How to Get Wedding Photography Jobs
Wedding photos are special for the bride and groom. Pictures allow the couple to look back on their day for years to come, relive the experience with friends and family and share the day with people who were unable to attend. While there may be competition with other wedding photographers, you can distinguish yourself, your work and your business to land jobs to keep you busy.
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Things You'll Need
- High-end single lens reflex camera
- Memory cards or film
- Tripod
- Various lenses
- Camera flash
- Computer with photo editing software
Instructions
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Purchase a high end single lens reflex (SLR) camera and all related hardware and accessories. You cannot be a professional wedding photographer without professional equipment. If you show up to a job with a simple point and shoot camera, your reputation may suffer. Do not book any real jobs until you have the proper equipment. In addition to the camera, you should purchase a tripod, different lenses and an external flash. Also, you need to have a computer with sufficient hard drive space for photo storage, as well as a photo editing program to enhance or edit the wedding photos after the shoot.
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Shoot a wedding to build your portfolio. If you already have a portfolio of previous work, you do not need to do this. However, if you are just starting out, you need some experience and work to show potential new customers. Offer to shoot a wedding for free for a friend or family member to add to your portfolio, or work with an established wedding photographer to gain experience before you branch out on your own.
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Create a website. Couples will want to look at your work before they hire you, and the most convenient way for them to see your pictures and learn about your business is through a website. Your website should be simple to navigate, display all of your best work and clearly list your contact information. You can add text about your work philosophy, mission statement and pricing options, as well.
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Create pricing levels. Your price may be the deciding factor for couples, especially those on a tight budget. Do not undersell yourself, but keep your prices reasonable to attract a greater customer base. Offer a variety of packages with different prices to appeal to a wide range of couples.
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Print business cards with your photography business name, website and contact information. Distribute these cards to bridal shops in your area or where you plan to work. Keep them available at all times because you never know when you will run into a potential client.
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Advertise on popular social media websites, as well as wedding sites and blogs. Ask former clients if they have any friends or family members getting married who are in need of a photographer. Referrals from previous clients help in landing new wedding photography jobs. Call local wedding planners to establish a working relationship. Show them your work and ask them to refer couples to you for wedding photography jobs.
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Tips & Warnings
Offer the couple additional services like prints and photo books after the wedding to make extra money. Also, get to know the couple with an engagement photo shoot a few months or weeks before the wedding. That way, you will be more comfortable with each other when the wedding day arrives.
Do not plan to be the photographer if you are a guest at the wedding. Photographers must constantly work to look for the best images, and rarely have time to sit down and enjoy the party. Choose whether you are attending as a guest or as a hired photographer, but avoid doing both at the same time.
