If you're just getting started in wedding photography--or thinking about turning a part-time business into a full-time career, you know that you need to carefully choose gear that helps you work quickly and efficiently so you can concentrate on what's important--getting wonderful pictures of the bride, the groom, their family and friends on this important day.
Choosing a camera is a personal, complex decision...but what about the little gadgets, gizmos and do-dads that can make your life easier in small and big ways? Remember, the good thing about shooting weddings is that you are surrounded by happy, smiling people dressed in their finest, but that anarchy is just barely below the surface (and sometimes bubbles up!) Keep smiling, no matter what--and have a bag of tricks on hand to help the day go smoothly. Here are eight clever items designed to make your job easier--our list of wedding photography essentials. (Is there an offbeat gadget that you use and love? We'd like to know about it, and possibly add it to this list. Email us!)
 The height advantage
Franzus Ladder/Kart Combo (Under $60)
When guests are dancing around the bride and groom at the reception, a wedding photographer must have a height advantage, so ladders are a requirement. But this three-step aluminum ladder pulls double-duty as a hand truck, so you can roll in your equipment bags rather than carrying them like an ox. As a ladderm the Franzus LadderKart can hold up to 300 pounds and has large, sturdy polypropylene steps, elevating the photographer 30 inches above the floor. As a hand truck, it holds up to 250 pounds, has 4-inch diameter rubber wheels, and folds flat.
 Gray matter
Spudz 18% Gray Microfiber cloth (Around $10)
Another dual-use item, but this one fits in your pocket: the Alpine Innovations Spudz 18% Gray Microfiber cloth is a self-storing cloth that you can whip out at a moment's notice to wipe dust and smudges off your valuable optics. But, as they say on TV, that's not all: Since the 10x10-inch cloth material is 18% gray, you can use it for meter readings and to set your digital camera's white balance. A nice, flexible alternative to hard cardboard gray cards, the Spudz Microfiber cloth container has a hook so it can conveniently hang from your camera bag, zipper, or keychain.
Get organized
Tamrac 614 Super Pro System 14 (Approximately $300)
At the typical wedding, chaos circles around the photographer; it is essential that you are organized. A good gadget bag that has a place for everything you need is indispensable. While there are many options out there, the most complete one we've seen is the Tamrac 614, a BIG bag that can hold a range of lenses, flashes, and at least two DSLRs or medium-format camera bodies, and has semi-transparent pockets for storing batteries, memory cards or film, filters, cell phones, PDAs, light meters, and also has a foam-padded pocket so you can slide in a laptop--as large as Apple's 17-inch PowerBook G4. The bag also features an instant-access speed flap so you can get to your most often-used gear fast, zip-drop front pockets for quick access to accessories, tripod straps, lots of foam padding. At 21 3/4 x 13 x 11 1/2 inches, this camera holds a lot of stuff. (Sorry, chiropractor not included.)
 You'll flip
Grip-It Delta Flip Flash Camera Bracket (Under $40)
Wedding photographers need flexibility in their gear, and moving a flash so it's perfectly positioned should be a quick and easy operation. So, what could be quicker and easier than a flash bracket with an articulated arm? The arm is seven inches long, which give you enough room to mount either a DSLR or a medium format camera.
 Fine fill-in
Adorama 42-inch 5-in-1 reflector (Approximately $53)
Sometimes you need to add some light to punch up your portrait subject's eyes and control the lighting ratio--and sometimes, that includes adding a little warmth to the scene. This reflector, which folds down into a disk a third of its full size, has white, black, silver, gold, and translucent surfaces. Use the translucent surface to soften harsh light (it'll come in handy when shooting outdoor portraits in the sun), the black to block unwanted light, and the rest to add a light accent. If you want to free up your assistant from holding it, bring along a Light Stand and Portable Reflector Bracket.
 Background info
Paterson Interfit Collapsible Double-Sided Panel Background with Train (Around $130)
Need a nice, neutral background for your portraits? If the venue doesn't have an appropriate spot, Paterson Interfit's background panel is wide enough for small groups (72x84 inches), has a 60-inch floor train for full-length shots, and is two-sided. One is dark gray, and the other side is dark brown. And it folds up into a small disk for easy portability. Use the Paterson Reflector Stand to hold it up.
And of course, you can't shoot a wedding without a flash...or two!
 Parabolic logic
Sunpak 120J Auto Pro TTL Parabolic Reflector Flash (Approximately $300)
We all know how most portable flash units produce harsh, unflattering light; a parabolic reflector takes some of the edge off while still giving it direction and widening its area of effectiveness. The compact Sunpak offers full TTL flash dedication for most DSLRs, and an impressive guide number of 150 feet at ISO 100. Take the reflector off and you can use the 120J as a bare bulb unit (as James Bailey points out, bare bulb light can look very natural). The unit can be used off-camera with an optional EXT-10 Cord or in conjunction with a slave.
 Master Masher
Metz 70 MZ-5 TTL Handlemount flash (Around $600)
Sometimes, subtlety is lost, and all you need is brute force. That's where the Metz 70 MZ-5 zoom flash comes in--it's variable guide number ranges from 164 feet at the 50mm setting and ISO 100 to 230 feet at the 105mm setting and ISO 100. Its extended 24-105mm range covers all the standard focal lengths wedding photographers would use, and then some. As a handlemount model it's already off-camera, which reduces the chance of red-eye, but because of its strength can be used to shoot large groups and offers up enough light to fill in shadows in bright sunlight. But power is half the story--it also works with TTL and Nikon 3D multi-sensor modes, has a built-in slave, can shoot stroboscopic effects, has auto flash bracketing, has a 12-stop aperture setting range, and has a boatload of manual and automatic operating flavors.
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