Taking the Wedding Business Plunge: Equipment Questions

[matthew_norris]

I'm really considering starting a wedding/event photo business. I would like to quit my current job and

start up my business in about 6 months. I have a ton of questions but to simplify it, I'll ask them in

rounds. Right now, I'm planning on offering digital and film services. I want to buy an Epson R1800

printer and I currently have a darkroom setup in my garage with a Beseler 23c II. I'm planning on getting a

loan from a wealthy family member to set myself up. So, the camera equipment I currently have is a Nikon

D2H, Nikon N80 film body, 24mm f2.8 lens, 50mm f1.8 lens, 70-200mm f2.8 VR lens, and an SB-800

flash unit. I'm planning on selling the D2H and getting a D200. I also want to get some sort of digital SLR

backup (maybe a used D70). I'm also thinking about getting an F100 to replace the N80, which will

become the film backup. I also think I'll need a strobe kit (2 or 3 stobes?, any input would be nice) for

portraits. Now, I'm also thinking about getting a Mamiya 645 medium format system. Is this a mistake? I

wanted to use it for portraits and believe it would be nice to have. I'm planning on printing all b&w in my

darkroom, using the R1800 for all the digital color prints and possibly contracting out color portraits

taken on medium format (I've never delevoped color and I've heard it's a huge headache). Any advice or

suggestions on my equipment choices would be nice. Am I missing any major piece of equipment? I don't

have much experience with weddings, but I do have a degree in photojournalism and I know my way

around a camera and darkroom pretty well. I want to use the next six months to shoot weddings for free

or very cheap just to get experience and build a portfolio. So, I know this is a lot of text but any help

would be greatly appriciated!

[rick_gerbehy1]

You have enough to get started, possibly invest in an additional flash. Before you add anything, use what you have to shoot a wedding. Most photographers in the wedding business seem to like the "less is better" when it comes to putting their gear together for a shoot. Be sure to have back-up gear...other than that...have fun on you first few shoots....and spend some time on putting together a good proof presentation for your client.

[KenPapai]

At the very least get a better printer, so at least the Epson R2400 (K3 archival inks). That is my one and only best suggestion for you.

 

Developing color negative film is easy. Printing them yourself is hard! Been there, done, that, ain't never ever gonna do it again.

 

As I am 100% Canon in the SLR + accessories realm, I cannot advise you on things Nikon.

 

Good luck, and learn to master Photoshop.

[matthew_norris]

I guess a big question I'd like a little help on is the medium format question. Is it wise for me

to go ahead and invest in a system or should I wait and I see if one would even be needed?

Also, I feel like I might have gone a little overkill on my needed equipment list? Is that list

too much for shooting weddings professionally?

[frank_skomial]

" I'm planning on printing all b&w in my darkroom, using the R1800 for all the digital color prints" - so your choice for color prints is correct. The R2400 is better for black and white printing, but not for color prints. R1800 paints/Epson paper are rated over 100 years. Do not give your customers longer warranty than 100 years, that is.

[hjoseph7]

You got enough equipment to get started. However, two statements you made got me wondering a little bit. One is "I'm about to quit my job", the other "I'm planning on getting a loan from a wealthy family member to set myself up." When it comes to business the worst thing you can do is "Plan" on money coming it. You either have it in your hand(bank account)or you don't. As far as quitting your day time job, I would sit down and think about that a little bit. First of all getting wedding assignments dont grow on trees, especially for beginners. There are gazillion wedding photographers out there you are going to be competing with. Do you have a marketing/business plan ? how are you going to compete ? what do you have to offer that the other gazillion photographers dont. Do you have a website , business cards, Forms, advertisement ? All these things play a part in trying to earn a living shooting weddings. I dont mean to discourage you but it's not all about the equipment. If you are going to be doing your own printing I would suggest hiring somebody to help you do it, or sending it out. It's not easy trying to print 300 pics or so, even with an Epson 1800. That's just my opinion.

[andre_k1]

My advice? you might not like it:

 

Put your film equipment in the drawer and take it out to shoot scenics.

