Wedding Photography Business Pt. 1: Be Prepared!

Are you thinking about expanding your photography business to include weddings? If so, congratulations! You are about to embark on a whirlwind journey! Weddings can be profitable and fun, but remember, they can be a lot of work, too and arent for the faint of heart!

Weddings present a number of challenges for the photographer. Difficult lighting situations, uncooperative guests, angry brides, drunken fathers.the list goes on. At the same time, you have the opportunity to capture images that will be treasured for generations to come, on one of the most important days of a couples life.

The best piece of advice I can offer you when starting your wedding photography business is this: Be Prepared! I like to record all the info about the wedding and keep it in a little notebook that I can carry to the event.

Consultation

You should have at least one face-to-face consultation with the bride and groom. This is where you will get to know them and find out what they want out of their wedding photos. It is also a time for you to tell them your requirements (are you paid hourly or charging a flat fee for the entire event from beginning to end?) and expectations. This is also the best time to collect your deposit and have them sign a contract. NEVER do a wedding without a contract, period!

Number and Types of Photos

Depending on the package the couple purchases, you will need to have an idea of how many proofs/previews to offer therefore you will need an idea of how many shots to take. This is much easier now that we are in the digital ageyou can shoot everything you possibly can without worrying about the number. If you go over, it isnt a big deal. However, you DO need to worry about the number of flash memory cards you have. I say take more than you think youll need. You also need to consider the types of photos the couple wants. Do they want a photojournalistic approach or more posed shots? These days, I think it is best to do a mixture of the two.

Location

Get addresses, phone numbers and directions to all wedding locations (brides home, church, reception, etc.). My advice is to find all of the locations BEFORE the wedding day, so you know where you are going ahead of time and you will know how long it will take you to get there. Another good reason to scout out the locations (and do this at the same time of day that the event will be) is to check out the lighting situations. More often than not, you will not be allowed to use your flash during a church ceremony. If it makes you more comfortable, do some test shots.

Type of Wedding and Reception

Different religions have different traditions, and many times you will need to be alerted to particular shots that the couple wants during the ceremony. Make sure to ask. You should also know the number of guests expected and the number in the wedding party. Also make note of the reception (formal or informal, dinner, dancing, etc.)

A List of Must-Haves

Make a list of all the shots that the couple really wants. Bring this list with you so you dont miss anything.

Ask About Family Relationships

You need to know the following in order to get the best images and not cause embarrassment to anyone (especially yourself):

- Are the mother and father of the bride married?
- Are the mother and father of the groom married?
- Will there be step-parents in attendance?
- Does the bride have children?
- Does the groom have children?

Equipment

Make sure to have an equipment check list so you dont forget anything. Test your equipment well before the event, and make sure you have backup!

Look for part two in this series soon!

Cindy Bracken is the founder of http://www.shuttermom.com, an online community for photographers of all levels of experience. Stop by to create a free blog, enter the photo contest, join in the discussion forum and more!

Start your photography business today

I Will NOT Be Your Wedding Photographer
Im having a wedding. Can you be my photographer?Lets get one thing straight. I am an amateur photographer. I started photography as a hobby and it is still a hobby. I have a full-time job that is nothing to do with photography. I do it for love, not ...

Are Expensive Wedding Photographers Really Worth The Money
Its your wedding. And out of the myriad decisions you will make in planning one of the biggest and most important days of your life, hiring the right photographer may very well be the most important. After all, the wedding cake will be eaten, the flo...

Find A Photographer: Why Photographers Should Use an Online Directory
With the ever growing use of the Web for personal and business use, the need to be found via search engines and online directories is becoming ever more crucial to the success of your business.If the mantra preached by Estate Agents is "Location, Loc...

Black and White Photography
With todays digital technology, transforming colour images into black and white photographic prints is pretty straightforward but dont throw away your rolls of black and white film.Black and white photography is still regarded as a favourite with man...

How to Choose Your Wedding Photographer
Choosing your wedding photographer is probably - no scratch that - is definitely the most critical wedding decision you need to make (other than choosing your spouse!). NOTHING is more important than your wedding photography. Whys that? Well, just th...

Digital Photography? I Almost Spat When I Came Across The Phrase!
I had been a semi-professional photographer for some years working with my faithful film based SLR rather than enter the realms of digital photography. I knew very dial and lens and produced results that pleased the eye and when it came to wedding p...

Is Film Better than Digital for Weddings?
As a professional wedding photographer I get this question asked more than anything else. Rarely will somebody ask me about my wedding photography education, awards, or professional memberships. I believe the root to this question lies on misinformat...

The Seven Most Popular Wedding Shots
If you plan on taking some pictures at a wedding, there are a few shots That seem to end up in every album. If you capture all of these events, you will be known as a great photographer.Number one is the cutting of the cake picture. The usual ...

How To Get Better Digital Photos In Low Light Conditions Without Using A Flash
Digital photography is easy- when you have plenty of light and the conditions are ideal. But, as you may know, lighting conditions in digital photography arent always as we would like them. In digital photography its essential that we work with light...

Market Your Photography Business
Setting up your own photography business it easy, you dont need office space in can be done from your own home. However this is not the easiest type of business to market, especially if you are new to the business. Quite often to market this type of ...

This entry was posted on Monday, May 26th, 2008 at 5:17 pm and is filed under Popular Photography . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.