SUMMARY
John Branch, a wedding photographer with over 12 years of experience, outlines the bare-minimum gear needed for first-time wedding shooters. Key recommendations include a camera with dual card slots for immediate backup, either a 24-70mm zoom or a dual-body prime lens setup (35mm and 85mm), and a Godox speedlight with a MagMod MagSphere for lighting. Branch also stresses the critical importance of a comprehensive post-shoot backup system, involving multiple SSDs, cloud storage, and a NAS, to prevent data loss.
TAKEAWAYS
Dual card slots are non-negotiable for in-camera photo backup.
Lens options include a versatile 24-70mm zoom or a 35mm/85mm prime lens pair.
A Godox speedlight and a MagMod MagSphere are recommended for lighting.
A multi-layered backup system with SSDs, cloud, and NAS is crucial for data security.