Picking Out the Right Gear:
The Best Equipment for Family Photography
Capturing beautiful, meaningful family photos can be tricky without the right equipment. From basic camera bodies to lenses and lighting setups, it’s important to understand what each piece of gear does and how it can help you create the perfect picture. This guide will help you discover my favorite equipment for family photography.
Want to see all my favorites?
Check out my Amazon storefront. It includes all my favorite gear, including best cameras for family photography, trendy client wardrobe options and cute gifts for photographers.
What camera do I shoot with?
I always have two cameras with me. I use the Sony A7rV and the Sony a7IV. I recently updated to the Sony a7rV from the Sony a7iii- which is a perfect starter camera. I started my photography business with a Canon 6D and often miss it. I loved the Canon colors. But, I wanted to go mirrorless and I fell in love with Sony. The A7iii and A7iv are relatively inexpensive for full frame cameras and do outstanding work. They’re light, have amazing dynamic ranges (capturing all the highlights to shadows) and the ease of focusing is outstanding. If you’ve got the budget, I do recommend the IV over the III. But, if you are just getting started in your photography journey, the A7III has everything you need.
What is my favorite lens?
I have the Sony 35 GM and Sigma 85 on both my cameras 95% of the time. I love the versatility of having both. The 85mm will give you that creaminess and is wonderful for portraits and the 35mm can capture more of the scene which is essential for storytelling. If I only have one camera on me, I’ll sometimes use my Sony 24-70 GM so I can cover various focal lengths. It’s super fast and versatile but doesn’t have that same sharpness that I get from my prime lenses.
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What are my favorite camera straps and camera bags?
If you are going to use two cameras, you are going to need a harness. I use the BlackRapid Double Breathe harness. I am petite and found that this one fit me best. If I have one camera on me, I always use my Peak Design Slide Lite Camera Strap. It's comfortable and super adjustable. I also love that I can keep the anchors on the camera so it’s super easy to go between my harness and Peak Design strap. The strap just pops right back on. My Brevite backpack comes with me to every session. It’s light but holds everything I need, including my laptop when needed.
What do I need for a photography session in the SNOW?
I am a California girl at heart and am still figuring out all this snow stuff, but here are a few things that have helped me out so far with the cold weather.
