I’m often asked what the best digital slr camera is. For most people, picture quality is more dependent on the skills (or lack of skills) in using the camera than it is the camera itself. Therefore, for most people it would be far better to spend some alone time; just you and your camera and perhaps a great photography book like “Learning To See Creatively”. Working on basic concepts such as framing, composition, exposure and the like will help most people so much more than a new camera body or lens. That being said, the best camera is the one you have already. Beyond all that…for the professional photographer, Canon, Nikon, Leica…they all are fantastic slr systems and all have their strong points. I personally use Canon gear but would never slight anyone for using Nikon. I think it’s humorous when people argue one over the other. They’re both incredible systems and in the pro line are super noise free at low light, they have phenomenal lenses, they’re light enough to carry around all day for weddings, extremely fast focusing, they both are tough as nails, affordable and have the most versatile lens systems imaginable. Leica just doesn’t appeal to me because of the minute increase in quality and massive increase in cost. I will say though, if I won the lottery I’m sure I’d buy at least 2 bodies and bucket full of lenses!

I love prime lenses with huge apertures (f/1.2 and f/1.4) which help to produce wedding photos with a very unique look. To “zoom” with these lenses you have to actually move with the camera closer to or farther from your subject! Go figure! I regularly use the L series zooms with very large apertures (f/2.8) which still allow tons of light into the camera, throw the background/foreground out of focus and are extremely versatile. My macro lens is a beautiful thing as is my fisheye, both of which serve very specific and limited purposes but neither would I want to let go of. The list? Here it is:

2 – 5dMKII bodies
1 – d60 body converted to infra red
1 – 5d body1 – 50d body
1 – 85mm f/1.2 prime lens
1 – 85mm f/1.8 prime lens
1 – 50mm f/1.2 prime lens
1 – 50mm f/1.4 prime lens
1 – 24mm f/1.4 prime lens
1 – 180mm f/3.5 macro lens
1 – 15mm f/2.8 fisheye lens
1 – 70-200 f/2.8 zoom lens
1 – 24-70 f/2.8 zoom lens
1 – 16-24 f/2.8 zoom lens
3 – 580exII flash units
1 – 580ex flash unit

I’ll go in to why all these items are important to me as a wedding photojournalist at a later date but for now, suffice to say, that these are my tools with which I make a living doing the work I love. I’m grateful to Canon for developing such incredible camera gear and I am also happy that Nikon keeps them on their toes as far as R&D. Due in large measure to Canon and Nikon’s competition with each other new gear comes out year after year, most of which gets measurably better and often at a better price point. What other industry can you say that about?

If you have any questions about how I can help you with your wedding photography be sure to contact me through my website: www.barkleyweddingphotography.com

I love being a wedding photographer!  It’s always great meeting and working for new people and all the new equipment and techniques help to keep things fresh.  I hope you’ll visit this blog regularly as it expands and becomes a valuable resource for you

You’ll definitely want to visit my website to see what all this is about.  http://www.barkleyweddingphotography.com