Looking to earn from photography

ssmith6287

Looking for some advice. For the past 2 years I have been attending, weddings, parties, events etc and carrying my trusty DSLR. I feel like I have a knack for snapping expressions. So much so that when I show the shots to people they prefer them to the professionally posed pictures which they paid for. My question is, is there a market for this style of photography, and further more is there a way to get your name out there to maybe create a market. I have taken all sorts of photography courses but there never seems to be anything relevant to this.

Cheers

TheQuietFella

Why don't you post a few images for an overall consensus?

Photographers who tend to believe they take good shots are a

dime a dozen when in reality all they are taking are bog standard images.

flyingsnail

Sounds like you are describing a reportage / photo journalistic approach to wedding photography and while there is a definitely a market for it is also worth remembering that wedding photography is a very competitive market.

CabanSail

Let me first say that I have not seen your images yet.

You have to be careful of the opinion of friends. I have seen people launch into becoming a pro photographer on the strength of feedback like that. When you shoot for strangers it can be a completely different matter. The friends may well forgive a shot which is a tad soft or one with a distracting highlight. When the client has paid money and you do not have a connection it will be different. You also have the luxury of only showing the images where you were in your comfort zone shooting. The pro does not have that. When there is tricky light and flash is not allowed they have to be able to produce the results.

As said above, why not throw up a few images and get some comments and criticism here.

magicbastarder

a couple of comments, which would echo the above - if you were to market yourself as a reportage style specialist for weddings and parties, your reportage style would need to be very damn good to compete with the pros who have already been operating in this space. and if you've no experience with more formal style, this would also be limiting, as you'll always get parents who want firing squad shots.

secondly, and this is what happened me - a friend asked me to shoot their wedding because they'd seen the photos i'd taken at parties and the like; and it's one thing getting nice relaxed shots of people because they know and trust you, but when you're the official photographer at a wedding, and you point the camera at the aunt of the bride, who you've never met before, expect a stiff awkward smile. because you'll have a big target painted on you, and people expect to have to pose. if you can work around that, excellent.

ssmith6287

I'll throw a few up when I get a chance. Like I said before I'm not interested in people posing for me, and also not interested in being the main photographer. I know in my own wedding whilst we were getting our bridal photos taken our guests were enjoying themselves and I'm sure there were moments which could have been captured. I would be working in an almost second shooter role just a bit less structured.

Homer

You just mentioned it in your last post but second shooter would be an ideal way to earn some money whilst capturing what you love.. I would normally have a second shooter doing exactly that style of photography while I'm covering the bridge & groom shots/formal family pics..
It may lead to other work but would be an ideal starting place for you. Where are you based? Find out all the local photographers in your area and reach out to all of them with a portfolio of your past images and explain that you would like to work with them as a second shooter.. You may have to do a couple of freebies to prove yourself at the start. Best of luck with it.

ssmith6287

cheers Homer

wyf437gn6btzue

My suggestion would be to find a photographer who will let you second shoot with them, get the experience and pick their brains, get their advice on marketing and getting yourself out there.

mikeanywhere

Yes there is a demand for that kind of photography style as is evident by some amazing images out there.

However, most brides have no idea what reportage/photo journalistic style entails and generally ALWAYS ask for posed pictures in some shape of form

Get some pictures up for us to see and provide the necessary feedback.

TheQuietFella

Brennan White Chickenpox wrote: »

My suggestion would be to find a photographer who will let you second shoot with them, get the experience and pick their brains, get their advice on marketing and getting yourself out there.

Who in there right mind is going to do this? No-one!

twowheelsonly

ssmith6287 wrote: »

I'll throw a few up when I get a chance. Like I said before I'm not interested in people posing for me, and also not interested in being the main photographer. I know in my own wedding whilst we were getting our bridal photos taken our guests were enjoying themselves and I'm sure there were moments which could have been captured. I would be working in an almost second shooter role just a bit less structured.

I've done this for a couple of people working as a 2nd shooter at weddings. Whilst you might want to be 'a bit less structured' you still have to have a structure of some kind which can depend on the style of the main shooter. I'd normally take mainly 'casual' shots but also double up on ceremony shots - 1st kiss from both the front and back doubles the chance of getting a decent shot for instance in the event of heads being tilted in the 'wrong' direction or whatever. When the No.1 is sorting group or formal shots I'd keep an eye on collars / ties / flowers /shoelaces or any of a million things that can affect the final shot. It's hard to catch everything when you're on your own. I'd also throw in a few suggestions of my own from time to time. If you're a second shooter you'd be expected to be at the formal shots and not in the bar with the rest of the guests. There's plenty of time for snapping the casuals in around all the formals or while No.1 is rounding up various groups.

TheQuietFella wrote: »

Who in there right mind is going to do this? No-one!

Plenty of people appreciate and like having an experienced 2nd shooter with them. Everybody has something to learn from each other.

ssmith6287

Cheers for all the replys. Shot a friends party recently and got extremely frustrated when things didn't go according to plan. E.g lighting, camera settings. Taking this into consideration I've decided to take a few courses and join a club before I venture out.

you are right, theres a big difference when the pictures are expected of you rather then when your there taking shots socially.

Cheers for the feedback though