STEPS TO SUCCESS
The good news is that it’s never been easier to become a wedding photographer. Cameras are affordable, you don’t have to pay for film and processing while you learn and you can DIY a great looking website in next to no time.
The bad news is that it’s never been easier to become a wedding photographer – so there are plenty of others at your stage and ahead of you.
- GET A PORTFOLIO
So if I was you I’d be looking to build on that first wedding or two. Concentrate first on gaining a strong portfolio of images whilst also gaining experience shooting in front of people. Look out for days put on by other photographers that offer portfolio shooting. Photography Farm regularly hosts Shoot Days for this exact reason. We do all the hard work, getting models and a styling team and all you have to do is rock up and shoot. Or set up your own Styled Shoot if you don’t mind the work that goes into planning them. Reach out to Stylists, Make Up Artists and Florists that have a similar vibe to you. They all need portfolio images too.
- GET EDUCATED
You could muddle by on your own but there is an easier way. Sign up for a workshop or conference on wedding photography as soon as you can. I’ve been doing this a long time but I still invest in attending at least one educational event per year. There is ALWAYS room for improvement. Our Thrive event in both Brighton and Glasgow is structured so that we break down all the different parts of a wedding day from prep to party and give you tips from some of the very best wedding photographers around. You can also go out and shoot real couples with them so that you can improve your directing skills.
- GET A SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE
As soon as you get some gorgeous imagery, start sharing it on social media channels. I highly recommend setting up official business accounts on both Facebook and Instagram as soon as you can. Even if you are thinking ‘But I never go on Facebook, what’s the point?’ remember that Facebook owns Instagram and that’s where you have to be to run promotions and ads, even if they are just on Instagram.
- GET SOME ADS UP AND RUNNING
Yes, I know that it looks like you can do all this for free but these days just posting and building up a following isn’t enough. It’s a busy, busy market and like the man says “It Pays To Advertise”. There are many tools out there to help with this, like Facebook’s excellent Creative Hub and Melissa Love’s Marketing Fix. Decide who it is that you want to work with and figure out where they are spending their time looking for wedding suppliers, then make sure you are seen there.
- GET SOME INDUSTRY PALS
Network as much as you can. In my time working in the wedding industry, I have benefitted hugely from having friends at various stages in their careers. Some ahead of me that have helped me advance and some that are newer than me and have inspired me to stay fresh. And not just other photographers, there are so many more roles now in weddings and so many more people to connect with. This year, I have befriended a super cool Humanist Celebrant that I met at a wedding and then recommended to a couple. We’ve worked together a few times this year and always have fun together.
- GET A MENTOR
This is my final fast track tip for you. Find someone who has already been where you are and learnt the lessons. Working with a mentor can guide you and save you from wasting your time or money as they have already made the mistakes for you. They can have a subjective overview of your business and help you to plan how to get to where you want to be sooner.
Farm can help – We always have online and in person events in our schedule plus The Barn is open any time that you need it. That’s our online resource and training for wedding photographers. If you’d like some One To One Mentoring with Lisa, just fill our our contact form.