How to Get Starting in Wedding Photography

Wedding photography can be a lucrative and fun income but it's not as easy as it seems. Even if you're an experienced photographer, shooting weddings can be a challenge. But once you get the knack of it, photographing weddings can be a flexible way to earn extra cash in the competitive field of photography.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Market yourself. List yourself as a vendor on wedding sites like sandiegoweddings.com and create portfolio on your website that displays weddings you've photographed.
2. Choose a small wedding until you really know what you're doing or can hire assistants to help you. Smaller weddings with lower budgets don't seem as glamorous but it's often easier to manage the wedding party and thus easier to get those key shots (group photos, wedding kiss, posed couple shots).
3. Every couple's first question is "So, how many weddings have you done?" If this is your first wedding, you might consider doing it for free or for the cost of your expenses (mileage, film, etc.) until you build a stronger wedding portfolio.
4. Get prepared. Ask your couple to provide a "shot list" or timeline of events like: cake cutting; bouquet toss; garter toss; first dance. Make sure to arrive early to take pictures of the bride as she is getting ready. Also, establish how many hours they will need you and discuss how you will deliver the photos. Will the couple have access to the photos online, via CD, a photo album with prints?

Tips & Warnings

• Keep your cool at all times. Weddings are beautiful but stressful situations where everyone wants things to go perfectly. Make sure you are assertive but not pushy in getting the shots you need.
• Unlike commercial photography, you don't have much time to set up the shot. For example, the bouquet toss happens only once. Be ready for it! You don't want to have to tell the bride you missed it.