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Hope Taylor is a photographer specializing in senior portraits serving both Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA.

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Ask HTP | What’s in my bag?

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I’ve had multiple questions sent in asking what lenses I use, what equipment is my favorite, what lens is best for beginners and whether I shoot Canon or Nikon. To answer the big question….I have always and will always shoot CANON! I looooove Canon and I have never used anything else. However, with that said, choosing Nikon or Canon is based completely on opinion. There is no difference in quality of photos or equipment, the choice is based on what feels best to the photographer!

Now down to the equipment that I use!  I started out with my little Canon T2i when I was a freshman in high school but have since upgraded to my pride and joy, my Canon 6D. (I actually have two, but we’ll talk about the tragedy that caused that another time…) I would recommend this camera to anyone! It is more affordable than the 5D Mark ||| (although this is my dream camera…let’s hope I get one soon!) but it is much higher quality than the Canon Rebel series (T2i, T3i, etc.) I was so excited when I got it 7 months ago and I still can’t put it down!

With my Canon, I use a variety of lenses. Here they are in order of how frequently I use them: (my very first lens, 50mm f/1.8 is not pictured and was used for these photos! I’m selling it if anyone’s interested 😉

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The first is my most recent purchase and my absolute FAVORITE lens. It is my 50mm f/1.2. It is a but pricey, but if you are a portrait photographer and you’re looking for an upgrade, I HIGHLY recommend this lens! It’s pretty much universal and takes absolutely amazing photos. For beginners, I recommend the 50mm f/1.8! It’s around $100 and is most definitely an upgrade from the kit lenses that you receive with Rebel cameras!

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The second lens pictured is my other L series (luxury series) lens. It is my 70-200mm f/4! This lens has stunning quality and was my very first L series lens. It’s fantastic for sports and not nearly as expensive (or as heavy!) as the 70-200mm f/2.8! I recommend this for portrait photographers that are looking for a more versatile lens that can be used for more than just your plain-old portrait sessions.

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The third lens pictured, my 85mm f/1.8, was my second lens purchase and my favorite lens for a very long time! While I don’t use it often anymore, it is an AMAZING lens for beginners that are wanting something in addition to the 50mm. It’s around $400, so it’s more of an investment, but the quality of the photos is an upgrade as well!

And last but not least, I carry all of this equipment in my Kelly Moore camera bag! I received this bag for Christmas (it was one of the top things on my list!) and I am sooooo glad that I did! It is not only stylish but it protects all of my lenses with a padded interior that can be adjusted to fit practically anything! These bags aren’t cheap, but I definitely recommend them to anyone who wants something that is going to be super cute and keep everything safe all at once!

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I hope this post was helpful to everyone who sent in questions!! If you have a question that you would like answered, feel free to fill out a form on the “ASK HTP” page and maybe YOUR question will be on the next post! Also, if you’re totally new to photography or you had no idea what any of those numbers meant, email me for more information on my mentoring session that I’ll be holding on March 8th! I’ll be covering everything from the basic functions of a DSLR, lenses, post-processing, lighting, posing and business tips! We’ll have a live model and a mini-session for hands-on learning! If you’re interested, feel free to fill out a form on the “CONTACT” page and I’ll send you more information!

Hope everyone is having an amazing New Year, I can’t wait for all of the amazing things to come!

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hi, y'all!

I'm Hope Taylor, an international Senior Portrait and Wedding Photographer based in Charleston, SC. I'm also an educator, international speaker, and the host of multiple sold-out workshops each year!

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