I had so much fun meeting up with Tyler and Todd on their road trip down the coast in their incredible camper with their two pups, Charlie and Eddie. These four have been on the road for two months now and started in B.C. Canada, and made their way down the PNW coast and are on their way to California! We shot along Highway 101 at Devils Punchbowl and Fort Stevens Campground. We had the most magical sunset and may have had to help some drunk folks on the beach get their trunk out of a sand dune! We ate lots of food and watched movies on their projector… yes, they have a projector in their camper and it’s amazing!

Tyler and Todd, thank you so much for letting me document your family and camping adventures. I had such a blast spending the week with you and getting to know you two. I left feeling so creatively inspired!

Until we meet again, safe travels!

It’s always a pleasure photographing Michael and Matt. We spent the afternoon under the St. Johns Bridge at Cathedral Park, Portland Oregon. I snapped a few shots of them before the sun went down across the river. We are trying to embrace fall in Portland as much as possible before it gets freezing and rains every day!

This was such a magical weekend. When Derek and Willow inquired for their intimate wedding in the spring I had just planned to move to the pacific northwest the week before. I was so excited for their big day and we instantly became friends over phone calls. Moving my business across the business was terrifying but this gave me hope.

Derek and Willow decided to elope with just their family and a couple of close friends. They rented out this beautiful cabin for getting ready and their small ceremony. We drove to and from Mount Rainier several times for the first look and portraits and it was so worth it! These two love birds made it so easy. Their families welcomed me like their own and made the weekend so memorable. Derek and Willow are two of the kindest people and I am so thankful I had the chance to share this special day with them. Thank you for letting me document your big day.

Whether it be asked at weddings, over Instagram, or from friends, the common question is, “What gear do you shoot with?” “Canon or Nikon” etc… well today I am here to share all of that fun information with you! This is what I use for all of my work, including weddings!

Canon 5D Mark IV: This is my workhorse. I use this camera 75% of the time. The quality is so crisp, and it handles low light so well for wedding receptions! I love this camera so much, and it has been with me for almost three years!

Canon 5D Mark III: My second baby! This camera was bought six months after purchasing my Mark IV. I started to take wedding photography more seriously in the fall of 2017 and purchased this camera as a second / back up! I use both cameras on wedding days with my Rose Anvil Camera Harness!

Canon 35mm 1.4 II: Oh, the 35mm. This thing is on my camera, literally all. the. time. I hardly ever take this lens off, especially during adventure shoots. In my opinion, this is the perfect focal length, and it is so sharp, yet it doesn’t warp the frame. After shooting with a wider focal lengths, I noticed the images start to wrap around the edges, which can be no-fun!

Canon 50mm 1.2: This is, unfortunately, my least used lens! I shot with the 50mm 1.4 for several years before upgrading, and it never left my camera. I then upgraded to the 1.2 after that one fell down a sand dune… but not too long after I purchased the 35mm, and it replaced this lens.

Canon 85mm 1.2: Butter. This lens is so dreamy, especially for wedding portraits and ceremonies. This lens has the sharpest focus and makes every photo look like a dream. My favorite time to use this lens is getting a groom’s reaction as the bride walks down the aisle!

Profoto A1 Flash: This was my first flash as a wedding photographer! I started shooting weddings and quickly realized that I didn’t have any lighting or flash for receptions, so I dove right in and purchased this bad boy, and was it worth it? I’d say absolutely! I love this flash so much, and my favorite part is the rechargeable battery. The lighting is so soft, it’s SO simple to use, and the recycle time is incomparable!

Rose Anvil Harness: This harness is the newest to my collection. I’ve only had it for about a month, and it has been incredible. I used another harness for several years that slowly gave me shoulder and lower back pain after weddings… in the long run, not worth it. I bought this harness because of how sleek, light, and practical it was. The hooks on the side that clip into your belt loops are the biggest game-changer. Say goodbye to your camera flinging around and clinking into tables or the ground! Highly recommend!

Polaroid One-Step: This thing is so much fun! I love shooting polaroids at any given moment; they are instant memories and can become such incredible keepsakes. You instantly have a physical copy, which is such a rewarding feeling. I LOVE physical photos so so much! Catch me with one of these are wedding receptions or parties!

Canon G7X Mark II: This thing. This thing is with me almost everywhere I go. Documenting day to day life is so important to me, and I love having things to look back on. Many of you will know of this point and shoot as a “vlogging camera,” and you are 100% correct. I am a YouTuber! ~shamless plug~ https://www.youtube.com/bradybates

Thank you so much for taking the time to check out my very first educational blog post! I hope you enjoyed reading about what I use to shoot, or I hope you learned something new! Let me know if you have any questions regarding gear! Always remember, you don’t need the best gear to take good photos. Use what you have, go be creative &, most importantly, have fun with it! Love you guys!