How could I become a wedding photographer?

Question

I live in a part of the country where wedding photographers get paid a lot and are in demand. I've been a very capable sports photographer over the years, taking official team and player photos and have had hundreds of photos, good and not-so-good, published in local newspapers. I don't consider myself an artist when it comes to photography, but am capable at the least, a good businessman and could undercut the local photographers in price. What steps would I need to take to start getting wedding clients? Thanks for any help.

Thanks for the advice. I'm in my mid-30s, so would be uncomfortable being someone's aid. Again, I have shot team sports, so would not do a horrible job with these pics. I'm also good at organizing people. I could bring a 19-year-old student photographer with me as backup. I'm thinking of billing my services more as "photo-journalism." I live in a pricey part of the country, but have heard there are online firms that will assemble wedding books for me. Thanks again!

Answer 1

Kyle,

1: Weddings are a huge commitment and responsibility: people are choosing a photographer to help them remember the most important day of their lives, and no second chances are given. As such, I ALWAYS recommend that a shooter spend some time "second shooting" for an experienced wedding pro that they respect to get a feel for shooting a wedding. There is much more to wedding photography than the technical aspects of shooting: its about understanding the flow of the day and developing a sense of timing for it, crowd control, etc etc... So I'd encourage you to look for a shooter in your market that you admire, and ask to second-shoot for them. This will also hopefully build the portfolio you need to attract your own clients.

2. This is a really good resource for someone in your position: http://www.aljacobs.com/NEW%20WEDDING.pdf

3. Undercutting the competition is shooting yourself in the foot in the long run. People value what they pay for, for starters. If you enter the market as a "cheap" photographer, you will have a hard time shaking that reputation. Further, I think you'll find that the costs of wedding photography are higher than you might anticipate. You will need to maintain a backup for every essential piece of gear (remember: no second chances), advertising costs, transportation time and cost to and from events, time to meet with clients, time to process the images, insurance, taxes, etc etc. If you factor all of these costs together, you may see why even the "expensive" wedding pros in your part of the country probably aren't driving Porches. It is very common for photographers to get into weddings because they feel they can undercut on prices, only to find the cost of doing business is such that they are forced to raise prices. Raising prices can be very difficult once you've been pigeonholed in the "budget" category. Add in the inherent stress from dealing with the pressure of shooting an event like this, and you'll see why the turnover rate in the industry is very high, especially at the low end of the market.

4. Weddings are very much a word-of-mouth business. You will find that while you need to keep the advertising going at all times, your cost-per-client for advertising in the beginning is likely to be very high... whether you count that cost in terms of discounted pricing or in effective advertising techniques. Sites like craigslist are free advertising, but be aware that *most* of the people who are looking for their photographer on that site and others like it are looking for the aforementioned "cheap" photographer. Wedding shows can be a great way to develop business, but require a strong portfolio to compete with the other vendors for the attention of the attendees. The most effective web advertising typically costs money one way or another... you have to spend money to make money.

Hope this helps!

EDIT:
FWIW, I'm a 27y/o photographer with an established and profitable business... But if David Beckstead offered to let me second-shoot for him I'd probably pay HIM for the opportunity. There's no shame in learning from those with more experience. And if you have the technical skills, then as a second shooter you would likely be shooting the wedding just as you would if you were primary, but with a safety net. Its a win-win. Again a wedding is a whole other ballgame from team sports (I do both)...

Best of luck to you!

Answer 2

I was not concerned in the least about my age when I started assisting other wedding photographers at 50 years old. There was no other way to learn what do and how to do it. Books are useful, but no substitute for getting a professional entry into a demanding field like wedding photography. If you go into it without learning from other pros, you will learn by making mistakes. What kind of reputation will you make like that? Joining a professional photographers organization like APA would be enormously useful. Good luck.

Answer 3

Try to work as an assistant with an established wedding photographer.

Read every book you can about wedding photography. Visit AIRC-Adorama Imaging Resource Center and check the wedding tips there.

Read about portrait photography - Monte Zucker was a Master Portrait Photographer so his books are especially beneficial.

Do not - DO NOT - "undercut" the competition. Why? Because of perceived value. If you become known as "the cheap wedding photographer" then you're stuck with that label - and potential clients who equate price with quality (perceived value)will avoid you. Be competitively priced.

Answer 4

Wedding photography is all about capturing beautiful shots of the wedding day. You must be that much proficient to capture those beautiful moments of the wedding. So, if you are not proficient enough to capture a wedding, then you can start your career by assisting a professional wedding photographer. So, that you can learn about photography techniques used in wedding. The next step will be to create an attractive portfolio to show your photography work to the clients.

Answer 5

The photography business is one that is very difficult in which to excel. In the past, great skill and a bit of luck was mandatory, or else a tough road lie ahead. In the modern age of digital technology, the level of skill and luck may have subsided, but that has opened a doorway for a multitude of aspiring professional photographers.

1.Decide on your format
2.Purchase only quality equipment.
3. Always buy Quality Lenses.
4. Seek out lenses with huge apertures.
5. Know your business.
6.Start building your portfolio.
7. Write up a business plan.

Answer 6

If you know how to work a camera in manual mode for different available lighting situations then you're better than most morons with a camera who think it will do all the work for them.

Read a book about weddings; what and how to shoot them. Ask to tag along or assist a wedding pro so you can learn. It's more than just shooting pics. You have to learn how to deal with families and sometimes they don't get along with each other.

After that, you can shoot for family and friends getting married. Then you should be ready for the general public.

www.geocities.com/mjmedrano

Answer 7

If hubris prevents you from taking the necessary steps to learn the trade properly, I suggest you don't get involved. Weddings are VERY different from sport shoots.