The Best Lenses for Wedding Photography: A Guide for New and Intermediate Photographers
When it comes to wedding photography, your lens choice can make a significant impact on the quality and feel of your images. Each lens in your kit serves a specific purpose, helping you capture the wide range of moments and emotions that unfold throughout the wedding day. Whether you’re just starting or have a few weddings under your belt, understanding which lenses to invest in and when to use them is essential. Below, we break down the most recommended lenses for wedding photography, explaining what makes each one special and how to use them to their fullest potential.
50mm Lens: The Versatile Prime
Examples: Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L USM, Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM, FUJIFILM GF 55mm f/1.7R WR, Zeiss 50mm f/1.4, Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.2
The 50mm lens is often referred to as the “nifty fifty,” and for a good reason—it’s incredibly versatile. This lens offers a natural perspective, similar to how the human eye sees, making it a favorite for a wide range of wedding shots.
- What It’s Best For: The 50mm lens excels in capturing candid moments, portraits, and medium shots. It’s perfect for those intimate, close-up shots of the bride and groom during the ceremony or the reception. Its fast aperture (typically f/1.2 or f/1.4) allows for beautiful background blur (bokeh), making your subjects stand out sharply against a softly blurred background.
- When to Use It: Use the 50mm lens during the bride and groom’s portraits, capturing natural expressions and emotions. It’s also ideal for detail shots like the rings, bouquet, or table settings, as well as for candid shots during the reception when you want to blend into the background.
35mm Lens: The Storyteller
Examples: Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM, Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM
The 35mm lens is beloved for its ability to tell a story by capturing more of the environment while still focusing on the subject. It’s a wider lens that allows you to include more context in your shots without causing too much distortion.
- What It’s Best For: The 35mm lens is perfect for capturing the full scene. Think of wide shots of the ceremony venue, the reception hall, or large group photos. It’s also great for environmental portraits, where you want to show the couple in the context of their surroundings—perhaps standing in a beautifully decorated hall or a picturesque outdoor setting.
- When to Use It: This lens shines during the ceremony when you want to capture the entire scene—guests, decorations, and the couple all in one frame. It’s also useful for dance floor shots during the reception or for capturing the couple as they walk down the aisle. The 35mm lens is a fantastic choice for storytelling, giving your images a sense of place and scale.
80mm/85mm Lens: The Portrait Specialist
Examples: Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L, Zeiss 80mm f/2, Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM
The 80mm/85mm lens is a portrait photographer’s dream. Known for its flattering focal length and incredible sharpness, this lens is ideal for isolating subjects and creating stunning, professional-grade portraits.
- What It’s Best For: This lens is perfect for close-up portraits of the bride and groom, bridal party, and family members. The shallow depth of field provided by a fast aperture (like f/1.2 or f/1.4) gives you a creamy bokeh, allowing your subjects to pop against a beautifully blurred background. The focal length also provides a flattering compression effect, making it ideal for headshots and full-body portraits.
- When to Use It: Use this lens during portrait sessions with the couple, bridal party, and family members. It’s also a great choice for capturing the couple during intimate moments, such as their first look or during quiet, reflective moments throughout the day. The 85mm lens helps you focus on the emotions and details, ensuring that the most important elements of the shot are front and center.
100mm Lens: The Macro and Portrait Hybrid
Examples: Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro, Sony FE 100mm F2.8 S
The 100mm lens offers a unique combination of macro and telephoto capabilities, making it a valuable addition to any wedding photographer’s kit. It’s especially useful for capturing intricate details and sharp, close-up portraits.
- What It’s Best For: The 100mm lens excels in detail shots and close-up portraits. As a macro lens, it allows you to capture the intricate details of the wedding day, such as the rings, jewelry, invitations, and other small but significant elements. Its longer focal length also makes it a strong choice for portraits, providing beautiful subject isolation and compression.
