How To Save Money and Time While Building a Wedding Photography Kit

Those in the wedding industry know that the busy season is coming if it’s not here already. Wedding photographers are gearing up for a summer of packed weekends, ensuring their kits are fully stocked and ready to go.

Full disclosure: This article is brought to you by MPB.

It can be intimidating to be a new photographer just building your kit. Wedding photography requires quite a lot of gear. To have a well-stocked wedding setup, you’ll need multiple bodies and a selection of lenses. But beyond that, you’ll need to think about extra batteries, many memory cards, lights, backpacks or cases, and comfortable camera straps or slings. For videographers, add gimbals, grips, mics, tripods, and more. All of that adds up quickly. Even if you are a seasoned pro, finding money to expand your setup or upgrade certain items can be challenging.

Buying used gear can be an excellent way to save money and pocket more profits this season.

While you could spend hours sorting through online marketplaces to find what you need, that comes with a list of frustrations and risks. It also may be hard to find specific items on those sites. Online resellers make the process much more straightforward while giving you more confidence that the gear you buy will work as it should.

MPB is one option for used gear. In fact, it is the largest global platform for buying, selling, and trading used photography and videography gear. Buying used equipment from MPB can save creatives, on average, one-third compared to purchasing new gear, which is always appreciated when working to make a profit from your business. MPB has trained specialists that inspect every item that comes through its doors to verify its condition, and it comes with a six-month warranty for even more peace of mind.

While most think of resellers for cameras and lenses, MPB offers just about everything you may need for your wedding photography kit. That means you can save on used gear no matter what you need. Plus, MPB recirculates more than 500,000 cameras, lenses, and accessories each year, giving you a better chance of finding exactly what you want.

Cameras and Lenses

Cameras and lenses, of course, are the most essential parts of any wedding photographer’s kit. Whether you are the second shooter or the sole photographer, two camera bodies are always best when shooting weddings. That way, you can attach a different focal length to each, saving you from swapping lenses as frequently. Plus, it gives you more peace of mind if (or when) one of those bodies fails for some reason.

Beyond the camera, you’ll also need a variety of lenses (or at least a few versatile zoom lenses). A wide-angle lens is necessary for large group shots, immersive reception images, and getting-ready photos in small spaces. You’ll also need a telephoto for ceremony photos, especially at venues with strict rules about where you can stand. A lens with a normal focal length (something around 50mm) will allow for great candid shots without needing to stand too far away. Finally, a macro lens (or at least macro filters) will give you stunning shots of the jewelry.

MPB offers cameras and lenses from every major manufacturer, including Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fujifilm, Panasonic, and Leica. There are also mirrorless and DSLR cameras and lenses across all brands. Even if you are looking to up your game and offer high-level results for wedding clients, MPB sells medium-format cameras and digital backs for medium-format. Used gear isn’t just for beginners, after all.

Memory Cards

Memory cards are something all photographers can’t have too many of, but that’s especially true for busy wedding photographers. While lower-capacity SDXC cards tend to be affordable, cards with large capacities, along with newer formats like CFexpress, are rather pricey. Not many realize that you can, in fact, buy used memory cards. Most memory cards at MPB fall in the “Excellent” or “Like New” categories, meaning the cards are in excellent condition and will be perfectly safe to use.

Batteries

As a wedding photographer, keeping extra batteries handy is always a good idea. You’ll likely need more than one throughout a day-long wedding, and you don’t want to run out of juice before you finish capturing everything you need to. Batteries are another item that most don’t think about buying used. But, you are much better off buying used batteries made by your camera’s manufacturer as opposed to off-brand options to save money. MPB has an extremely wide selection of batteries (and battery chargers) for cameras and drones, so you’ll likely be able to find one for your camera.

Tripods and Gimbals

A tripod is an essential component of any photographer’s kit. While wedding photographers may use them less than other genres, there are still times they come in handy. Wedding videographers, on the other hand, rely on tripods quite frequently. Likewise, for smooth footage, videographers should invest in a quality gimbal. At MPB, you’ll be able to find all types of supports, from lightweight travel tripods to heavy-duty video tripods, along with gimbals, shoulder rigs, monopods, and sliders.

Lights

Photographing weddings can put you in lots of situations that require extra light. Whether it’s an extra dim room where the bride is getting ready or a dark dance floor at the reception, a flash can help you create better images.

Flash also opens up many creative opportunities, allowing you to create memorable images for your couples. It can be intimidating to get started with flash if you’ve never used it before, but buying used lighting equipment can be an excellent way to ease into it. If you are experienced with flash and want to take things off-camera, MPB also sells transmitters (and other accessories), so you can set up off-camera flash around the dance floor for epic shots.

Be aware that if you buy a flashgun that goes on your camera’s hot shoe, you’ll need one compatible with your particular camera. You’ll want to check before making your purchase, but MPB offers a full refund on returns made in 14 days if you get one that won’t work for your gear.

Drones

Drone footage is becoming more popular at weddings. That’s primarily because they allow photographers and videographers to get epic wedding shots. Drones are beneficial for huge weddings or those that take place in beautifully scenic locations. Showing the entire group of guests in a single shot or showing off the mountains behind the venue can be a special treat for couples.

Bags and Cases

Having a protective camera bag or case is crucial for wedding photographers. Your gear often gets shoved into corners, so having protection around it all is very important. Plus, you have to carry a lot. Beyond your photography equipment, having a water bottle, snacks, and other random gear is also a good idea to ensure you are prepared for whatever may come at you throughout the day. Camera bags, especially ones large enough to hold all that you need, are expensive, though. Buying used will save you money so that you can put your savings towards something more fun, like a massage after a long weekend of shooting.

Build Your Complete Photo and Video Kit for Less

While some of the items above aren’t necessary if you are just getting started in the world of weddings, they are crucial as you build your client base or strike out on your own. It can be a lot, so buying used is a smart idea. Purchasing from a trusted reseller like MPB can save you a lot of headaches and time and give you more confidence that what you are buying is legit and functional.

Full disclosure: This article is brought to you by MPB.

Image credits: Photographs by MPB