 

Get a seriously reliable back up digital camera, I'd suggest two identical d200's, new or

used. If you go the used route get a brand new point and shoot camera to use as back-up

back-up in your back pocket and pray both your cameras don't poop out at once. Don't

take the point and shoot out of your pocket until it is a last resort.

 

Don't print your wedding photos in your garage until you've got a handle on the business

end of wedding photography. Get a digital lab. I use WHCC.com .

 

Use the garage to print up your scenics.

 

Get your wealthy relative to set you up with a marketing consultant, or a print designer,

who can set you up with a brand identity, and produce some easy to modify promotional

materials.

 

Shoot for free.

 

Book a bridal show, get your wealthy uncle to pay for that.

 

Geshuntite, Uncle Frank

 

Give away one of your beautiful scenics as a door prize at the bridal show.

 

Spend you money getting a good digital camera set-up, some computer equipment (Mac)

with lots of hard drive, external hard drives, back-up batteries, compact flash cards, a

back-up flash and a way to take it off camera. (Stobist.com)

 

Get Quickbooks to keep track of your finances.

 

Buy some wedding photography books. Buy them all and remember to send Uncle Frank a

very nice holiday gift!

[jim olson]

I would start out using only digital and stay away from medium format until you get a feel

for what your customers want. Don't buy much more equipment until you have shot

several weddings. Before you do a wedding yourself I would try to work with an

established wedding photographer to get a feel for the flow of things at a wedding. He or

she can show you lots of things to make your life easier. I wouldn't print my own color

photos. Use a lab for that. It will probably be better and less expensive and free up your

time to market yourself

 

Jim Olson

[jamie_thomas]

I totally agree with the above post. I just started out two years ago, and still have yet to turn a profit to live off of. If it wasn't for my husband I would be working for someone else. When I first shot my first weddings in collage I use medium format, film whatever, its great for art or fun, but in business use digital. You will save yourself alot of GRAY HAIR if you know what I mean. I would take the money and buy some good digital camera equipment and computer. I use to print my own pictures, its not worth the money you think you will be saving, use a good printer like McKenna their price are great and they can offer stuff for your product line you can. Good luck and hope everything works out for you.

[cjogo]

We only have a EOS 3 with a 28-70 zoom --- and a Quantum. You have way more than my car could hold...

[Gary Naka]

Matt

 

It sounds like you don't have a business plan.

 

Don't even think of quitting your day job until you have a SOLID business plan.

 

And don't approach your wealthy relative for $ unless you have a solid business plan. Because part of the business plan is how you are going to repay that relative, and the contingencies if business is slower than expected. If a relative asked me for $$$$ w/o a solid business plan, my answer would be sorry but NO.

 

Do you have enough money in the bank to live off for 1 year with NO income, and another year with a little income. Don't count on profit till into your 3rd or even 4th year. As was said, the reality of starting a business is how long it takes to get clients, then enough clients to make a profit. If you don't have 2 years of living expense in the bank, the wedding business has to be a part time gig until you build up the business enough to support itself.

 

Go to the book store and look for books on starting a business. The core business stuff is the same no mater what the business.

 

BTW you realize that your free/cheap weddings are just as critical as full paid weddings. If you blow it...your reputation will be damaged. You will also have to refund their monies, and likely have to pay for restaging the shots out of your own pocket...even if it was for free. Blowing a wedding is serious stuff.

 

Forget the film gear, go digital. Concentrate on ONE format (digital) until you have it down pat, cuz if not you are going to get yourself mixed up.

 

You NEED backup gear for everything. Think of your gear in this way, if it breaks will it stop me from shooting? If YES, you need a backup gear and maybe even a 2nd backup for critical gear. Example I can tell you that the sync cable will be something you will need at least 3 of (primary and 2 spares), as sync cables eventually break and your flash is basicaly useless w/o the cable.