- When to Use It: Use the 100mm lens during the preparation phase of the wedding day, capturing detailed shots of the bride’s dress, the rings, and other accessories. It’s also great for portraits when you want to create a striking separation between the subject and the background. During the ceremony, it can be used discreetly from a distance to capture close-up shots without intruding on the moment.
70-200mm Lens: The Versatile Zoom
Examples: Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM, Sony FE 70-200 mm F2.8
The 70-200mm lens is a must-have for wedding photographers who need flexibility and reach. This telephoto zoom lens allows you to capture a wide range of shots without having to switch lenses constantly, making it an excellent choice for dynamic, fast-paced wedding environments.
- What It’s Best For: The 70-200mm lens is perfect for capturing candid moments from a distance, such as during the ceremony or speeches. Its zoom range allows you to get close-up shots of the couple without being intrusive. It’s also ideal for capturing moments that are happening quickly, such as the first dance, bouquet toss, or other action-packed events during the reception.
- When to Use It: Use the 70-200mm lens during the ceremony when you need to capture the exchange of vows, the rings, and the couple’s expressions from a distance. It’s also invaluable during the reception for capturing candid moments, guest reactions, and close-ups of the couple as they interact with their guests. This lens is perfect when you need to be a fly on the wall, capturing moments without disrupting them.
Conclusion: Building Your Wedding Photography Kit
Each of these lenses serves a distinct purpose in wedding photography, helping you to tell a complete story of the day. As you build your kit, consider your shooting style and the types of weddings you typically photograph. A balanced combination of prime and zoom lenses will give you the versatility you need to capture everything from intimate portraits to expansive venue shots.
Investing in high-quality lenses is one of the best decisions you can make as a wedding photographer. The right lens will not only improve the technical quality of your images but also allow you to capture the moments that matter most with clarity, emotion, and style. As you gain experience, you’ll develop a deeper understanding of when and how to use each lens, allowing you to create beautiful, timeless images that your clients will treasure for years to come.
Are you a wedding photographer looking for more educational tips, tricks, and resources to elevate your business? Check out our educational resource page here!
The Best Lenses for Wedding Photography: A Guide for New and Intermediate Photographers
When it comes to wedding photography, your lens choice can make a significant impact on the quality and feel of your images. Each lens in your kit serves a specific purpose, helping you capture the wide range of moments and emotions that unfold throughout the wedding day. Whether you’re just starting or have a few weddings under your belt, understanding which lenses to invest in and when to use them is essential. Below, we break down the most recommended lenses for wedding photography, explaining what makes each one special and how to use them to their fullest potential.
50mm Lens: The Versatile Prime
Examples: Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L USM, Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM, FUJIFILM GF 55mm f/1.7R WR, Zeiss 50mm f/1.4, Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.2
The 50mm lens is often referred to as the “nifty fifty,” and for a good reason—it’s incredibly versatile. This lens offers a natural perspective, similar to how the human eye sees, making it a favorite for a wide range of wedding shots.
- What It’s Best For: The 50mm lens excels in capturing candid moments, portraits, and medium shots. It’s perfect for those intimate, close-up shots of the bride and groom during the ceremony or the reception. Its fast aperture (typically f/1.2 or f/1.4) allows for beautiful background blur (bokeh), making your subjects stand out sharply against a softly blurred background.
- When to Use It: Use the 50mm lens during the bride and groom’s portraits, capturing natural expressions and emotions. It’s also ideal for detail shots like the rings, bouquet, or table settings, as well as for candid shots during the reception when you want to blend into the background.
35mm Lens: The Storyteller
Examples: Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM, Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM
The 35mm lens is beloved for its ability to tell a story by capturing more of the environment while still focusing on the subject. It’s a wider lens that allows you to include more context in your shots without causing too much distortion.
- What It’s Best For: The 35mm lens is perfect for capturing the full scene. Think of wide shots of the ceremony venue, the reception hall, or large group photos. It’s also great for environmental portraits, where you want to show the couple in the context of their surroundings—perhaps standing in a beautifully decorated hall or a picturesque outdoor setting.
