The Steed

Wedding | Last Updated: February 16, 2021

People call me Steed, or The Steed, no one really calls me Abigail except my mum when I’ve done something wrong. I live on the Isle of Wight which is a tiny rock at the bottom of the UK and I photograph people at weddings. I love ALL dogs, Homeland, Orangina, Five Guys and running, exactly in that order.

If I had to describe my work it would probably be something like “colourful photos of people pulling stupid faces at weddings,” or “photos of people looking really pretty and then looking really drunk.”

I like the odd hero shot but it’s not what keeps me motivated on a wedding day. I prefer the realness of people just having a good/bad/indifferent time and all the perfect imperfection that goes with that.

I feel more comfortable in a divey pub than a stately home and I like talking to people just as much as I like photographing them.

I have fully moved over to Sony after using a Nikon DF setup for the last two years. I can’t bring myself to sell the DF (it’s an amazing camera) but I developed RSI in my wrist after last season and the Sonys are much lighter and smaller but still have amazing files, so it was an easy decision to make.

I like to get up close and it’s slightly less annoying for people when it’s a smaller camera. They seem to mind less and it massively cuts down on instances of people telling me to go away!

I’m not a massive gear head – I will use whatever works. I’m probably using the Sony a7R II at around 5% of its potential but I can’t stand the complicated menu system and I think I’ve turned just about all the bells and whistles off as I find all that stuff really distracting. All I want to do is look at what’s happening, pick the right moment and push the button.

Lenses are a slightly different story. If I was going to sink some money into gear then that’s where it would go.

My current wedding kit is a Zeiss Batis 18mm f/2.8, Sony 35mm f/1.4 and a Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8. I also have a Techart Pro adaptor that basically allows you to put old manual glass on a Sony and then it turns it into an autofocus lens – it’s like witchcraft! I use it with an old Minolta Rokkor 58mm f/1.2 lens and it’s pretty amazing.

I don’t like normal camera bags. I usually get a bag I like and then add some dividers in it. I’ve got a bright blue Billingham bag that I pull around on a £10 trolley when I travel but when I’m shooting I just pop a few bits in my animal bag so I’m not lugging everything around.

When I grow up (or as soon as I work out how to make money from it), I want to be William Eggleston or travel/social photojournalist. If anyone has any ideas I’m listening……!

GEAR LIST
2 X Sony a7R II
Zeiss Batis 18mm f/2.8
Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8
Sony 35mm f/1.4
Minolta Rokkor 58mm f/1.2
Techart Pro Adaptor
Nissin Di700 Air Flashgun
Yongnuo YN565EX Speedlight
Think Tank SD Pixel Pocket Rocket
Very Troubled Child Animal Bag
Billingham 445 Imperial Blue/Orange Bag