As my clients can attest I am all about the image. The quality of image and the moment portrayed within it. Over the years I have actually been able to pare down the equipment I carry. I have sold expensive lenses only to replace with another expensive lens and hung onto cheapo lens most would be shocked I carry and use. Knowing my style, the particular event, venue and ambiant lighting I will be working with because if I haven't shot there you can bet I will be visiting before your wedding to 'see' how best to shoot yours, if imperative to what equipment I choose to carry.

For elopements I usually work solo and we do a lot of walking - me, some serious running! So I travel light. I carry a couple prime lenses, Radio Poppers for off camera lighting, a couple flashes with modifiers as needed, memory cards and various little items such as palm flashlights, colored gels for effects, a few other tools and of course great professional camera bodies. All of this is placed in a single very comfortable and old camera backpack. 

I don't own any fancy girlie bags that look like ugly purses nor silly semi-custom camera straps. I do have a really cool red tripod I don't take anywhere and I'm convinced might take better pictures! I don't need several bags of equipment to pull off your elopement photographs. I used to shoot with a 24-70mm lens but over time found that the image quality/sharpness was just not up to my standards. While it is a whole lot easier to shoot with a lens like this I find using prime lenses yields a more superior quality image in the end. 

If I am shooting a large, more formal wedding I always bring at least one assistant who handles the gear, runs around with a flash on a stick and is my second set of eyes. This type of wedding requires three bags. My standard bag of equipment for elopements adding a bag of lightstands, umbrellas and various attachments and a small bag of miscellany. 

In the summer my bag always contains a double ziplocked freezer bag with a frozen gel pack, small wet (and yes frozen) washcloth and dry cloth. It's humid here. It's really humid here! These help to keep me cool and on more than one occasion a bride. I always suggest my couples put a cooling pack like this together for elopements. 

I shoot Canon, not necessarily because I like it better than Nikon. I actually learned on Nikon but when Canon came out with the first Canon Rebel it was kind of revolutionary so I moved to it, adding expensive glass (lenses) to the mix. Once you spring for the expensive glass you usually stick with that brand. I have owned many lenses and sold many as my style evolved. I predominently shoot with a 35mm 1.4L. It's by far my favorite. And of course a 50mm 1.4. Its a relatively cheap lens in the professional world but in the past always a standard in my bag. This year I'm thinking of replacing it with a 1.2L series as I've dropped it so many times I've had to gaffer-tape the outside. Oops!

I have a fisheye 15mm but never use it. My 100mm is not an L (professional series) lens. But the images are so spot on sharp. The lens is fast even being many years old. Sometimes new isn't always better. I have considered replacing it with an 85mm L series macro but just don't see the need. Now I know almost everyone has a 70-200mm L series in their bag, well except me. I don't like being that far away from my clients. I can pull the same thing off with a 100mm on a crop sensor 7D (the other camera in my bag right now but on its way out soon).

Another little item I carry is my phone. I have the iPhone 6plus which is proving to be even more successful for very artistic images than my old 4s. Its for those quick but artistic shots that can be immediately posted for my clients. 

The last thing I carry can't really be touched, only seen. That is magic. The magic we capture on digital sensors.

Enjoy the shots below from my old iPhone 4s. Watch for new ones!

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