U.S. Photographer shooting a wedding in Canada

I've searched and can't seem to find any information on this subject.

 

I had a booth at a wedding expo yesterday and when sifting through all the

names and addresses I noticed that approximately half of the brides lived in

Canada. I'm located in Sault Ste. Marie, MI, right across the border.

 

A few of them outright asked me if I shot in Canada and I said I did because I

DID do a wedding there - my first about three years ago. Obviously I did

something wrong because this one woman told me that none of the other

photographers will go over to Canada to photograph weddings. I'm thinking now

I must have broken some law through my ignorance. As I said, it was my first

wedding and an aquaintence so I made all of $400 off of it.

 

I've tried to google an answer to this but can't seem to find it, so I'll have

to contact a legal authority in Canada.

 

I'm not sure if it's huge red tape and not worth the trouble/charges/hassle or

if it's because: beginning in March, U.S. citizens will have to have a

passport (I have one, so no problem there); photographers from this side of

the bridge find it difficult to locate sites they're not familiar with; they

find that travel and bridge expenses for multiple meetings, etc. is just not

worth the quoted price.

 

I have no idea.

Hey Jude,

if I shoot a wedding in the US...I'm going on holidays :) If you shoot here in Canada you are going on Holidays otherwise you have to apply for a work visa and the tape involved would keep you at home. You can't take work from our Photographers and I can not take work from American Photographers. The truth of the matter is that it is done every weekend by photographers throughout the US and Canada. Here is some info i found below.

 

http://www.grasmick.com/canimfaq.htm

Jude, I think the problem with shooting in Canada is that you have to have a work visa. Since you are not going there on vacation, but rather for work, you would need to obtain a work visa, which... I forget how much it is, but it's a non-trivial amount of money. Several hundred dollars, and that was a good six years ago that I had to know anything about that stuff. (I've never shot a wedding in Canada, but I used to play in a band and we played a show in Montreal. The promoter of the show offered to foot the bill for our work visas so that we could get across the border. We had no idea we needed work visas, but we later found out how generous he happened to be on that day when he offered it up. There was 5 of us, plus 2 roadies. Anyway.)

 

So, this may be why other photographers are not shooting up in Canada. I don't know how long a work visa lasts, so I don't know if it's something you could get for a year, or... if it expires very quickly. But that's what you want to look at.

 

Hope that helps

It seems a little strange to me, if photographers are unwilling (or cannot easily) go over to Canada to shoot a wedding, that half of the brides at the expo <i>in the US</i> are from Canada. Are other vendors going over no problem, or are these brides simply unaware of the visa situation?

If you can find a way around the red tape, it could be a lucrative venture, apparently being one of the few photographers willing to do it. Pam Follett makes a good point but alot of brides love "window shopping" for get ideas too.

Jude,

 

If you decide to shoot in Canada with a work visa or on holiday there is one other thing you should do. Go to a US Customs office and fill out a form listing all the equipment you will be taking across the border. If you get checked upon re-entering the US and don't have the form Customs could charge you taxes and import duty on your equipment.

 

The last time I crossed the US Canada border, shortly after 911, I was asked for, and told I should have, my passport to re-enter the US.

You may want to check with Customs to see what is required now.

Remember you are going to a business meeting or are on holiday. You can`t work unless

you apply for a permit and one will not be issued unless there are no Canadian Photogs

qualified to do the work.

you need a work visa.

I'm lucky as I have dual citizenship and can work in Canada or the US and have done so (not with photography yet). I've got two passports. A pp was right about making sure that the US knows that you did not purchase your equipment in Canada. Maybe make sure you take an original receipt.

First of all, yes, I know what the laws are concerning passports becaus I'm a newspaper photographer - all U.S. citizens need passports to go back and forth by March UNLESS they change it again. They've changed it several times but that's the last we've reported.

 

I think the Canadian brides-to-be are unaware of the laws because they seemed surprised U.S. photographers were unwilling to travel across the bridge for the job. I also think they were at the expo because the prices Canadian photogs charge is very high compared to most of the local ones in the EUP of Michigan which is a 2 mile jaunt across the International Bridge. My prices are considered high in my area and they are basically only $1200 for wedding and reception (and engagement pics included in the package). I know this is laughable to most wedding photographers but the area is pretty economically depressed. We're talking the average income being $8 an hour.

 

Good advice on listing my equipment as well, Cliff. I ran over to Sault Ontario shopping one day and had my equipment. The customs guy was in a pissy mood because it was hot out and gave me a very hard time. He told me he could confiscate my equipment and was unimpressed when I failed to give him a press card (the newspaper doesn't think it's necessary to give their people one.. sigh). I talked my way out of it but know that I need to do it soon.

 

I think they could be strict about the "if there are no Canadians to do the job" thing but I don't think they will be. We hire plenty of Canadians just at my workplace and believe me, they are not specific jobs that only certain people can do.

 

Thanks for the input, I'll make sure I check into the work visa.

jude - you should really talk to a lawyer about this one. actually, I'm pretty sure that the canadian immigration people would be able to tell you pretty quickly whether you are in the clear or not.

 

as a citizen of one country with residence in the other, and having worked at an immigration law office, I'm guessing you are not in the clear.

 

finally, you should have a passport. it's a good backup form of ID. once I was on the way to a job, lost my wallet when it fell out of my bag on the train - and my passport was the only thing that got me a hotel room that night. it's not that expensive, you have it for 10 years, and then if you ever are asked for a destination wedding, you are ready to go.

Thanks, Conrad. I do have a passport, thank goodness. I'll contact the canadian immigration office to see. I'm not too worried about taking photos there yes - I have to wait until one of the brides actually calls me..lol

I am a wedding photographer based in NYC , & I just shot a wedding in Toronto . I to was unsure as to weather I would need a work permit , so I contacted the Canadian Consulate , & was told that since I was contracted by a NY customer , & was getting paid in NY , I would NOT need any permits to shoot the job in Toronto . I brought along a copy of that email , & my contract which showed a NY address for my customer , & had no problems at all with customs or imagration

<p>Ton's of great feedback! This is so helpful. Thanks for posting the question Jude. I hope everything works out for you. I hope to be doing some photo work in Canada as well.<br>

Here's a link to the CIC that may contain some stuff that people are interested in for business travel to Canada. http://www.cic.gc.ca/EnGLish/visit/business-who.asp</p>

<p>You are not allowed to come into Canada and photograph a wedding for a Canadian couple. As I am not allowed to go into the U.S. if I am hired by an American couple.<br>

I know I won't do it; and I would expect the U.S. photographer to respect the law and not illegally cross the border to photograph a Canadian wedding unless all the proper visas are obtained.<br>

Brian</p>