 

Get some friends and go shoot a few simulated wedding; from home dressing to wedding to formals to reception. This will tell you where you need gear. This will also get you a basic experience of what you need to do and tell you where you need work. How is your posing skills, can you be creative in finding the shots, how consistent is your shooting, etc.

 

Then go to a church and ask to sit in on a few weddings so you can see just what happens when. Nothing like the real thing to bring reality into the planning.

[EricM]

wow. you're going to do all this without even having shot a wedding yet? how about assisting first?

 

things i noticed you didn't mention...

 

computers and software and ability.

 

film scanner.

 

17-55DX

 

a second sb-800

 

and what i wouldn't do is upgrade your small format film gear. as for your medium format desires, i'd go bigger than the runt sized 645 and go 6x7 or 6x9.

 

strobes are another matter for a seperate service i feel. two sb-800's on stands can give enough fill flash for daytime park formals and they are adjustable wirelessly from your D200.

 

seriously though, you have enough gear and knowledge to get started without loans and quitting your day job. start small as a weekend warrior and when your prices go up and you find you don't have enough time during the week to do your post, then consider quitting your bread and butter job.

[em1310]

-What everyone else said

 

Also take a very important note on what Harry Joseph said 'what do you have to offer that the other gazillion photographers dont'

 

Why you? Do you have a different look to what others are offering

 

Just because you have all the equipment doesnt mean you can run a business and shoot what the brides out there want.

 

(dont mean to sound rude... just the truth of it)

[steve_levine]

Plunges are defined as rapid entries. And "leaping without looking", is never a good plan. Find a mentor wedding shooter and hang around a couple of seasons. Or waste your time re-inventing the wheel, and maybe learning, or maybe not.

[phillip hurd - atlanta ga]

Matthew,

Not to burst your bubble but if you're going to quit your job and start taking wedding photos you are asking entirely the wrong questions. You see as most people in the wedding business can tell you that little bit of time you actually spend making the photos is insignificant compared to the time you will spend enticing the bride to buy your services, preparing photo albums, marketing your services, dealing with other vendors, researching venues, creating packing lists, dealing with associate organizations to keep your name out (florists, dress makers, djs, etc..) and dealing with everything from tax issues to equipment malfunctions (gee.. my favorite lens has been in the repair shop for two weeks now).

 

Not to mention any photographer of any type better have armor to deal with the criticism. Just because you like your photos doesnﾒt mean anyone else on this planet will. I have seen what I consider to be some of the best photos ever made and I will have a bride or groom criticize those photos. You are entering an extremely competitive realm and youﾒd better be able to explain your shooting style and why a bride should hire you over someone else. Not to mention you'd better be able to deal with the mother of the bride, which keep in mind, could be Bridezilla's mother.

 

Take my advice and the advice of so may others on this thread, do some weddings with a REAL pro, design a business plan, and then ease into the business. If you do this with no marketing plan or source of income other than the initial income from photography you will fail. True profitability in this business takes years to reach.

 

Think I am wrong? Then answer this, what is the slowest month for a wedding photographer? If I read your post right it will be the same month you start your business "officially."

 

I don't mean to be harsh but if you do this please do it in a manner where you won't damage yourself, others, or the general reputation of wedding photographers.

[al_kaplan1]

I agree with just about all the advice everybody has given you but you have something that few others have today and most wouldn't have a clue as to how to use it anyway. That's the Besseler 23c II. If you have the skill to make great silver gelatin prints on fiber based paper you've got a premium item to offer your clients.

 

Before plunging into new medium format gear look around for a Minolta Autocord or Rolleiflex T twin lens reflex. They both have coated 4 element lenses which will give you more of a "period look" than either the new Mamiya glass or the more expensive Rollies with 5 and 6 element Planar and Xenotar lenses. I'm still kicking myself for selling an old Rollei with an uncoated Tessar...LOL

 

Yes, the majority of the wedding market can best be served by shooting digital, but have something that makes you stand out from the rest of the crowd. Price it accordingly. I assume that if you have a wealthy family member then you probably have connections to other wealthy people in the community. Go for it!

 

You do need a back-up flash.

