DEAR DEVLIN: Creative Ways for Wedding Photographers to Earn Income During Slow Seasons
Creative Ways for Wedding Photographers to Earn Income During Slow Seasons
Dear Devlin,
I’m hoping you can help me as I’m at my witts end. I’ve been a wedding photographer for 10 years and consistently booked and grown my business year on year – until this past year. I’ve got nowhere near the amount of bookings that I was expecting for next year and as a result my income is down. Now I’m wondering if I should look for a job. Maybe something part-time just to tide me over. It’s months until my next wedding which means no income for me for the foreseeable.
What would you suggest?
Gavin From Glasgow
“Don’t feel tied to just weddings. There’s huge growth in the branding photography market. Small businesses, freelancers, and self-employed individuals all need professional imagery for their websites and social media.”
Dear Gavin from Glasgow,
First off, I’m sorry you’re going through this challenging period. It’s tough when the diary looks sparse, and social media makes it seem like everyone else is fully booked. The reality is often more complicated, and you’re definitely not alone in feeling this uncertainty. Let’s think about how you can keep your hand in, make some income, and even set yourself up to bounce back stronger when weddings pick up again.
1. Second Shooting & Associates Work
You’ve got 10 years of experience under your belt, which makes you an attractive prospect for busy photographers who need reliable second shooters. Reach out to those you admire or who seem to be bustling with bookings. Often, second shooting is well-paid and, crucially, involves no post-production for you. If they’re genuinely as busy as they appear online, they might also have associate shooting work to pass on or be happy to refer couples they can’t take on.
2. Diversify Beyond Weddings
Don’t feel tied to just weddings. There’s huge growth in the branding photography market. Small businesses, freelancers, and self-employed individuals all need professional imagery for their websites and social media. Put together a content creation package. Use your existing gear and skillset, and pitch it to local businesses. People often don’t realise how much a consistent visual presence can help their brand, and you can help bridge that gap.
3. Editing Services and Content Creation for Others
If you enjoy editing, consider offering editing services to busier wedding photographers. With so much on their plates, many are looking to outsource this side of their business. Likewise, content creation is a big deal now – behind-the-scenes reels, TikToks, or short videos for social platforms are in high demand. If you’re good at capturing this kind of content for others (maybe even better than doing it for yourself), offer that as a service. Venues, florists, cake designers – all these wedding suppliers need fresh BTS content and might be happy to pay you for it.
4. Selling Printed Products to Past Clients
Another quick cash injection can come from past clients. Chances are, many of your couples haven’t printed their images yet or got around to making that album they intended to order. Reach out with a special offer – albums, frames, prints – and tap into that desire to finally get their wedding memories in a tangible format. Not only does this bring in revenue, it also strengthens your relationship with your clients and may lead to referrals.
5. Reality Check & Morale Boost
Meeting up with other photographers in your area might reveal that not everyone is as busy as they seem on social media. A lot of what’s online is about perception rather than reality. Sharing experiences can be reassuring – you might find you’re not the only one hitting a quiet patch. Collaboration and community can lead to new opportunities, ideas, and support.
6. Investing in Your Pipeline
It may be tempting to find a part-time job for a steady paycheck, but if you’re serious about sustaining your wedding photography business, you’ll need to invest time and energy into building and converting leads. Having a strong pipeline of enquiries is essential, and there are strategies and systems that can help with this.
If you’re keen to tackle this head-on, my three-month mentoring programme focuses exactly on these areas—understanding what’s working, what’s not, and how to turn things around. I know it’s an investment, and perhaps not one you can make right now, but if you’re interested, I’m always here to chat. We can book a call and see if it’s a fit for when you’re ready.
For now, keep thinking creatively about how you can use your existing skills and network. Whether it’s second shooting, brand photography, editing services, or selling albums, there are ways to earn income from your photography talents – often much more than you’d likely make from a part-time job. Hang in there.
Tough times pass, and this could be the shake-up that leads you to diversify and future-proof your business.
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