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How does a hobbyist photographer attract potential customers?


amcknight

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Well good for you and yours Sandy.

 

It has been great. Can’t imagine any other course. Funny thing is, we appreciate each other more as time goes by.

Like two trees planted close, our roots are grown together in the same soil.

We never staked out territory that didn’t meet each other’s wants and needs.

The more we gave, the more we got.

Funny how that has worked so consistently well all these years.

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  • 2 months later...
Nope . . . Not true in the least . . .

I am going to disagree here.

 

I suspect that there are plenty of people who can't afford a professional photographer, but who would still like wedding pictures.

The ones who have their friends do as much of the work as possible, maybe including cooking some food for a reception.

 

When I am invited to a wedding as guest, I always bring a camera, and I suspect many other guests do, also.

So, I do have some practice, though no professional experience.

 

You might start out doing a few for free. Assuming you already have enough equipment, or can afford to buy some, the only cost to you is supplies (and time).

 

The you can do some for just the cost of supplies, or a little more.

 

But yes, don't promise what you can't be reasonably sure of delivering.

 

Professionals will have back-up cameras, another shooter or two, and some other expensive equipment you don't have.

They get paid to use that equipment, and to cover its cost.

 

People who can't afford that, still have a right to reasonable photographs, at a reasonable price.

 

I encourage photographers who are not the official wedding photographer to leave their cameras at home. I'm a wedding photographer. If I'm a guest at a wedding, I take my own advice.

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Do you listen to what you are saying? A semi retired person is obviously not going to make what they made when they were full time. Even though their income is now 25% of what they used to make full time they are still making 100% income from their semi retired earnings. The dollar amount of money made is irrelevant. Responsibly, reliability, good business practices, insurance coverage, and decency all contribute to being a professional by all means.

 

Actually, you are both right. An old-school rule of thumb is that a professional photographer is a photographer who charges money for their services and derives most of their income from that. Otherwise, one would be referred to as a "part time" professional photographer. It's all just splitting hairs, I suppose - but there are plenty of people who call themselves professional photographers because they charge money but they don't have any of the other attributes you suggested (which are highly valuable).

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I am soliciting advice.

 

I am a hobbyist photographer who enjoys shooting small weddings. I understand the technical aspects of photography and I know how to use a camera. I do not want to be a full time, professional photographer; I have a full time job, but I enjoy the extra money that I can earn shooting on a part time basis. My questions are:

How do I convey to potential customers that I am not a professional? Do I state this on my website/portfolio?

Should I invest in a website or simply display my photos on a gallery site, like Smugmug, Pixieset, etc?

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

 

I think being honest is always the best approach. Saying what you have said here is completely honest. Full disclosure.

 

On the website question - just be aware that dipping your toe into the professional arena...the water is deep.

 

There is:

 

Website

Software

Peripheral equipment (media cards, cases, equipment cases, etc.)

Computer

Media Storage

Insurance (equipment - don't count on your homeowners policy anymore - liability - indemnity insurance policies in case something goes wrong and the couple has to re-stage part of the wedding for pictures.)

Membership dues (PPA - a place where you get indemnity insurance)

Schedule C tax filing to the IRS

Paying state sales tax

LLC - if you want to keep your personal finances safe and separate from anything that could happen to you (getting sued) as a result of doing business

Office fees or equipment

Forms and file cabinets for storing any bridal information should couples want something from you in the future

Pricing and discounts

Cost of time and media for delivery of images (unless you have a posting site that allows for downloading files) - How long will they stay posted? Will you repost them for free? In a month, in 6 months, in a year?

Copyright notice information

Emergency back up photographer community in case something happens and you can't cover the event and someone else needs to step in.

Bank account for keeping your business funds separate from your personal funds.

Set aside funds for equipment needed throughout the time of your endeavor - extra equipment, media cards, flashes, etc., in case something breaks and you need backup equipment on site.)

Creating parameters and contracts between you and the clients

 

It's a slippery slope to get into wedding photography *lightly* - I've seen a LOT of things go wrong and the pros have devised ways to protect themselves and their clients. Without protection, IF things go south, there are risks for both the photographer and the clients that they will end up devastated or in court.

 

Weddings really ARE fun. But they are also non-repeatable, stressful, fast-pace, multiple location, shape-shifting events. Liability is a major consideration. And this isn't said to discourage you at all - it's to raise awareness.

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A short note simply to mention that the Original Question was asked on 9th October 2018 and that question is the only post made by the Original Poster, who last logged into P.Net on 12th October 2018: so it's unlikely that the OP has read any responses to this thread, which have been posted after 12th October 2018.

 

WW

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I am soliciting advice.

 

I am a hobbyist photographer who enjoys shooting small weddings. I understand the technical aspects of photography and I know how to use a camera. I do not want to be a full time, professional photographer; I have a full time job, but I enjoy the extra money that I can earn shooting on a part time basis. My questions are:

How do I convey to potential customers that I am not a professional? Do I state this on my website/portfolio?

Should I invest in a website or simply display my photos on a gallery site, like Smugmug, Pixieset, etc?

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

I want to say that I attended two wedding celebrations. And in one of them was a professional photographer, confused by all sorts of technical aspects, shadows, and so on. And the second was an amateur who understood all this, too, but he worked primarily with people. It was more pleasant for me to look at an amateur who tries and does it with love and not with the goal of making money!

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  • 3 weeks later...
I want to say that I attended two wedding celebrations. And in one of them was a professional photographer, confused by all sorts of technical aspects, shadows, and so on. And the second was an amateur who understood all this, too, but he worked primarily with people. It was more pleasant for me to look at an amateur who tries and does it with love and not with the goal of making money!

 

That is a good one. It goes to show that being a professional has nothing to do with talent or experience. There will always be professionals who just aren't good at their profession and those who are better than others.

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  • 1 month later...
First of all, you need to understand the whole game, who's the best player in it, how they are doing it! My suggestion would be to start out by getting a job as an intern or assistant to a professional wedding photographer. The main idea is to get a hand full of experience that no university or school can teach. Build your portfolio while interning, some of the good portfolio platforms are Pixpa or format, exclusively for photographers. Build a good network, a good word of mouth marketing will surely help you to attract the potential client.
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