The tools for capturing love: inside a wedding photographer's kitbag

The demands of wedding photography are many: you need reliability, fast autofocus, low-light capabilities and durability. But more than that, you also need the equipment that's going to become an extension of your hand, kit that allows you to capture the fleeting moments of joy, laughter and tears that come and go in seconds – without a chance for reshoots.

"It's a privilege for me to be the most intimate witness of my couples' day," says Alison Bounce, who has been a wedding photographer for more than a decade and shot hundreds of ceremonies. "It's amazing to know people trust you. You are the closest person with them – you see everything during the day. For me, it's all about love and it makes me very happy."

But Alison doesn't just document her couple's day. Her portfolio is full of creative magic: a bride seemingly levitating above a hedge, a groom's silhouette emerging from the shadows, a spoon being comically used as a shoehorn. She's telling the story of the day, but with joyful glimpses of the easily missed moments that create visual mementos that last forever. But there are no secret props behind the scenes – "I have nothing!" she insists. For the most part, she credits the pursuit of capturing every opportunity that unfolds in front of her, which means shooting, shooting, shooting – and not just on wedding days. "You need to train your eyes," says Alison. "To see the light, to see them. You need to photograph all day, every day."

She may not have props up her sleeve, but capturing the moment does mean Alison requires reliability, durability and accuracy from her carefully selected kit. As part of the Canon Learning Series on YouTube, we spoke to Alison to hear what tools she shoots with and why.

"When you choose your gear, it's about it being comfortable for you and what you want to do," Alison reflects, and wedding photography requires a balance between weight and performance. Alison has always shot with Canon cameras. "I started photography with a Canon EOS 550D – not a pro camera. Next, I purchased the EOS 6D." The menu systems and layouts have stayed familiar as she has upgraded.

Most recently, Alison has upgraded from the EOS 5D Mark IV – "I loved that camera so much, because it took my photography to the next level" – to the EOS R5. The mirrorless EOS R5 delivers the speed and accuracy ideal for wedding photography – 45MP, full-frame images at 20fps in complete silence and with full autofocus tracking – alongside a wide dynamic range, selectable AF positions covering nearly 100% of the frame and deep-learning AI face/eye detection autofocus, all in a 738g body.

When it comes to lens choice, Alison prefers primes. "I see a lot of photographers using big zooms to get beautiful portraits. They do take incredible portraits, that's true, but it's too heavy for a wedding day," she says. "You can choose a smaller lens and it will provide you with a beautiful portrait too."

It's about weighing up quality and practicality. "You have to balance what you want to do with comfort. You have to imagine that during the day, you have two cameras, plus two lenses, so it could be super heavy."

Alison uses two prime lenses, usually over each shoulder: a wide-angle for contextual shots on one side and a portrait lens on the other side. "I wear the Canon RF 16mm F2.8 STM on my right and the Canon RF 50mm F1.2L USM on the left," she says. "It's cool because my whole setup isn't too heavy."

"I'm still learning all the time!" says Alison. Just five years ago, she started using Canon Speedlites, sometimes with diffusers or grids fitted to shape the lighting. "I decided to challenge myself. It was super difficult the first time, but now it's one of my go-to approaches for the party and the prep. I also use them for portraits of the couple – I can use them for everything."

Alison now has four in total, including two Canon Speedlite EL-1s, but she is wary of using them for every wedding. "It brings something creative to my work, which I like," she says, "but I try to keep things different each time."

Alison is prepared for anything on the day even with her minimal kit – an extra battery, sometimes a laptop, "and that's it!" But whatever your choices, she has some key takeaways: "Get a wedding camera that you are comfortable with. Do not buy a camera before the wedding and bring it the next day, if you have never tried it before – that's a big mistake!"

No amount of kit, though, will help you catch a moment you're not ready for, if you're distracted by hunger or thirst – especially on a hot summer's day. So Alison completes her kitbag with a bottle of water and snacks. On long and active days it allows her to stay hydrated and, more importantly, stay focused.

"I don't like to ask for anything during the wedding, as I don't want to disturb the moment. I prefer to be autonomous," she says. That enables Alison to concentrate on hunting for the moments as they unfold. "You never know what's going to happen during the day, and that's what I like," she says. As a wedding photographer, that's the appeal: "I like adrenaline and letting life do what she has to do."

For more inspiration and advice from content creators, check out the Canon Europe Learning Series playlist on YouTube.