[rick_helmke]

Lots of good advice already. I'm in agreement with Al, if you can offer good B&W work from silver based prints you'll have something most wedding shooters don't offer. I'd been looking for something different to offer and found only one other studio in my area offers B&W silver gelatin prints. He's very expensive and doesn't do weddings. He is very succesful.

 

You will also need a business plan and those don't happen overnight. Do a lot of research, make phone calls, do some reading. Ask questions here. Someone also mentioned you will be quitting your job at the slowest time of the year and that's right in most places. It sure is around here.

 

If you can get out of the D2H without getting killed financially go ahead. Otherwise I'd keep it and get the D200. If you sell the D2H then get 2 of them though the D70 will do. Lens, you need something around 19mm or shorter for the digital stuff but you have most of the glass. You need another flash for certain probably the SB 800. Keep the film body and add an F100. They are so cheap nowadays and you need backup.

 

You will need a good computer with good software, cards, card reader and so on. I wouldn't waste time printing my own color. Most of the pro labs can do it much cheaper and doing your own takes time. You are better off using that time to market and sell yourself and develop your product line and samples. Successful business is about selling the product. Lots of good photographers are poor business and sales people. Me for example. Last thing....If you have a good relationship with this relative, be damn careful. Money problems have screwed up so many good relationships, you need to be very sure and very clear on every detail.

 

Rick H.

[timberwulf]

If you have a job you can continue to work for now, try to hook up with a pro and gain your experience and portfolio while still supporting yourself with a day job. Meanwhile, while you're still self sufficient and solvent with your day job intact, you can be working on marketing/branding and web site during the evenings, and working weddings with a pro as a second on the weekends - all without being broke and on the dole from Uncle Tom.

 

Down the road, when you've established that you will enjoy wedding photography, have a portfolio you can use to advertise with, have your business cards, branding, web site, etc. all ready to go, you can quit the day job and start your own wedding photog business. :)

 

Don't kill the goose just yet, you have a nice thing going right now with that day job that will help you to get started without incurring a ton of debt.

[matthew_norris]

Wow! I didn't expect that much great advice. Thanks everyone! I guess I should have

been a little clearer in my original post. I'm not quiting my job anytime soon. I was

thinking 6-12 months, which I think would be enough time to get experience under my

belt and formulate a solid business plan. The last thing I want to do is jump into this

without research, experience or a plan. I know I would fail. I do plan on shooting as many

weddings as I can and hopefully get under the wing of someone successful (anyone in

Austin reading this?). I have shot a handful of weddings, although I'm hardly experienced.

I am fairly experienced in shooting for newspapers, ad work and portraiture (I haven't been

around that long, I'm only 24). I'm just really anxious cause right now I sell computers for

a living and I'm not doing what I love (well, I am in what little free time I have, but I want to

get paid for it). Right now, I'm thinking about focusing on digital and once I am successful

with my digital work, possibly offer a film service. I do have a good powerbook loaded

with CS2, so I don't need to invest in that. I'm thinking now about getting just one d200

and using the d2h as backup and maybe eventually getting another d200 down the road.

Well, thanks everyone for all the great advice and please add more if there's anything

others have missed!

[david_eicher]

Lots of good info here. We got to see the great Rocky Gunn one time in Orlando....may he rest in peace. He adviced all of us "part-timers" to not quit our day jobs, for you "will never become wealthy shooting weddings". Basically he stated you can make a living, but you will never be rich working on your own. The benefits from your day job are important. I am still old school and carry two Mamiya 645s and two Bronica ETRS 120 cameras. At this stage in my career, I will retire shooting film. Nothing against digital, though it, as film, has its draw backs. Storage, longivity, focus in low light, blacks blocking up, etc.

However, that being said, even though you can get 120 outfits for cheap now and because of that I hung on to my equipment, digital is the wave of the future. Even if its not the best, it is eventually the only choice you will probably have, that is until the next version of photography arrives.

And most definatly...backups. I had two cameras go down in one wedding one time, thus the extra Bronic body was purchased.