- When to Use It: This lens shines during the ceremony when you want to capture the entire scene—guests, decorations, and the couple all in one frame. It’s also useful for dance floor shots during the reception or for capturing the couple as they walk down the aisle. The 35mm lens is a fantastic choice for storytelling, giving your images a sense of place and scale.
80mm/85mm Lens: The Portrait Specialist
Examples: Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L, Zeiss 80mm f/2, Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM
The 80mm/85mm lens is a portrait photographer’s dream. Known for its flattering focal length and incredible sharpness, this lens is ideal for isolating subjects and creating stunning, professional-grade portraits.
- What It’s Best For: This lens is perfect for close-up portraits of the bride and groom, bridal party, and family members. The shallow depth of field provided by a fast aperture (like f/1.2 or f/1.4) gives you a creamy bokeh, allowing your subjects to pop against a beautifully blurred background. The focal length also provides a flattering compression effect, making it ideal for headshots and full-body portraits.
- When to Use It: Use this lens during portrait sessions with the couple, bridal party, and family members. It’s also a great choice for capturing the couple during intimate moments, such as their first look or during quiet, reflective moments throughout the day. The 85mm lens helps you focus on the emotions and details, ensuring that the most important elements of the shot are front and center.
100mm Lens: The Macro and Portrait Hybrid
Examples: Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro, Sony FE 100mm F2.8 S
The 100mm lens offers a unique combination of macro and telephoto capabilities, making it a valuable addition to any wedding photographer’s kit. It’s especially useful for capturing intricate details and sharp, close-up portraits.
- What It’s Best For: The 100mm lens excels in detail shots and close-up portraits. As a macro lens, it allows you to capture the intricate details of the wedding day, such as the rings, jewelry, invitations, and other small but significant elements. Its longer focal length also makes it a strong choice for portraits, providing beautiful subject isolation and compression.
- When to Use It: Use the 100mm lens during the preparation phase of the wedding day, capturing detailed shots of the bride’s dress, the rings, and other accessories. It’s also great for portraits when you want to create a striking separation between the subject and the background. During the ceremony, it can be used discreetly from a distance to capture close-up shots without intruding on the moment.
70-200mm Lens: The Versatile Zoom
Examples: Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM, Sony FE 70-200 mm F2.8
The 70-200mm lens is a must-have for wedding photographers who need flexibility and reach. This telephoto zoom lens allows you to capture a wide range of shots without having to switch lenses constantly, making it an excellent choice for dynamic, fast-paced wedding environments.
- What It’s Best For: The 70-200mm lens is perfect for capturing candid moments from a distance, such as during the ceremony or speeches. Its zoom range allows you to get close-up shots of the couple without being intrusive. It’s also ideal for capturing moments that are happening quickly, such as the first dance, bouquet toss, or other action-packed events during the reception.
- When to Use It: Use the 70-200mm lens during the ceremony when you need to capture the exchange of vows, the rings, and the couple’s expressions from a distance. It’s also invaluable during the reception for capturing candid moments, guest reactions, and close-ups of the couple as they interact with their guests. This lens is perfect when you need to be a fly on the wall, capturing moments without disrupting them.
Conclusion: Building Your Wedding Photography Kit
Each of these lenses serves a distinct purpose in wedding photography, helping you to tell a complete story of the day. As you build your kit, consider your shooting style and the types of weddings you typically photograph. A balanced combination of prime and zoom lenses will give you the versatility you need to capture everything from intimate portraits to expansive venue shots.
Investing in high-quality lenses is one of the best decisions you can make as a wedding photographer. The right lens will not only improve the technical quality of your images but also allow you to capture the moments that matter most with clarity, emotion, and style. As you gain experience, you’ll develop a deeper understanding of when and how to use each lens, allowing you to create beautiful, timeless images that your clients will treasure for years to come.
Are you a wedding photographer looking for more educational tips, tricks, and resources to elevate your business? Check out our educational resource page here!
