Question for wedding photographers

Nebaw

How did ye get started?

Bacchus

Nebaw wrote: »

How did ye get started?

2 years ago my cousin asked me to shoot her wedding. It went well. I got a second wedding that year. Booked 7 weddings the following year (last year) and 10 this year (had to turn down one too due to availability). 3 booked for next year already (improvement on last year when I had zero weddings booked for 2017 until November when they started coming in). Slowly building up booking numbers and my rates. It's a very competitive market and the first year involved a lot of work on website, social media and chasing enquiries. It still is a lot of work but at least I'm somewhat established now. Hope that helps (I assume you're thinking of dipping your toe in).

georgefalls

Wedding photography is an art. I'd say its 10% technical knowhow, and 90% crowd control.

I did loads of weddings, back in the day of 35mm film.

Its a slog, but worth it if you have the flair to control the masses. Most of the guests will have been in the pub before the ceremony, and will be rowdy (at best), and downright impossible to control at worst.

There is a pecking order of who you have to please. First is the bride, followed by her mother, then her father (who is probably footing the bill). Lastly is the poor groom, who only has to actually turn up on the day.

I loved doing weddings. I still do a few now, but not as many as I used to.

Its not for the faint hearted though. If you think you have the showmanship to entertain a crowd (which is what you have to do for most of the day), then I'd say give it a go.

Best starting with a relative or friends wedding. Give no guarantees, other than if it all goes tits-up, you'll do your best to recreate whatever pics you can reasonably do.

Its a great profession to be in though, if you can put up with a pile of drunks, that just want to be back inside to carry on drinking.

Good luck.

P.S. You'll know if you've done a good job, if the brides father includes you in the first round of drinks at the reception.

pixbyjohn

2 great positive answers above with sound advice