with breathtaking color/contrast photos that are razor-sharp at any aperture. I recommend them to any photographer before shelling out twice the cash on a g master or Canon L series lens.

14mm Rokinon 2.8- I use this manual focus ultra-wide exclusively for Astro Photography. Easy to focus on the stars and produce a wide-angle nightscape with the Milky Way in the sky.

20mm Tamron 2.8- Great lens for Landscapes and wide-angle scenery photos such as the venue, or capturing a wide view in a tight room with a long wedding dress. I have also used this lens for real estate work.

24mm Sigma Art 1.4- When I think cinematic shot, this lens is usually the lens I reach for. Great for photo and my main lens for video. From a wider-angle shot of the couple walking in a scenery environment, or getting extra close for a more dramatic shot 24mm looks great. It is always on one of my cameras during dark dance floor time.

35mm Sigma art 1.4- My workhorse for anything I shoot. Engagement sessions and wider shots at weddings, I admire the look of a 35mm lens.

50mm Sigma art 1.4- My bread and butter lens for anything. Portraits look amazing on a 50mm shot wide open at f1.4, the 85mm has its place, but getting closer up and giving a more intimate feeling with the 50mm has its place. I also use it for 90% of my ceremony photos when I’m not running 35mm/85mm combo.

85mm Sony FE 1.8- light weight, lightning fast auto focus. The 85mm produces that classic portrait look, the compression, and creamy bokeh always makes anyone look even better than they do out of the camera to the eye.

Tamron G2 70-200 2.8- Must have a 70-200 regardless of what style of photography you shoot. If I have a team of videographers at a wedding and don’t want to ruin all their footage by blocking every video angle during the entire ceremony I keep this on one body. When I need the reach, versatility, or to melt the background in a portrait this lens is waiting for me in my bag. Although it is heavy, bulky, and not as tack sharp as a prime lens it has its uses.

Sigma 150-600mm C f5-6.3- My Wildlife or extreme reach lens. I don’t shoot sports but if I did this lens would deliver for less than half the price of the Sony G model. Wildlife or trips to the zoo with this lens is fun to shoot with. I use this lens on my crop sensor a6400 for even more reach when photographing birds.

Lighting

Godox ad200 pro strobe & Godox tt600 speed light- I prefer the natural beauty of natural light and don’t typically use off-camera flash unless the wedding reception has ugly lighting, or is dark and I’m having to shoot above 3200iso at f1.4. the ad200 pro is a powerhouse mounted on a tripod stand, I occasionally use it for senior or family portraits to produce that standard studio look if I have to shoot in less-than-ideal lighting conditions. The tt600 speed light is great for bounce flash at events and weddings, I never use ttl, manual flash works best for me.