Nathan Walker

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Hi! I’m Nathan Walker, a wedding photographer from Nottingham in the UK. I’ve been shooting weddings since 2017.

Being able to join the sometimes wild and fun parties and capturing beautiful story-telling imagery along the way is the most fulfilling thing I’ve ever done!

Main Gear Talk

I view the gear I take to each wedding not just as tools but as an extension of my craft and that’s part of the reason why I recently moved from using Nikon DSLRs to Sony. Sony offered so many features that I knew would improve my photography and make shooting even more fun.

I finally kissed the chimping goodbye thanks to the EVF and by using the flexible Sony flip screen I can get compositions that I could only previously imagine, like being able to shoot with the camera above my head.

Cameras

Sony a9 – the freedom that silent shooting allows is incredible, especially during the ceremony. I love being able to shoot through those intimate moments without drawing any attention away from the couple.

I love that I can customise the function buttons so that I have everything right under my fingertips. I never have to go hunting for anything within the menu.

Oh, and I almost forgot, the autofocus is something else. It basically performs some kind of magic with the way it tracks subjects so accurately and reliably. It blows me away every time!

Sony a7iii – almost everything I love about the a9 is in this camera as well. It’s mainly my backup and I use it for the off-camera flash work as well.

Lenses

I favour a simple prime lens setup. I’ve found that using primes has helped me to visualise a shot before I take it. They also help me to maintain consistency across the wedding day and by limiting my options they free me up for a more creative approach.

Even though I first started with a zoom lens if you gave me one now I wouldn’t know quite what to do with it!

Sony 35mm f/1.4 G Master – this is the best 35mm lens I have ever used. It’s crazy sharp when wide open and the contrast is outstanding, even in backlit conditions. Plus, the bokeh is really smooth for this type of lens. It stays glued to my camera for ninety percent of the day.

I find the 35mm is in the ‘goldilocks’ range – not too wide and not too tight and it’s suited to most situations that I find myself shooting in. I also carry the Sony 35mm f/1.8 as a backup lens.

Sony 85mm f/1.4 G Master – despite the fact that this lens weighs as much as a small child it is worth lugging around because the image quality is absolutely stunning. It pairs perfectly with the 35mm and I have rarely been in a situation where I wished I had more ‘reach’. I also keep a Sony 85mm f/1.8 handy as a backup.

Lights/Triggers

Godox V860II-C – I always use them for the first dance in optical mode and I operate the off-camera flashes from the master on the camera. The battery life on this equipment is astonishing.

YOUKOYI Q508A Handheld Light RGB

AKA Lightsaber – I take this on to the dance floor to light up the show as I like to shoot close to the action.

Bags/Straps

Black Rapid Sports Breathe strap is comfortable enough to wear all day and the camera always feels to be anchored solidly.

Think Tank Steroid Speed Belt v2.0 with pouches can save me from being too weighed down. It allows easy access to my gear with two camera bodies and multiple lenses.

Hardware & Software

Photo Mechanic 6 makes culling images really fast. It’s awesome to be able to see a full-screen preview straight from the card before deciding to import a file.

Presets from Tribe Archipelago to make the final touches on most of my edits, all done on an iMac.

Misc.

Giottos AA1900 Rocket Air Blower- it’s great to have on hand to blow off any bits of dust that might settle on the sensor and lens elements, especially after many lens swaps during a wedding day.

Meike MK-X1EM Hand Grip- just gives my hand a little more purchase on my Sony bodies and gives it more of a balanced feel when the Sony 85mm f/1.4 G Master is mounted.

Alpine MusicSafe Pro – I want to spare my ears a beating week after week so these earplugs are great because they provide protection with clear sound and they have interchangeable filters so I can attenuate the noise to suit the environment.

Final Words

Just wanted to say a big thanks to my wife Delphine. Without her giving me a nudge I would have never followed my dream of becoming a photographer.

www.nathanwalkerphotography.co.uk | @nathanwalkerphotography