My Photography Gear | Rancho Cucamonga, CA

**This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy here.**

I get asked all the time by clients, photography peers and hobbyists what gear I use.  I thought it could be helpful to share what I shoot with, but also what I would recommend to someone just starting out or someone who wants to purchase a camera and learn to shoot in manual!

My Professional Gear:

2 Canon Mark III bodies

Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II – love this lens for wide, dramatic shots with epic backgrounds or for large families or bridal parties!

Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L – my go-to. I’m pretty confident I could shoot an entire session or EVEN an entire wedding with this bad boy. I don’t really want to have to, though…

Canon EF 85mm f1.2L II – I fall in and out of love with my 85. It’s heavy and SLOW, but the results when I nail a shot with it are out of this world.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II – great for wedding ceremony shots. or my kids sporting events.

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro – flowers and rings and details oh my!

2 Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT – love me some off-camera flash.

Canon Speedlite 580EX II – my second shooter uses this as an on-board flash while I rock the 600s.

BAG: Kelly Moore Bag Kate  – I’ve used and loved Kelly Moore bags for years. However, I have learned that when I travel to foreign countries (like when I went to Uganda this past summer,) I need to have my Lowepro Fastpack for space and functionality. But for all my local sessions, I use the Kate bag.

SUITCASE: Lowepro Pro Roller x300 Camera Bag – This one goes with me to every wedding and every time I travel by plane. I’ve had it for 8 years, and it’s held up beautifully!!

If you’re interested in learning how to shoot in manual mode, or you just want to take better images of your own family, you can’t go wrong starting out with a Canon REBEL. The most recent model is the T7i, but you could get the previous model to save money. 10 years ago I started with the original Canon Rebel and the “nifty 50,” and I shot my first paid session with them.

More important than the camera, is the lens you use. The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 , also known as the “nifty 50,” is a great place to start while you learn about aperture, iso and shutter speed. At $125 you can’t beat the price, and you’ll learn how to get that blurry background or bokeh.

If you feel limited by the 50mm focal length, spring for a more affordable Tamron 24-70mm .

And of course, with your new camera, you NEED a cute bag.