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A wedding day is a landmark of a new beginning in a couple’s life. A day that the bride has been dreaming of since pigtails. It is a day that parents hope will come but pray it never should. It is a day that we will see fathers cry and mothers clutch something familiar. It is a day that will probably never happen again and a wedding photographer’s job is to capture that feeling, that moment, and that happiness that prevails on that day.
And let me tell you it is not one of the most easiest jobs to do, this is a very competitive industry but also the fastest-growing photography industry to work in. being a wedding photographer takes immense time, passion, dedication, self-determination, and, like any successful business, discipline, and perseverance. Some talent is needed no doubt. And this talent has to be nurtured, developed over years.
Following are some steps you must follow for becoming a good Wedding Photographer:
First step
So, the first step is obviously to nurture your talent, develop your skills and learn to use the lighting, the lens, the cameras in your and the bride and groom’s favor along with that you might even have to learn a few marketing, editing and management skills and strategies so that you could grow your own brand and book as many clients as possible because being a wedding photographer is not only about clicking pictures, you are trying to build your profession and your company. You could learn these skills by joining a professional course in wedding photography just make sure that the course covers everything from photography to brand building.
Networking and second shooting
After educating yourself, I would advise you to build networks, look out for all the other wedding photographers in your area. It will help you to gain inspiration, you’ll know more about everybody’s style of shooting as everybody has their own style and perspective. Through this you’ll be able to come up with your own style in which you are confident in and coming up with your own style of shooting will be the start of your own brand. And also networking will help to find amazing wedding photographers with whom you could tag along and become a second photographer. As it is always better to gain experience before being the main wedding photographer because there are chances that without proper experience you could ruin the photographs of someone’s big day. So try and gain as much knowledge as possible as a second photographer, constantly keep learning it’ll definitely give you a head start for the journey further.
Your first wedding shoot
Landing your first shoot will always be difficult, but after you have gained some experience through second shooting and are ready to venture out, contact your friends and acquaintances who are getting engaged, ask them if you can shoot their wedding/engagement. They would probably want someone more experienced but tell them you have been second shooting and also show your portfolio you have built over time and let them decide.
Build a business
Now that you might have done a few weddings, start building a business.
A few steps to do that:
It’ll not be a wedding every day. You’ll work your business full-time. You’ll spend 80% of your week behind the computer, editing, marketing, meeting vendors, meeting clients, preparing agreements, accounting, bookkeeping, blogging. About 40 hours/week, sometimes 60. It’s simply hard work that will lead to success.
A few tips to be the best