How I Became A Successful Wedding Photographer
I became a wedding photographer by accident. A close friend was getting married and the wedding photographer she'd hired pulled out at the last minute. I'd never considered photography as a profession before that point - you're not supposed to enjoy your work, right? So I was asked to photograph my first wedding, and I loved it.
My friend was over the moon with her photos. And so was a workmate of hers that saw the photos, and she asked me to photograph her wedding. And that's where it began.
Wedding photography is not a hobby. A lot of people look on wedding photographers as someone who works one 1 day a week doing what they love, and getting paid big bucks for it. This couldnt be further from the truth.
The average wedding involves 10 hours of photography, 20 hours of post-wedding image processing, and 5 hours album design. And that doesnt involve consultation time with the couple, as well as time spent on marketing and budgeting.
During wedding season its a 7 day a week job. The chance of taking any holidays over spring/summer/autumn is non-existent!
A wedding photographer needs to be a great communicator, cool under pressure, able to think on their feet. They need to be able to defuse a tense situation, or inject a spark into a flat moment. They need to be able to invoke the expressions and emotions that make great photos.
In reality, wedding photography is 80% admin, marketing or business related work, and 20% photography.
And for every successful wedding photographer, there are 25 weekend warriors trying to earn money to pay for their hobby, and 10 disheartened, failed full time photographers.
If youre looking to start out as a wedding photographer, there are some things you need to have in place before you begin.
Firstly, and most obviously, a great camera. And a backup. You need to know these cameras back to front, inside out. And youll need lenses. Wide angle, middle range, and telephoto. And flashes. At least 2.
Youll need batteries, for the cameras and flashes. At least 2 spares for each. And youll need a few changes of batteries for your flashes.
Youll need memory cards too. I favour having lots of smaller size cards if one dies on me I wont have lost all of the clients photos.
And youll need a mobile storage/backup device. As soon as the card comes out of the camera, youll want to back it up. Losing someones photos is not a great way to generate word of mouth business!
Youll need a few suits, a few shirts. Youll need comfortable shoes youll be on your feet all day.
A great website is a definite must. Your website is your shopfront its not something youll want to have done half heartedly.
And youll need marketing material brochures, business cards, price guides. And a plan how are brides going to find you? And how will you convince them that youre the wedding photographer for them? Compare your portfolio to other professionals in the areahow do you stack up?
And youll need patience. It will take time to build a business. Years.
Also factor in an advertising budget. Be it advertising in magazines, in Google Adwords, Facebook or other streams, youll need to get the word out.
I've been blessed that Ive never needed to spruik my wedding photography services at a bridal fair, but you may have to.
Wedding photography is a passion more than it is a business.
I like that its a bit of a mystery where it will take me. I've photographed celebrities, gold medal Olympians, and professional sports stars. But still, the biggest buzz I get is photographing two people who have that unspoken bond, that unspoken connection, on the day they tell the world, in front of all the people that they love and care about, that they want to be together forever.
And I like that people love what I do.
by: atop50
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