Wedding photography is the visual art of capturing the happiest day of an individual’s life. Being a photographer is not as easy as it comes with a lot of responsibilities. A photographer tends to provide his best services to the society by securing his camera’s most admirable memories.
Photography for weddings or other events is an excellent career choice as it is an artistic profession with the most promising financial rewards. Wedding photography is a competitive field. To earn living wages from this profession, a photographer should enhance his skills, learn professionalism and self-discipline, and be afraid to start small.
Wedding photography as a career choice
The history of wedding photography goes back to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s wedding in the 1840s. It has always been a valued service; therefore, many people choose it as a full-time profession nowadays. Becoming a photographer allows the individual to create an entrepreneurial spirit and choose a lifestyle different from most other jobs. This industry is difficult to break in as it is saturated with photographers, and only the best can make it. But it is still highly recommended as a career choice because it is highly rewarding.
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Earning good money from wedding photography
Wedding photography pays well; therefore, it should be kept in mind that a photographer should ask for his photographic skills. Most beginners charge up to $1000 for a one-day wedding event, but a professional wedding photographer’s price can range up to $3000 or more depending upon the demand and skills of the photographer. In the beginning, it is not easy to make a living out of this career, but if a person stays committed and works hard, he will be able to earn more in no time. A photographer should also adopt advertisement strategies to get his work recognized.
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Becoming a professional wedding photographer
A photographer should have a trustworthy personality with polite behavior and a smiling face. He must learn professional practices to become the best in his field. A photographer can check up the following list to acquire excellence.
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Appropriate equipment
Becoming a professional photographer for a wedding requires skills and the best quality equipment that can include one or two cameras, various lenses for different situations, and additional lighting equipment. Moreover, another important thing is the editing software, which provides details to the images and makes them great.
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Careful observation
A wedding is a joyous occasion filled with emotions and fleeting moments. To capture all those emotions, a photographer should observe and make sure that these rare expressions become a part of the family history. With the increase in experience, the photographer is more likely to predict the emotional couple’s candid expressions and capture them beautifully.
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Perfect timing
Observation is of no good use if the timing is not perfect. A wedding photographer should know the event schedule and be there on time. He should be prepared and present at the right place at the right time. Furthermore, he should also learn to react instantly instead of thinking and capture candid pictures before the moment has passed.
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Up-to-date Looks
A photographer should date about the latest looks, poses, makeup, wedding gowns, and wedding photography themes. He should read fashion magazines as they publish the latest and trending looks. Couples most likely tend to demand the latest photography they see in the bridal magazines and expect the photographer to provide magazine-style photos for their special day.
Professional Portfolio
Every couple wants professional photography services on their wedding day, so they invest in the best photographer and expect him to document the event in the most comprehensive manner. It can put a lot of pressure on the photographer to perform exceptionally well. To get hired, a photographer can present his creative visual image portfolio to the clients. He can add photographs from multiple shoots in the portfolio to highlight his range of skills.
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Become a storyteller
Try to capture the wedding event as if you are about to tell the story of someone’s beautiful life ahead. Make sure to capture each moment step by step from the bride’s entrance and groom to the first dance and till the reception.
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People skills
The most important thing a photographer should learn is how to be a people pleaser. He should have a positive attitude, as it is essential for work ethics. To perform the services efficiently at the wedding, the photographer should meet the bride and groom’s families before the wedding and understand the family dynamics. He should handle awkward family situations like the frustrated bride or her parents and should always equip patience with other necessary equipment.
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Challenges faced by a wedding photographer
Being a wedding photographer comes with a lot of challenges. You have to stay active for days to cover one wedding. You have to meet up with the clients, listen to their demands, and makeup a proper wedding day strategy. The work doesn’t end up with the wedding day as you have to edit the photographs and print them later. One of the main challenges that can be faced is when the photographer’s taste doesn’t match the taste of the couple, and they think that their requirements have not been fulfilled properly. A photographer should get the details of photo requirements before the wedding day to avoid disputes. Another challenge is to manage the environment of low lights at the shooting place. To resolve this issue, the best thing is to prepare beforehand with the right lighting equipment to tackle such situations.
In this business, a person is his boss, so he often becomes lazy. Working independently doesn’t mean you can show up at work any time you want. Similarly, the financial imbalance is also a problem many photographers face in the off-season as weddings mostly happen in the summer and spring seasons. Mostly in the off-season, the photographer gets only one wedding a month instead of four. The photographers can handle this situation if they set the money aside during the wedding season and use it in the time of need.