12 DIGITAL CAMERA^ AUGUST 2019Tara’s pick of the camera gear
Specialist lenses are key to capturing stunning wedding photos1 Kelly Moore
camera bag
Tara’s over-the-shoulder
bag offers protection for her
camera, and packs in more
style and subtlety than your
usual black backpack. “It’s
a camera bag that doesn’t
look like a camera bag.”2 Canon
50mm f/1.
A gorgeous L-series nifty
fifty, this is the optic Tara
mounts on her Canon 6D.3 Sigma 35mm^
f/1.4 Art
This art lens is designed for
full-frame cameras, so sits
perfectly on Tara’s 5D Mark
IV. ”I love this lens. When I
was shopping for a 35mm, I’d
read so many good reviews.
I find that it’s quicker than
the Canon, and is also
lighter.” With a minimum
focusing distance of 30cm,
Tara uses it for detail shots.4 Canon EOS
5D Mark IV
This is Tara’s main camera,
sporting Wi-Fi, a touchscreen
and a 30.4MP sensor.5 Canon^
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“This is my backup camera.
For weddings, I have a 50mm
on this one, and use a
harness to carry both of
them around with me.”6 Pretty Dead
Cow harness
A harness can make shooting
more comfortable when
you’re at an all-day event.
“I found this company on
Etsy. The holder makes it
super-easy to carry both of
my bodies around with me.”7 Canon 430EX
XXˢƏɀǝǕɖȇ
“I use this in the evening of
weddings, which definitely
saves you for dancing shots
and in low light. I don’t tend
to set off-camera flash.”8 Canon lenses
“I also have 28mm
and 85mm Canon lenses.
The 85mm reach gets used
for speeches, when I can’t get
too close to the speaker. The
28mm isn’t used too often,
but it fits everyone in the
frame for tight group shots.”3421Tara chats to
Sarah from The
Petal Emporium
about ideas for
working together.A table setup by Apple
and Bramble Events
and Ellie Bee Floristry.Emporium. She catches up with other familiar
faces from the local industry, too, giving the
whole afternoon a very friendly and special
atmosphere – even before any guests arrive.
Unfortunately there aren’t any bridal models
to photograph during this particular event,
but there’s plenty to keep our cameras
entertained outside – flowing tables of
flowers, intricate jewellery displays and a
vintage camper van overflowing with props.
Midelney Manor itself is a Grade I listed
building, and the ‘potting shed’ – which is
host to wedding ceremonies and a bar –
also provides plenty of indoor photo ops.
Inspired by fine-art film photographers, Tara
shoots in Manual mode and with a manual ISO.
She favours natural light for a delicate result.
Inside, she starts shooting by taking advantage
of the diffused window light to illuminate
vases of floral displays. Like many wedding
photographers, Tara carries two pro-end
cameras at the same time; each has
a different lens attached so that she
can swap quickly between focal lengths.
While some photographers purposely
underexpose their shots so that they retain
every highlight detail, Tara often slightly
overexposes. This is because she’s confident
enough to know exactly how she wants her
final images should look. “I think it’s important
to have a recognisable style, so people know
what to expect,” she says. “My thing is bright
and light images. I use my own presets to
help me achieve that consistency.”
Beyond our shoot, Tara has her busiest
month of the year, but she’s only excited for
what’s to come. “I am a quiet, creative and
sentimental person. Working with people
so happy and in love is the best.”one
to
one