Best Lenses For Wedding Photography

One of the biggest questions that I get asked all the time on emails is:

What lenses should I carry in my wedding photography gear?

This question baffles newbies like anything. They often get confused when to use fast lenses as against when and where to use telephoto lenses. My answer to it is:

You should always have a combination of lenses in your gear depending on the shot you plan to take and your photography style. As an example, if you are primarily into a photojournalistic style of wedding photography, where you like to take pictures without getting noticed then you must carry telephoto lenses, while if you are going to shoot group portraits then having a wide angled lens is a must.

Here is a run down of my lens choices based on the shots planned.

Fast Lenses

Fast lenses (f/2.8, f/2, f/1.8, f/1.4, f/1.2 and below) will get the lion’s share of work on the wedding day, as they will give you more “available light” opportunities than slower speed lenses. Many award-winning wedding photographers from around the globe make these lenses their workhorse lens, for example the Canon 35mm f/1.4L USM lens get a tremendous amount of usage as one can shoot at “magic hour” (dusk) with a high ISO setting, the aperture wide open (this lens is still razor sharp at f/1.4) and a mix lighting sources to deliver incomparable results.

© Great Shot by Carlos F

© Cake Shot by Talya & Matt

Prime Lenses

While today’s newest zoom lenses, particularly those designed for digital SLRs, are razor sharp, a certain contingent of photographers believe that a multipurpose lens jus isn’t as sharp as a prime lens, a lens that is designed for use at a single focal length (like a 50mm or 85mm). The 85mm (f/1.2 for Canon; f/1.4 or f/1.8 for Nikon) is a popular choice; it’s considered a short telephoto with exceptional sharpness. This lens gets used frequently at receptions because of its speed and ability to throw backgrounds out of focus, depending on the subject-to-camera distance.

© Candid Shot by Roger

Many talented, award-winning and consistently working photographers uses prime lenses (not zooms) in their wedding coverage and shoot at wide-open apertures the majority of the time to reduce background distractions.

Many wedding photographers employ telephoto lenses as their first choice (like a 100mm or 135mm), because it lets them far enough away to avoid attracting attention to themselves, yet close enough to easily and distinctively capture the moment. Wide-angle lenses are great for spontaneous shooting, as the photographer can snag unexpected moments without even looking through the lens.

© Inspirational Image by Rowen Atkinson

Wide-Angle Lenses

Wide-angle lenses are very popular either as primes or as wide-angle zooms. Focal lengths from 17mm to 35mm are perfect for capturing the atmosphere as well as for capturing larger groups. These lenses are fast enough for use by available light photography with high ISOs.

When photographing group portraits, you are often forced to use a wide-angle lens. When this happens, the background issues noted above can be even more pronounced. Still, a wide angle is sometime the only way you can cram the group into the shot and maintain a respectable working distance. For these kinds of eventualities, many group photographers bring a stepladder or scout the location in advance to find the best vantage point.

© Great Shot by Hector Villablanca

Zoom Lenses

For today’s digital photographer, one of the most popular lenses is the versatile 80–200mm f/2.8 from Nikon or Canon’s 70–200mm f/2.8. These are extremely fast, lightweight zoom lenses that offer a broad spectrum of useful focal lengths for many applications.

This makes them specifically popular with wedding photographers, who use them throughout the ceremony and reception.

© Great Shot by João Paglione

Normal Lenses

One should not forget about the 50mm f/1.2 or f/1.4 “normal” lens for digital photography. With a 1.4x focal length extender, for example, that lens becomes a 70mm f/1.2 or f/1.4 lens that is perfect for portraits or groups, especially in low light. This lens’ close-focusing distance makes it an extremely flexible wedding lens.

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Tags: equipments, lenses, wedding photography lenses