Happy Saturday, everyone! You may have noticed we’ve been very quiet this week – it’s only because we’ve been so busy editing and getting client galleries delivered! But this morning I’m going to allow myself to take a little break to add to our “What’s In Our Bag?” series. If you missed the last post about my favorite lens, the Canon 50mm 1.2L, be sure to check it out after this one. Today I’ll be talking about Jay’s favorite lens, the Canon 24-70 2.8L II. Unlike my favorite lens, which is a prime lens, the Canon 24-70 2.8L II is a standard zoom lens that is truly our most versatile lens. We love this lens so much that we actually have two! I’ll be using a few photos from Meghan and Matt’s Sandy Hook Chapel Wedding to show you the types of images we produce with this lens.
During groom prep, Jay loves alternating between the 24-70mm 2.8L II the 16-35mm 2.8L II (more on that lens in a future post!). While a wide-angle lens like his 16-35mm is great for the tight spaces the guys generally get ready in, it’s not great for detail shots. So for detail shots like the ones below, he uses the 24-70mm. Since it’s a zoom lens, it allows him to zoom just enough to capture what he needs while allowing him to be creative in different ways. Since we are both short this lens is great for overhead shots because it allows us to zoom out so much!
As for me, the 24-70mm comes out when I enter tight spaces and my 50mm and 35mm don’t allow me to capture everything I need in the frame. In the example below I wanted to capture all the girls in the frame and there were other guests right behind me so I couldn’t back up much. This lens allowed me to capture all the girls even though I was super close to them.
Jay usually arrives to the ceremony location before me so he is able to capture a variety of detail shots with this lens. From wide overview shots of the ceremony location to close-ups of the details our brides work so hard on, the 24-70mm allows us to capture a variety of shots in a short amount of time. The time element is so important at this part of the day because we have so little of it before the guests start to arrive! Being able to take all these shots with one lens is a must!
Jay uses the 24-70mm during the ceremony to get shots like the one below where he can fit the entire scene in the frame while I get close-ups.
When it comes to photos of the bridal party, the 24-70mm is definitely my go-to lens. It allows me to capture them from a comfortable distance where the group has space to move but they can still hear me direct them. 
The 24-70mm allows Jay to get full body portraits like these while I get close-ups. Even though I can “zoom with my feet” with the 50mm to get a full body shot, I know I don’t have to because Jay is getting it. This definitely helps in a time crunch, which often happens on a fast-paced wedding day.
Once it’s time for the reception, the 24-70mm allows Jay to capture anything from full-length shots during the bride and groom entrance to close-ups during the first dance.
And of course, the 24-70mm is a favorite on the dance floor because it allows us to capture so much in the frame. Here’s a fun photo from Meghan and Matt’s reception – what a fun bridal party selfie!
I hope this blog post is helpful to you! If you have any questions please leave a comment below or email me at info@idaliaphotography.com. For more posts in this series please click here: What’s In Our Bag?
NJ Wedding Photographer Idalia Photography is a husband and wife photography team based in Central New Jersey. Contact us for more information.
