My sweet friend Natalie Franke wrote an awesome post a couple of weeks ago about her three favorite lenses, and I liked it so much I decided to do one of my own! Natalie is one the most well-known blogtographers (the name I just made up for photographers who blog) in this area of the country, and though I’d consider our work somewhat similar in terms of aesthetic, it’s fun to see how different our lists of favorite equipment is. It just goes to show you that a lens is only what YOU make of it- one of my least favorite lenses in my bag is the 70-200, whereas that’s on Natalie’s list of top three pieces of glass! Let’s dive into my top picks- if I could only shoot a wedding with three lenses, these are the ones I’d pick:

1) the 50mm f/1.2. If I could adopt a lens as a little sister, this would be the one. My 50 is on my camera for 75% of a wedding day- it’s easily the most versatile piece of glass in my camera bag. I use it for everything from bridal details to family portraits to the sparkler exit. Because of how wide the aperture can go, it’s a FAST lens, so it’s my go-to in any low-lit situation. It’s with me at every wedding, engagement session, anniversary session, anything. And if I were traveling and couple only bring one lens, this one would be it! Here are a few images all shot with the 50:

2) the 85mm f/1.2, I have a crush on my 85. It’s a bit heavier than the 50, but it’s well worth the haul- the backgrounds are softer, the skin tones are creamier, the bokeh is UNBELIEVABLE. It’s a great lens for shooting in big cities with tons of people in the background- stopping it down to 2.0 or less blurs out all those unwanted photobombers in the background :). Here are a few images all shot with the 85:

3) the 35mm f/1.4.  This lens isn’t my favorite, but it’s necessary. Having a wide angle lens is crucial for wedding photographers, since part of being a professional means having the ability to shoot in any scenario, no matter how tight the space. The 35 is my go-to when a bridal suite it a little small or cramped- I love that it stops down to 35 1.4, and though it doesn’t have the same bokeh as the 50 or 85, I consider it a better option than the 24-70 2.8 for the sake of a consistent work throughout all my images. Here are a few images all shot with the 35:

So there you have it! If you’re a photographer, what do you think? Would your list be similar or completely different?